If the closest you've come to doing the cha cha is "Cha Cha Slide," then you have a few things to learn.

Fred Astaire Dance Studio, 323 N. Milwaukee St., teaches the real thing. Part of a national chain, the studio employs eight full-time instructors who give private lessons to singles and couples of all ages, according to Stacy Potter, one of the studio's owners.

Students can learn a total of 15 styles of social dances — from the basic waltz and foxtrot to the exotic tango and rumba and the fast-paced swing.

Those looking to test the waters can stop by Thursday evenings at 8 p.m. for the Guest & Newcomer Party. Potter said the free one-hour session is an open house where instructors teach the basics.

The studio is open Monday through Friday from 2 to 10 p.m. and Saturdays by appointment only, Potter said. There is an introductory special: two private lessons for $25. Students may continue by selecting the number of lessons they would like and make appointments for them as they please with no expiration date.

'Wriggle those hips!'

The studio makes sure its students have fun practicing by hosting parties every other Friday. Newcomers are welcome also, free of charge, to get a taste of the studio and hopefully pick up a few steps. This past Friday, the instructors dressed in poodle skirts and cuffed jeans to host a 1950s sock hop.

At 8 p.m., the lights dimmed and the couples finishing up lessons joined other students and instructors on the floor as Pink's "Get The Party Started" did just that.

Instructors called out a dance as each song began and circled the floor, counting out the rhythm or taking someone for a twirl while their partner rested. Most students seemed to find easiest what the studio calls the push-pull, an updated version of the Hustle that involved variations of stepping backward one foot and stepping in place on the other foot (what's called a ball change in tap).

For the Latin dances, instructors encouraged students to "wriggle those hips!" Waltzers saw experienced couples with heads held high and gracefully; the less-experienced students kept their eyes on their feet.

In preparation for their Oct. 1 wedding, Shane Czerniakowski and Kristy Fitzgerald, both of Franklin, have been attending dance classes at the studio. After only four lessons, Czerniakowski said they have already improved.

Though Czerniakowski said he enjoys lessons, he admitted Fitzgerald had to persuade him to attend.

Fitzgerald said their wedding dance will be a rumba to Keith Urban's country ballad "Making Memories of Us." Will they impress their friends and family with their new moves?

"I hope so!" she exclaimed.

As the opening chords of Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" came on, an instructor called out a rumba.

Fitzgerald stood up and beckoned to Czerniakowski. "We have to practice this one," she said.

The students were rewarded for their hard work with a demonstration by several instructors and students. Karl Braun of Milwaukee, a student for five months, partnered with an instructor to demonstrate a complex variation of the tango — the Argentine tango.

The dance was influenced by slave culture, the fashions of the times and the movement was adapted to fit crowded dance floors. Braun was a far cry from the shy person he used to be, and he credited dance for that.

"I just wanted to get out there, gain some self-confidence and have fun," Braun said. "I don't like the bar scene. This is just right for me."

Ballroom is hot (not mad)

Ballroom dancing seems to be right for a lot of people. The craft has certainly benefited from being the subject of recent films and television shows such as "Shall We Dance?" starring Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon and Jennifer Lopez and "Mad Hot Ballroom," an independent hit about kids getting bit by the ballroom bug.

The popular television shows that began airing this summer, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance?" have a brought in phone calls from people looking to learn the moves they see on TV, Potter said.

The show's appeal varies among its viewers.

"I think dancing in general is becoming more popular," Potter said. "It's fantastic to watch."

The "glitz and glamour" of the costumes and routines is alluring to viewers, she said.

Mike and Joyce Gill of Oak Creek have been students for six months to practice for their daughters' weddings in June 2006 and July 2007. She said she enjoyed watching "Dancing With the Stars" this summer because she recognized styles from class and found herself able to judge the quality of the footwork.

"I love to watch people dance, whether on television or at weddings," she said. "I think it's making a comeback. The shows certainly helped."

Whether or not ballroom is making a comeback, one thing is clear: everyone out on the floor was smiling.

There are two more open houses this month — tonight and Sept. 22. The next Friday party is Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. The theme is Wisconsin Pride — so Green Bay Packer jerseys, Wisconsin Badger t-shirts and Marquette gear are all acceptable attire. Call (414) 291-9999 or visit http://www.fredastairemilwaukee.com for more information.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 15, 2005.