Ballroom Competition Gets Hearts Beating In Support Of The U.S. Transplant Games

By Josie Cowell

It is no secret that ballroom dancing is good for you, mind and body. A fun and exciting way to get in the exercise that is so important for good health, dancing gets the feet moving and the heart pumping. Getting the heart pumping is about more than dancing though; with more than 100,000 Americans waiting for organ transplants, organ donation is more urgent than ever. In honor of that need, the Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Madison and dancers from across Wisconsin gathered at 7:00 pm on Friday, March 12th to participate in Team Match at the Madison studio, a chance not only to enjoy ballroom dancing and a bit of friendly competition, but also to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation. Proceeds from the event and donations will be given to support Team Wisconsin in this year’s U.S. Transplant Games.

Team Match is a bi-annual competition that brings together ballroom dancers from all over Wisconsin. This spring’s Team Match is being hosted by the Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Madison, and will include amateur and professional participants from the Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Madison, Wales, Pewaukee, and Menomonee Falls. Madison Studio owner, Peter Goethche, says “Team Match has always been a great way for students at Fred Astaire Dance Studios throughout Wisconsin to get together and engage in a fun, competitive event; this year, we wanted to make it about more than friendly competition. Since this is the first year that the Games will be having ballroom dancing as an event, we thought that this was the perfect opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of organ donation.”

The biennial U.S. Transplant Games, hosted by the National Kidney Foundation will be held in Madison, WI from July 30th to August 4th. The event is a testament to the success of transplantation, and a wonderful way to honor the donor families and living donors who make transplantation possible. Over 8,000 recipients and donors are expected to attend the event. Fred Astaire Dance Studios, a national franchise of dance studios will be sponsoring the ballroom portion of the event, and the Fred Astaire Dance Studio of Madison is excited not only to be the winner of 2010 Team Match Top Studio Award, but to be able to do their part raising awareness about the importance of organ donation!

For more information about Team Match and how to help support Team Wisconsin in the 2010 U.S. Transplant Games, please contact Josie Cowell at 608-833-2623 or fredastairemadison@gmail.com