By Chris Cosci

At a recent dance competition, Annie Schlaff and her partner Danny entertained the audience with a spirited cha-cha-cha. For the most part, Annie and Danny are just like any other dance partners. They practiced a lot together, and they worked hard through a carefully choreographed routine. However, after the competition, Annie most likely looks forward to taking her shoes off and kicking her feet up on the couch. Danny, on the other hand, probably hopes to sniff his competitors.

You see, Danny is a Labrador Retriever. The competition was held at the 2004 International Canine Freestyle Conference in Portland, Oregon. This is the second annual conference hosted by the World Canine Freestyle Organization, which was founded in 1999. In those short five years, the program has become incredibly popular with dog owners across the country.

There are many reasons for its popularity. Primarily, it's a great activity that people can perform with their beloved pets. It's also good exercise, and it helps develop behavioral skills in the dogs. Plus, it's probably the only dance competition where it would be acceptable for a spectator to comment, "that bitch sure can dance."

Of course, canine dancing is not exactly like standard dancing. Most dogs don't have the style and finesse to waltz or foxtrot. And while they can be trained to "sit" or "fetch," it would be asking a lot to try "swing your partner" and "do-si-do."

Competitions are broken down into two main categories: Heelwork-to-Music and Musical Freestyle. Heelwork-to-Music, or HTM to the canine-dancing in crowd, is more like traditional dancing. According to the official WCFO rules, all HTM moves should be in some type of heel position, and can be performed side-by-side, face-to-face, or back-to-back. Musical Freestyle is more open, allowing dogs to weave through their partner's legs, do jumps, and perform other such moves.

The contests are scored much the same as ice skating, with separate scores for technical merit and artistic impression. As part of the artistic impression, contestants are required to wear costumes suited to the theme of their music. However, dog costumes are limited to decorative collars and optional ankle bands. So Sparky will just have to save his zoot suit for another special occasion.

While this activity is great for dog owners, I think it is safe to say that dancing would not be nearly as successful with other pets. Hamsters and gerbils just aren't built for dancing. And larger animals like horses would probably be a little clumsy. And don't even think about trying this with a cat, unless you like the feeling of having your skin clawed off.

This is not to say that every dog is ideal for becoming the next Mikhail Paw-ryshnikov (I'm sorry, that's the best I can come up with - I'm so ashamed). While terriers and retrievers can make great dance partners, the small stature of Chihuahuas would be much harder to work with. Also, they would always appear nervous in front of a large crowd.

But if you have a dog that looks like a good dancer, WCFO sponsors numerous seminars and workshops throughout the country. It would be a great opportunity to spend time with your dog and do something fun and different. And don't be too concerned if your dog has trouble mastering the intricate dance steps. After all, he does have two left feet.