Millions of Americans turn on the television every week to watch professional dancers -- and wannabes -- roil through the rhumba and shimmy through the salsa on popular television shows such as ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance''

But are fans of these shows ever inspired to get off the couch and step onto the dance floor to give their cha-cha a chance?

In the South Hills, the score is a definitive 10-10-10. Ballroom dancing has caught on over the past several years and today's dancers are enthusiastic and growing in numbers -- if not in age. And, most say, their enthusiasm is, at least in part, driven by all the hype.

Chris Roth, of Mt. Lebanon, opened a dance studio, Steel City Ballroom, several weeks ago at 702 Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon. He said "people watch and realize, 'yes, I can do this, regardless of my size or age.' ''

Today's ballroom dancer is younger than in years past, Mr. Roth said. In 1989, the average dancer was in his or her late 50s; today the average dancer is in his or her late 20s. He said that he is also seeing lots more teenagers on the waltz floor.

Steel City Ballroom offers group private lessons, where friends book the studio for a private lesson and then make it part of a larger night out by going out to dinner.

Most dance studios also sponsor periodic dances, Mr. Roth said. And often his students will rent out a Veterans of Foreign Wars hall to hold private dance parties. Often, charity events have live music and a dance floor, he said, allowing students to show off their new talent.

"Social evenings are more enjoyable with a physical element," Mr. Roth said. "Once you have dancing skills, you start actively looking for opportunities to dance."

One of the advantages of dancing over other activities, he said, is its lower expense. Other than lessons and maybe a pair of suede-soled dance shoes, no costly equipment is required.

"Dancing is a lot easier than you think," he said. "Dancing is really nothing more than walking with music playing."

David Geidel, the owner of the Arthur Murray franchise at 3934 Washington Road, Peters, agrees that ballroom dancing is on the rise in the South Hills.

"Without a doubt, we have seen more demand for lessons in the past five years," he said. His studio has seen an increase over the past several years of ten to fifteen percent each year, he said.

Television shows that highlight competitive ballroom dancing have made dancing part of mainstream culture, Mr. Geidel said. The shows make people more aware of the various styles of dance out there, and they are more at ease with the idea of dancing themselves, he said.

Students arrive at his studio more educated about the various dances, he said, and they have an idea what they will be learning. Most want to learn Latin dances and swing. And the beautiful waltz is always popular.

"People see dancing as a stress reliever, a good way to get exercise and to reduce blood pressure," he said.

To show off and enjoy their dancing skills, many of his students visit nightclubs, such as the Grove on Grove Road in Castle Shannon or Cefalo's on Washington Avenue in Carnegie, Mr. Geidel said.

John Dryden, of Mt. Lebanon, however, isn't giving "Dancing" and its brethren all the credit. He said that business in his Upper St. Clair ballroom dance studio, Dryden Dance Center, 1948 Painters Run Road, has remained steady over the past 20 years.

Public broadcasting networks have a strong history of offering such programs, he said.

Regardless of why, students today are drawn to ballroom dance for many of the same reasons they have been in the past, he said. Couples want to perform with skill at their wedding, he said, and then, years later, after their children move away from home, couples use ballroom dancing to reconnect.

Local country clubs offer regular dances where many of his students use their skills, Mr. Dryden said.

Mark Peters, of Findlay, who teaches ballroom dancing through the Community College of Allegheny County at Seton LaSalle high school in Mt. Lebanon, said that the dancing scene here has grown substantially in recent years.

Mr. Peters, who is single and works as a software engineer, finds dancing to be an ideal way to get out and meet new people. He goes dancing four to five nights a week, he said.

"Dancing has been a life-changing event for me," he said. Not only is it great exercise, he said, but it also has allowed him to become a part of a friendly and outgoing community.

Mr. Peters is active with a group called Coal Country Traditions, a nonprofit entity dedicated to spreading swing and Latin dancing in the area. Other groups that promote dance in the area include the Pittsburgh Area Jitterbug Club and Swing City.

South Hills residents are not alone in their infatuation with ballroom dancing. Angela Prince, a spokesperson with USA Dance, a national nonprofit entity that promotes ballroom dancing, there has been a steady increase in the interest in dancing across the country over the past several years.

While there may be no quantitative studies, USA Dance's membership is up at least 33 percent in the last two years, Ms. Prince said. Most of the group's members--about 79 percent--are social dancers, she said. The remaining members dance competitively.

"America wants to dance, since dance is a big part of America's culture,'' Ms. Prince said." Not until the 1960s with the onset of nightclubs, she said, did dance become something other than a partnered activity. America is ready to go back to partnered dance, she said.

Andrew Pueschel, who lives Downtown, also with USA Dance, said that interest in dancing here mirrors that seen across the nation. Mr. Pueschel plans to work as the artistic director in a ballroom dance studio, Absolute Ballroom, opening next month in the East End, he said.

"Housewife to student to doctor, lawyer, and janitor enjoy dance," he said.

Nowdays, because of the shows, "people once again think it's cool.''

>•

For more on dance classes offered through the Community College of Allegheny County, visit www.ccac.edu.

For more on the Steel City Ballroom, call 412-531-8320.

For more on classes at Dryden Dance Center, visit www.drydendance.com.

For more on the Arthur Murray dance studio, visit www.ballroomdancing.org.

For more on the Absolute Ballroom, visit www.absoluteballroompgh.com.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has information on recreational dancing in Pittsburgh on its Web site, including a link to a master calendar of events in the area. For more, visit www.clpgh.org/research/music/dance/rec.html.

For more information on Coal Country Traditions, Swing City, and the Pittsburgh Area Jitterbug Club, visit www.coalcountry.org.

For more on the national organization of USA Dance, visit www.usadance.org. For more on the local chapter of this organization, visit www.usadancepgh.com.

For more on Cefalo's lounge, visit www.clubcefalo.com. For more on the Grove, call 412-881-4588.