Simply ballroom

Ballroom dancing has never been hotter. Sid Pocius knows this.

Three years ago, Pocius, a champion ballroom dancer from Lithuania, organized a five-star ballroom dance competition called the Sarasota Star Ball.

At the time Pocius, 34, was working as a freelance dance instructor in Sarasota. He knew planning the two-day event would be an undertaking, but like any visionary, he knew it would grow. 

Now in its third year, the competition, which was held Jan. 15 and Jan. 16 at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota, proved it’s a worthy stop on the five-star ballroom circuit thanks to jaw-dropping performances by Latin dance champions Misha Valsov and Danielle Wilson and World Smooth champions Slavik Sochacki and Marzena Stachura.

Pocius says he plans to shake up the competition next year by adding a few spicy changes to the program. As to what exactly those changes are, Pocius is playing coy ­–– for now.

“It’ll be big stuff,” says the dancer, who happens to be friends with a couple “Dancing With the Stars” professionals. “When I’m ready to talk about it, you’ll know.”