The opportunities offered by Friends of Ballroom Dancing are designed to provide locations where couples can experience and practice Casual Ballroom Dancing. This style of dance is taught primarily through Kirkwood Community College Continuing Education program in Iowa City/Coralville.

The purpose of Casual Ballroom Dancing is to make ballroom/social dancing, uncomplicated, unpretentious, non-pompous and not showy, stilted, or robotic. It is designed to make partner dancing easier to learn with a minimum amount of time and financial commitment. Therefore, movement and motions are taught that are not difficult to learn, being modest and natural, plain and simplified.

It has been proven through the Kirkwood program, that more people are attracted to Casual Ballroom Dancing than to "show" dancing or the type of shown on "Dancing with the Stars."  Casual Ballroom Dancing is done in a non-competitive, non-exhibitionist environment. Making it a recreational, leisure activity which is relaxing, refreshing and fun overrides any interest in dancing that is elaborate, flashy, affected or boastful. Casual Ballroom Dancers don’t try to draw attention to themselves or intimidate others with "show" dance styles. They know that Casual Ballroom Dancing is not about performing, but simply and naturally sharing enjoyment with a partner.

Friends of Ballroom Dancing wants not only to preserve but improve what we have today in ballroom/social dancing. To accomplish this, more people must become involved in the activity. Casual Ballroom Dancing is the approach being used as it simplifies dancing and is therefore easier and less costly to learn.

Join us in our quest to share the enjoyment of Casual Ballroom Dancing with a broader audience. This will help to increase and involve the numbers necessary to sustain live music and dancing facilities in our communities.