FIAO Kicks Off 16th Year Of Free Ballroom Dancing At Seth Low I.S. 96

The Federation of Italian American Organizations of Brooklyn (FIAO) is sponsoring free ballroom dance instruction classes for teens and seniors for its 16th year in a row.

Led by indefatigable dance instructor Carmine Santa Maria, classes are held Wednesday nights beginning October 1 and run through late June at the Beacon Community Center auditorium at Seth Low IS 96, 99 Avenue P between West 11th Street and West 12th Street. The three hour classes begin at 6:00pm.

Santa Maria, who leads the instruction along with advanced students from previous classes, has been teaching ballroom dancing for close to 60 years.

Partners are not necessary to learn basic Meringue, Foxtrot, Tango, Cha Cha and Swing moves, he says, and advanced students practice their Peabody, Rumba, Mambo, Waltz and Samba steps alongside the newcomers.

“You learn to dance by dancing and teaching each other,” says Santa Maria. “But I’ll always be there watching and correcting,” he said, according to a release.

Call Director Joe Rizzi at (718) 232-2266 to sign up and learn more.