Russia's Dance Floor Diplomacy

Russian President Boris Yeltsin dances with an unidentified singer in Rostov in this June 10, 1996 file photo. Yeltsin has died, a spokeswoman for the Kremlin said on April 23, 2007.



Following his historic trip to Cuba, U.S. President Barack Obama flew to Argentina for the first time. At a state dinner on Wednesday night in Buenos Aires, he was dragged onto the dance floor to try the traditional — and notoriously difficult — Argentine tango. Obama gamely tried a few steps before bowing out, but his dance-floor diplomacy proved popular.



Russian politicians have never shied away from the dance floor — Boris Yeltsin, in particular, was always happy to put on his dancing shoes.

Former Moscow's Mayor Yuri Luzhkov dances at the opening of "Miss Fatty" contest, June 27, 1990.

Leader of Russia's Liberal Democratic Party Vladimir Zhirinovsky (L) dances to the sounds of Bulgarian folk music in front of the fireplace on Sept. 16, 1995.

Russian President Vladimir Putin dances during the celebration of local Sabantuy holiday outside Tatarstan's capital Kazan, June 24, 2000.

Former Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (C, back) attends a dancing class as he visits the childhood and youth art and creation palace in northwestern Russia city of Petrozavodsk, Nov. 24, 2011.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (2nd R) dances at a festival of Finno-Ugric culture in the central city of Saransk, Russia, July 19, 2007.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, dressed in the national costume, dances as part of The Day Of Chechen Language celebrations in Grozny, April 25, 2010.