Alicia Wagner Calzada | 210SA Whether sweating it out in a club or studio, dance is a hip way to gain confidence and stay fit – and look good doing it.

Newsflash: Dancing is cool again. Television shows such as ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” and Fox’s “So You Think You Can Dance?” have revived interest in dance across the country.

That’s a good thing — bopping around the studio or club is great exercise, and it’s also an easy way to meet people. Mastering a dance form can also increase your self-confidence and build up your body image.

“I’ve seen dance change a lot of people’s lives,” dance instructor Diana Wall said.

BELLY DANCE

WHAT IT IS: A traditional Middle Eastern form of dance, usually performed by women, that focuses on the torso instead of the feet; belly dancers shimmy and undulate, often using flowing scarves, veils and finger bells.
HISTORY: The origins of this ancient dance are hazy. Belly dancing might have begun as a dance to worship goddesses or as a birthing ritual, says Karen Barbee Adkisson, owner of Karavan Belly Dance Productions. Another theory is that women belly-danced to entertain themselves in Arab harems. “We like that theory. It was a dance for women by women,” she said.
WHY IT’S COOL: It’s a great core workout that uses natural movements; it won’t blow out your joints; and you can belly-dance your whole life. And, unlike most forms of dance, a little extra flesh is a good thing — some of the movements look better with a fuller tummy.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND IT? Several studios in town offer belly dance, including Little Egypt and the Synergy Studio. Go to sadu.org for class information. You can see Karavan students perform every week at Demo’s Greek Food, Turquoise Grill, Mina & Dimi’s Greek House, Gypsy Café and Cool Café.

ARGENTINE TANGO

WHAT IT IS: An intimate, passionate partners dance. Couples move counter-clockwise around the floor to music dominated by a bandoneón (which resembles an accordion). Physical communication between the leader and the follower is key.
HISTORY: Tango, a form of ballroom dancing, was created more than a century ago in Bueno Aires by immigrants, says San Antonio tango enthusiast Frank Huddleston. It became a popular form of dance among the lower classes but caught on among the upper classes in Europe. It fell out of favor for a while, but stage shows in the 1980s and 1990s gave it newfound popularity in the U.S.
WHY IT’S COOL: Dancers aren’t held to set steps — it’s more about interpretation of the music. “Tango’s kind of like a language. We have a vocabulary and we have a grammar, but we don’t say the same things every time,” Huddleston said.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND IT? Tango classes are offered at Blue Bubble Ballroom, Dancing the Rainbow and Let’s Dance Studios, among others. Milongas (dances) are held weekly or monthly at Mario’s Restaurant, La Marginal and other locations. Go to tangosa.info and satango.com.

SWING DANCING

WHAT IT IS: Also known as the lindy hop, it’s a social dance with an eight-count structure performed to fast-paced, brass-heavy jazz music.
HISTORY: Swing dancing, an American dance, evolved from the Charleston and became popular in the 1920s along with big band music. Swing died out in the 1950s and ’60s with the advent of the twist, but it was revived in the 1990s. Raleigh Chen, president of the San Antonio Swing Dance Society, said a 1998 Gap commercial featuring swing dancing sparked a renewed interest in the music and the dance.
WHY IT’S COOL: Chen said swing is a great way to meet people while having good, clean, wholesome fun, not to impress chicks or hook up. “With swing, you really kind of act like an idiot. That’s the fun of it. The goofier you look, the better it looks,” he said. “The community we’ve created here in San Antonio is very welcoming and social. We’ve got all ages and all professions.”
WHERE CAN YOU FIND IT? The San Antonio Swing Dance Society holds lindy hop lessons weekly at Sam’s Burger Joint and Blue Bubble Ballroom (both of which are followed by live bands) and Semeneya Ballroom. Go to sasds.org for live-music venues that feature swing and rockabilly bands.

COUNTRY AND WESTERN DANCING

WHAT IT IS: Two-step, circle two-step, waltz, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing and line dancing — anything you can do to country music, including cha-cha. In San Antonio, two-step is the most popular form, dance instructor Diana Wall says. “We like to hold our partner here, I guess,” she said.
HISTORY: While they have their roots in other kinds of dance, most forms of country and western dancing were born in the United States in the 20th century.
WHY IT’S COOL: If you like country music, this is a great way to enjoy it. “The popularity of the music certainly played a big role in making the dances more popular,” Wall said. It’s also fairly easy to learn, and it’s a good way to meet people — those turns and dips are a great way to flirt.
WHERE CAN YOU FIND IT? Wall teaches country and western dancing at Cowboys Dance Hall every week. River City Dance Studio, Absolute Dance Studio and other studios also offer classes. Popular venues with live or recorded music include Cowboys, Midnight Rodeo, Gruene Hall, John T. Floore Country Store and other dance halls.

SALSA

WHAT IT IS: A sexy, fast-paced Latin partner dance performed to salsa music. While there are basic patterns to learn, the dance itself isn’t choreographed.
HISTORY: Salsa music is of Afro-Cuban and Puerto Rican origin, influenced by jazz and rock. The dance originated largely in Cuba in the 20th century.
WHY IT’S COOL: “If you’re in for a challenge, that’s definitely something you want to take up. But the good thing about it, it’s so much fun it doesn’t feel like much of an effort,” said Elizabeth Elizondo, who teaches club-style salsa (as opposed to ballroom style) at Studio One. “I love the music. Once the music gets going, it’s so difficult not to dance. Your body really gets going.”
WHERE CAN YOU FIND IT? Many dance studios offer salsa lessons, including Studio One and Arthur Murray. Salsa is hot at Azúca Nuevo Latino, Arjon’s International Club (where there are lessons on Sunday nights) and Graham Central Station.