America's Ballroom Challenge is an exciting three-part series that brings together the nation's top ballroom dancers to compete for the title of "America's Best." Hosted by former U.S. dance champions Mary Murphy and Tony Meredith, the series was shot in stunning high definition at the world's largest ballroom dancing competition, the Ohio Star Ball.
The series features all four major styles of competitive ballroom dancing: American Smooth, American Rhythm, International Standard and International Latin. After a winning couple is crowned in each of the four styles, the four champions compete across dance styles in a best-of-show grand finale to determine a single winner.
America's Ballroom Challenge also includes a half-dozen pro-am exhibitions by couples made up of a professional teacher and his or her amateur student; three stunning exhibitions by the year's best cabaret dancers; and some behind-the-scenes looks at the fascinating world of competitive ballroom dancing.
Executive producer Aida Moreno first brought competitive ballroom dancing to PBS in 1980, with Championship Ballroom Dancing. What was supposed to be a one-time 90-minute special proved so popular that it remained a fixture on PBS for 20 years. Moreno brought ballroom back to PBS in 2006 with a new format and title: America's Ballroom Challenge. Focusing primarily on the stunning "showdance" solos of the 25 finalists, this season is bigger and better than ever.
