America's Ballroom Challenge 2009 on PBS

This Wednesday, February 25, the fourth season of America's Ballroom Challenge premieres on PBS at 8:00 (central).

This two hour special was shot at a huge ballroom dance competition in Columbus, Ohio, and features 24 world-class couples competing across the four different ballroom dance styles: American Smooth, American Rhythm, International Standard and International Latin. The focus is a "show dance" where each couple takes the floor by themselves. The couples compete in front of a live audience and a panel of judges and the winning couple walks away with the title.

Ron Montez, seven-time U.S. National Latin Dance Champion, co-hosts the show with Jean Lousia Kelly, an actress/singer/dancer who you may recognize from shows like Yes, Dear or Mr Holland's Opus.

The dancers you will see throughout the evening are:

• Mayo Alanen and Lisa Vogel (American Smooth)
• John Selby and Irina Chalkevitch (American Smooth)
• Mikhail Zharinov and Galina Detkina (American Smooth)
• Tomas Mielnicki and J.T. Thomas (American Smooth)
• Mazen Hamza and Magdalena Piekarz (American Smooth)
• Jonathan Roberts and Valentina (American Smooth)
• Michael Neil and Danielle Wilson (American Rhythm)
• Felipe Telona and Carolina Orlovsky-Telona (American Rhythym)
• Matthew Hauer and Karen Hauer (American Rhythym)
• Jose Decamps and Joanna Zacharewicz (American Rhythym)
• Steve Vasco and Joanna Siekierska (American Rhythym)
• Decho Kraev and Bree Watson (American Rhythym)
• Erminio Stefano and Luana Conte (International Standard)
• Linas Koreiva and Liene Apale (International Standard)
• Urs Geisenhainer and Agnes Kazmierczak (International Standard)
• Mikhail Avdeev and Anastasia Muravyeva (International Standard)
• Igor Litvinov and Yulia Iveleva (International Standard)
• Gherman Mustuc and Iveta Lukosiute (International Standard)
• Riccardo Cocchi and Yulia Zagoruychenko (International Latin)
• Andre Paramonov and Natalie Paramonov (International Latin)
• Vaidotas Skimelis and Jurga Pupelyte (International Latin)
• Eugene Katsevman and Maria Manusova (International Latin)
• Pavlo Barsuk and Anna Trebunskaya (International Latin)
• Delyan Terziev and Boriana Deltcheva (International Latin)
• Victor Russo and Elaine Sheresky (Exhibition Dancers)
• Forrest Vance and Olivia Anderson (Exhibition Dancers)
• Daniel Radler and Deirdre Radler (Exhibition Dancers)
• Hunter Stephens and Inna Berlizyeva (Exhibition Dancers)
• Daniel Shapiro and Katya Kovalyova (Exhibition Dancers)

You can check out their website for a description of the different dance styles you will be seeing. They also have a little "trailer" you can watch here. This could be a good opportunity to find a style that you like but may not have been exposed to until now.

As far as dance competitions go on television, you can't get more ballroom than this.