Setting a Tea Dance Record

Setting a world record can rarely have been so much fun.
Under blue skies and sunshine, hundreds of people of all ages, shapes and sizes grabbed the first partner to hand and jived across London’s Trafalgar Square.

Five minutes later they had tripped their way into the Guinness Book of Records for the biggest ever open air tea dance, with 195 couples counted.
White-bearded men twirled pretty girls, while silver-haired ladies waltzed with fit young men. Children on a school trip and even a pair of Pearly Queens joined in the melee.
Participants and onlookers - many clutching a free cup of tea - all seemed to be having a thoroughly good time.

Organisers Teadirect said the idea behind the event was “decency” - as shown in drinking a decent cuppa, paying a fair price to tea growers and the chivalry of a tea dance.
The fairtrade company hopes combining Britain’s love of tea with its new enthusiasm for TV dance shows will raise awareness of global trade issues in the run-up to July’s G8 summit.
Showing everyone how it should be done, Strictly Come Dancing duo Hazel Newberry and Anton Du Beke whirled on to the dance floor.

And there seemed no shortage of people willing to try out a foxtrot themselves.
“It’s nice to have a live band and nice to dance properly,” said 73-year-old Terry Martin, who travelled from West Wickham with wife Sheila to take part.
“There’s quite a good mix - quite a few youngsters. What’s finer than getting a gorgeous young girl in your arms and sliding around the dance floor?”

(this article was taken from the bbc news)