Dig Out Your Dancing Shoes

Dig Out Your Dancing Shoes
Arthur Murray holds Dance Competition and Show

You’re curled up in front of the television, it’s late, and you’re tuned into, say, ESPN. On comes a professional dance competition, the participants dressed to the nines, complete with numbers on their back. And, whether you have two left feet or not, you’re entranced — the dancers are that good.

If you’ve ever wanted to see it for yourself, your chance is now.

Eight-time U.S. Latin Dance Champions Julia Gorchakova and Bob Powers are coming to the Crowne Plaza in Harrisburg to both perform and to judge a dance competition. Featuring the students of four Pennsylvania Arthur Murray Dance Studios — York, Lemoyne, Paoli, and Naberth — the Dance Competition and Show will be held March 17 and 18.

Jeffrey Van Boskirk, owner of the Lemoyne and York Arthur Murray locations, has been a part of the Harrisburg event for as long he has been involved with the company, some 15 years. And, each year, he sees the competition (both amateur and pro/am) and the show evolving to a more complex and skilled showcase, with the performances covering all aspects of ballroom dance, from the fox trot to the mamba.

In addition to the U.S. Championships, Julia Gorchakova and Bob Powers have won every major championship in the United States and Canada. Together, the duo has performed throughout the world, with stops in China, Holland, Germany, and Gorchakova’s home country, Russia.

The prominent name in dance studios, the first Arthur Murray dance studio was opened by its namesake in 1912 and now counts among its franchised operations locations in Canada, Puerto Rico, the Middle East, Japan, and South Africa.

The Dance Competition and Show will be held Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A dinner and show will be held Sunday at 6 p.m. Tickets are available for the competition, the show, or both. Reservations are required. For more information, call 737-1504.