Capitalizing on that phenomenon is the new show “Simply Ballroom,” playing in the gorgeous new theater at The Golden Nugget in Downtown Las Vegas. With an international cast of dancing champions, the show features a non-stop exhibition of a variety of different ballroom styles including waltz, rumba, tango, cha-cha, paso doble, American jive, and more.

Leading the proceedings are a male-female pair of talented singers/emcees who introduce the dances, give us the uneducated audience a little background on how the dance originated, and then sing (very well, I might add) while the dancers get down to business.

Hailing from around the world, the cast has competed in and won more ballroom competitions than there are probably trophy cases big enough to hold their awards. They are, without exception, masters at the craft and their unflagging energy, technique, and showmanship is a marvel to behold. During the American jive portion, one of the male dancer’s suspenders came undone and he did not miss a step while retrieving and re-securing the errant strap. I would’ve had a hard time doing that standing still.

Consider this, on “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance” (Travis should’ve won), the dancers do one or two numbers that last a couple of minutes at most. In “Simply Ballroom” the cast of about a dozen dancers goes more or less non-stop except for brief respites for costume changes for more than an hour. I was exhausted by the end of it and I just sat there and watched.

The music selections are varied enough to keep things interesting, with the tango getting a more classical selection but things like the cha-cha set to “Lady Marmalade,” which is not as cheesy as it sounds on paper. The most effective is probably the evocative rumba done to “Time After Time” (Cyndi Lauper), tender and heart-tuggingly romantic and making me wish I had brought a date to the show.

As mentioned, the newly redone showroom at the Golden Nugget is beautiful, with plush theater style seats, warm and plush wall coverings, a state-of-the-art light and sound system, and outside a full snack bar with candy and popcorn. The only downside here is that the relatively low height of the ceiling above the stage meant fewer and lower lifts than we’ve gotten used to seeing, but it was only missed during the American jive section where the performers were obviously holding back from where they would’ve gone with a higher roof.

I never watched “Dancing with the Stars” but I was obsessed with “So You Think You Can Dance” (Travis should’ve won) and although my tastes in dance lean more toward the modern and lyrical styles (Mia Michaels is a god), I was entranced by the ballroom styles on display in this show. If you liked either show, you’ll love “Simply Ballroom” especially when you note that the ticket prices start at $29 and top out at $40.

Oh, and Travis should’ve won.