SIMPLY Ballroom is a show which simply wouldn't have worked, even five years ago.

It's a strange combination, with dancer and entertainer Lionel Blair's polished variety routine contrasted with energetic dancing by a cast of teenage British ballroom dance champions.

Lionel Blair inevitably gets to do his tap dancing and the Old Soft Shoe, as he fronts the show, and you can only marvel at his energy.

But the real stars of this show are the dancers, who perform some memorable routines to showcase a variety of dance styles, including Latin and ballroom.

Whether this combination of old-fashioned variety and competition-style ballroom dancing would have filled a theatre, as it did on Monday, a few years ago is very doubtful.

The show's creator John Conway says he was inspired by the massive impact of BBC TV's Strictly Come Dancing, which has inspired people up and down the country to learn to dance.

Hat's off to the BBC for re-creating an audience to enjoy the talents of these young dancers and for reviving a pastime that is healthy and fun.

Lots of couples in the audience said they had met at dances and hopefully in the future lots more will.

So go along, have fun and be prepared to dance yourself!

Simply Ballroom continues until tomorrow (Saturday).

NICK HOWELLS