Unit 9 Video · Learning to Dance

1Work in pairs. Discuss the questions.

1Do you think it's important to keep learning new things when you're an adult? Why / Why not?

2Do you think it's easier to learn as a child or an adult?

3Is there anything that you would like to study or learn? Why?

2Read the text. Answer the questions below.

Let's dance! Do you know your salsa from your samba? If you don't, you've obviously never watched a TV dance show! Shows about ballroom dancing – a type of dancing that you do with a partner to different types of music – have become incredibly popular all over the world in recent years. In fact, in 2018 almost 13 million people watched the final episode of a famous UK dance competition – that's about 20 percent of the total population of the country!

But why are these shows so popular? Even people who aren't really interested in dancing seem to love these programmes. Perhaps it's fun to watch people who can't dance working hard and getting better every week. Or perhaps it makes us feel good to know that different people – politicians, priests, doctors, chefs as well as musicians and actors – can all learn a new skill. So even if you find dancing boring, you might be inspired to try something difficult or learn something you've always wanted to!

1.What are salsa and samba?

2.Do you do ballroom dancing by yourself?

3.Have TV shows about dancing always been popular?

4.What sort of people enter the TV dance competitions?

5.Do the dance show contestants know how to dance before they enter?

6.Why does the text say dancing programmes are popular?

3aWork in pairs. Discuss the questions.

1In the video Ronnie learns to dance. Do you think he'll be good at dancing? Why / Why not?

2Why do you think Ronnie wants to learn to dance?

3b Watch the video and check your ideas.

4Read Ronnie's introduction. Watch the video from 0:14–1:04 and choose the correct alternatives.

Hello, Ronnie the Roadmap reporter here in the studio. Now, we all know it's ¹… to get a good education – we need ²… to go to university or get a good job. But it's just as important to keep ³… as an adult, particularly when you're older. Experts say it helps keep our ⁴… healthier, just like exercising the muscles in your body. And you're never too old to learn a new ⁵…

Now at school I ⁶… terrible at sport, I still am unfortunately, and I ⁷… dance at all. My ⁸… used to laugh at me at the school disco. But you know what, I've always wanted to be good ⁹… dancing. So, I thought I'd give it another ¹⁰….

5aRonnie learns three different dance moves in the video. Match photos A–C with names of the dance moves 1–3.

Descriptions: 1 — "argggh, I've forgotten something" · 2 — "I've just come out of the shower" · 3 — "I've just found some money"

A.(arms out, dramatic pose)

B.(reaching into pocket / hands low)

C.(hands on head / forgetful pose)

5b Watch the video from 1:35–3:28 and check your answers.

6aRead the three tips that Ronnie the dance teacher gives. Complete the tips with the words in the box.

dayemotionhappy makesmovesprofessional somethingthink

Tip one: first, start with some you know well. Think about you do every .
Tip two: about something that you .
Tip three: to dance like a , you need to show some .

6b Watch the video from 1:35–3:28 again and check your answers.

7aComplete the extracts from the video with the words in the box.

could (×2)coursehow ifjustneed (×2) surethantowhat

1. you tell me I need to do?
2. you tell me I'm doing it right?
3. It's harder it looks. do you do it?

a. You need try harder.
b. Yes of . It's easy, you don't to learn those difficult moves.
c. I'm not . I think you to practise a bit more.

7b Match questions 1–3 with answers a–c.

1.→

2.→

3.→

7c Watch the video from 1:35–3:28 and check your answers.

8Work in pairs. Discuss the questions.

1Do you like dancing? Why / Why not?

2Is dancing important in your culture?

3Is there a national dance in your country? If so, do you know how to do it? Can you describe it to your partner?

4What dances from other countries do you like? Why do you like them?

9Work in pairs. Ask your partner to explain how to do their favourite dance or the national dance of their country. Use phrases from Exercise 7a and any other phrases you know to ask for information politely.

A: How do you start the dance?
B: You take your partner's hand.
A: What do you do next?

💬 Use polite request phrases: "Could you tell me…?" · "Could you tell me if…?" · "How do you…?" · "Yes of course." · "I'm not sure."

🎬 The Roadmap Report — Unit 9