Spurred by such movies as "Shall We Dance," which starred Gere, and "Mad Hot Ballroom" and television shows such as "Dancing with the Stars," the popularity of ballroom dancing has progressed from its European roots, emerging as a community-builder in the most unlikely of places.

"New immigrants from Hong Kong and China love it," said Manh, 39, head instructor at Just

Dance Studio. "It's more of a social get-together."

Located above Fortune Restaurant at the corner of 10th and Webster streets, Just Dance has taught Bay Area Asians how to swing, waltz, rumba, samba, fox-trot and more since 1993.

Catering to the Asian community, Just Dance provides a comfortable setting for people who want to relax and "unwind."

One such person is David Lum, 43, of El Cerrito, an aquarium owner from Hong Kong who suffered from arthritis. Someone once suggested he try ballroom dancing, so he and wife Jenny, 38, went to Just Dance five years ago and haven't stopped dancing since.

Although he and his wife won a local dance competition in April, the couple weren't always cha-cha champions. In fact, they were downright awkward at first, Manh said.

When the Lums first started taking lessons, "they both had two left feet," Manh said. "But they learned quickly."

The hardest part about learning to dance, Lum said, is timing. "You want to dance with the music, not catch up to it," he said.

Watching the Lums glide around the second-story studio today, they look like seasoned professionals. "It's a wonderful thing for us," David Lum said. "My arthritis has improved — to a certain extent — and I don't take any medications."

He believes dancing helped his circulation.

"Five, six, seven, eight, five, six, seven, eight," counts Manh, keeping his students in rhythm.

Manh and two of his sisters immigrated to the United States from Cambodia in 1982, when he was 16. His parents stayed behind and are now dead. He has never returned, Manh said, because there's nothing for him there.

For Manh, his family is in Oakland on the dance floor. He is a graduate of Oakland Technical High School and had to work throughout school to survive. There was no time for fun, he said, but that changed — slowly — when he began dancing.

"It's not in my blood," Manh said. "I had to learn it the hard way." He kept practicing and eventually met Selina Chan, who is now an assistant instructor at Just Dance.

Manh and Chan have worked together since 1993 as dance students. They became instructors in 1995 and took over Just Dance's teaching roles. The studio will celebrate its ninth anniversary with them in October with hundreds of students and their families.

"I feel great," Manh said about his passion for dance. "It's fun meeting people." He said his favorite dance is bolero, a type of slow Latin dancing, because it is challenging.

Just Dance is almost like a family, Manh added, referring to the more than 40 regular dancers who come by every week from other cities such as Hercules, San Ramon, Berkeley and even San Francisco.

"We like the instructors," said Cecilia Lau, a Concord resident who takes lessons with her husband. "It's just like family."

Lum agrees. "My main motivation is the teacher. (Manh) is a really good dance teacher."

Most students are couples of varying ages, and many in the tight-knit group have taken vacations together. They've gone to Reno and taken cruises to Mexico and Alaska. Some plan on taking another cruise to Hawaii later this summer.

But when they're not at work or on vacation they dance.

The dance floor is 2,000 square feet of laminated wood, a "small place," in Manh's words, but enough for a dozen or so couples every Friday night. It becomes a cozy karaoke studio on Saturday, where English pop music and Chinese love songs fill the room. A mirror ball adorns the well-lit ceiling.

Sometimes, Manh's daughter and son run around while class is in session, rounding out the lively familial atmosphere.

As the lesson continues, pungent odors waft up from the flower shop and restaurants below, mixing with the'80s disco and Big Band music. The studio is equipped with a 10,000-plus library of MP3 music files, making it a professional jukebox.

In addition to regular students, Manh and Chan occasionally offer private lessons to individuals and small groups. They prefer group sessions, however, and their dedication is highly regarded by students.

Financially, Just Dance breaks even, but Manh said he is more interested in teaching and having fun. While he is reluctant to accept new students, he encourages everyone to pursue dancing and learn more about it. A lot of people are becoming aware of formal dancing because of recent movies, he said.

"It's good for all ages," Manh said. "It's never too late to start." He plans to continue teaching because it is good exercise.

"I will keep dancing," he said. "As long as I can move."

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