Ballroom dancing has become more than just a popular Israeli pastime. It's now a major sport, bringing Israel fame and glory in the international arena.
In late April, Israeli dance partners Liana Odikadze of Ashdod and Artyom Liaskovsky of Petach Tikva won the World Dance Sport Federation’s under-21 international competition for Latin dances in Moldova, besting about 80 other couples. On June 13, the Ballroom Dancing World Cup Competition took place in Ashdod. An Israeli couple came in second place in the over-21 Latin dance competition, while another Israeli couple came in fifth in European-style dancing.