WATERLOO - Got a case of cabin fever?

Hilda Ostby has a remedy: Stow away your winter boots and pull on your dancing shoes. After all, it's hard to think about snow shoveling and ice storms when you're gliding across the ballroom floor to the Latin-laced licks of the tango.

That dance, and several others, will be on display Sunday at Showstoppers. The event runs from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Electric Park Ballroom in Waterloo.

"It's a good way to get out, a good way to get moving," said Ostby, president of the Cedar Valley Dance Club, which is sponsoring the event. "There will 17 showcases, with (open) dancing in between."

The organization hosts an annual spring ball, but this weekend will mark the first time the club has staged a Showstoppers event. Veteran ballroom dancers from across the state will demonstrate the swing, rumba and other moves, while attendees can strut their stuff in between showcases. The event was funded through a donation from club member William Eide, of Waterloo.

"Dance is a sport and an art that not enough people are involved in," said the 73-year-old, who will perform a waltz at the gathering. "It teaches young people how to use their mind and body, and for older people, it's mental and physical therapy."

Eide started dancing at the behest of his junior high football coach. The activity improved his coordination and confidence and became a lifelong hobby. He hopes this weekend's demonstrations will encourage more people - young and old - to learn some new moves.

"It brings couples closer," Eide said. "And for everyone, it teaches them to control their bodies and get in touch with their feelings."

Ostby and her husband, Steve, started dancing roughly 14 years ago.

On Sunday, they will demonstrate a rumba and a foxtrot/swing.

"It may be cold out there now," Steve said, taking a break during a practice session earlier this week. "But it's easy to warm up on the dance floor."

Contact Mary Stegmeir

at (319) 291-1482 or

mary.stegmeir@wcfcourier.com.