Dancing with the locals

By: Alexandra Cowley 

acowley@abc6.com 

It’s almost time for the 22nd season of Dancing With The Stars where some of the best dancers teach celebrity contestants how to really move in a fight for that mirror ball trophy. In preparation for this season, ABC 6 News anchor Alexandra Cowley decided to take some dancing lessons herself. 

If you’ve ever watched Dancing With The Stars, then you know the dancers float across the floor making the extremely difficult choreography, look like an afternoon stroll. But we learned at a ballroom dancing class that partner dancing is not easy. We joined in on the classes the The Mirbeau Inn and Spa in Plymouth. 

In the class, couples are learning how to move together as one. It’s something dance instructor Paul Russell Wybieracki says is great for marriage.

"If you can take care of your partner on a dance floor, you can take care of them in real life," smiled Russell Wybieracki. 

Most of the couples agree, dancing is both fun and therapeutic.

"It’s a celebration of life," said one couple. 

Another explained, "You get to meet people like you and you have fun and if you’re not doing the best it’s not a big deal, we’re just out here for fun."

Unlike dancing with the stars, there is no judging here. And no one gets booted off for messing up.

There’s also no trophy to be given out at the end of the lessons. But if you ask these contestants, they certainly don’t go home empty handed.

One woman said, "It makes me feel younger let me tell you that. As I get older you don’t want to think of yourself sitting in a chair with knitting needles. You want to get out and do something fun, so dancing brings me back to my younger days."

The new Dancing with the Stars cast will be unveiled Tuesday, March 8th during Good Morning America. Season 22 airs Monday, March 21st on ABC 6.

WLNE-TV 2016