How good as an excercise is ballroom dancing. I have a Jennifer Lopez disk. " Lets get Loud " which is often played here as a Cha in competition. It runs for a few seconds under four minutes at 32 bars per minute. I have an excercise bike. In four minutes I travell one mile. My timing with the music gives me a down stroke on one on the left leg which after four gives me a down stroke on the right. For those doubting Thomas's who think that ballroom dancing is no excercise I would suggest they put it to the test.

Hi Serindipity,
I read somewhere that one can burn up to 400-500 calories an hour ballroom dancing, I am assuming that is for the more rigorous dances. Not bad! I have a new couple that has just started with me, and he can't believe how winded he can get just waltzing. It is great cardiovascular excercise!

All exercise is beneficial.
however, to improve cardiovascular fitness, you must maintain a 'training' heart rate for 15 minutes or more continuously. 'Traning' would be about 75-85% of your maximum heart rate. quickstep and viennese waltz will put your heart rate up very quickly and it's not possible to maintain this for long enough. there is also general and specific fitness. even a very fit person could get 'winded' when they start dancing because they haven't developed the specific fitness.
as i said, all exercise is beneficial, but in my view, the gym is the best way to get fit for dancing.
Running at 8 minutes-per-mile pace will burn about 800 calories per hour.