If you enjoy ballroom or Latin dancing, chances are that you are a fan of the BBC’s world famous TV show – Strictly Come Dancing.

When you book a cruise you are buying into the romance of the sea. Whether you enjoy getting up on the floor or like to sit back and observe the couples gliding around the ballroom, proper dancing at sea is very romantic and should be experienced at least once.

There was a time when ballroom dancing was seen by younger passengers as strictly for the old fogies. And some of those senior citizens thought they were far too old to strut their stuff on the dance floor.

This all changed with the huge success of Strictly, especially when the overweight political correspondent, 64-year-old John Sergeant, became an unlikely hero of mature frustrated dancers everywhere when he left the show because he feared there was a danger he would win.

If Sergeant, who is older than his dance partner, Kristina Rihanoff’s father, can sail around the floor like a stately galleon and attract a massive fan base that almost toppled the sniping British judges – then the rest of us wrinklies figured we may as well give it a go whether we look decrepit or not.

But old or young, if you’re new to ballroom or Latin dancing and plan to take your first public dance steps on a cruise ship here are Ten Vital Tips on How Not to Look Totally Stupid on a Ship’s Dance Floor:

1. Strictly’s dance routines last just 90 seconds whereas most ballroom or Latin dances are a lot longer.
2. Do make an effort and dress up for the occasion. It will make you feel great and adds to the visual splendour of the occasion.
3. Don’t just keep to the dance floor – there’s nothing better than dancing out onto the deck and under the moon and stars.
4. Women should ensure their dance shoes are as plain as possible – most serious dancers prefer not to attract attention to their feet. For ballroom, satin court dance shoes are worn (usually by the women…). For Latin, ladies will need strappy dance shoes with very flexible soles.
5. For either sex, don’t ever attempt to do any serious dancing with ordinary shoes.
6. Professional male dancers usually wear underpants in the same colour as their trousers for split seams are not uncommon.
7. John Sergeant kept it simple and took it nice and easy around the dance floor – but maintained good posture and timing.
8. If you have little experience of ballroom or Latin dancing there is usually a dance teacher on board most cruise ships – and with Strictly’s success many cruise lines will want to tap (or rumba) into this market.
9. Opposites attract and many of them get married but they don’t always gel on the dance floor. It’s worth remembering that Strictly’s celebrity dancers are paired according to height. But if you’re in love, who cares.
10. Unattached passengers are usually looking for a dance partner who is so simpatico they will dance off into the future together. So watch yourselves.

By the way, I believe John Sergeant is currently showing off his dance skills (or as some of Strictly’s judges would say: the lack of them) on an all expenses paid cruise of the Caribbean on board P&O’s Oceana – which will take him through the Panama canal.

When Sergeant did the honourable thing and retired from Strictly with his glamorous young dance partner, Kristina, a very young viewer asked, “Does he get to keep her?”

I should imagine Sergeant would have to ask her wife, first.

So if you’re lucky enough to be on Sergeant’s liner please note that he is apparently happily married, so try to limit your moves on this charming man – to the dance floor.

James Leavey

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