Israelis give ballroom dancing a spin

The southern city of Ashdod, home to many immigrants from Russia, is becoming a ballroom dancing center as more Israelis join dancing schools for fun and even participate in international events.
TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY MICHAEL BLUM Israeli ballroom dancers of Russian origin perform during a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the start of immigration into Israel from the former Soviet Union at the presidential compound in Jerusalem on April 27, 2010. Since the start of the big wave of immigration from Russia in 1990, the Jewish state has integrated more than one million imimigrants who have profoundly changed Israeli society. AFP PHOTO/GALI TIBBON (Photo credit should read GALI TIBBON/AFP/G
Israeli ballroom dancers of Russian origin perform during a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the start of immigration into Israel from the former Soviet Union at the presidential compound in Jerusalem, April 27, 2010. - Getty Images/Gali Tibbon
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Nurit Canetti
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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.

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