Been there photo competition January 2010: Dance

Morris Dancers at the Ardingly Showground, Sussex, summer 2009 Photograph: Chris Mole/guardian.co.uk

A girl waits for a dance partner at the lindy-hopping night at St Aloysius Social Club, Euston, London Photograph: Celia Topping/guardian.co.uk

Tanoura dance comes from Egypt and emulates the spinning motion of the Sufis who use dance as a means of communicating with the divine. This photo was taken during a dance festival celebrating Middle Eastern cultures in Prague, Czech Republic      Photograph: Benjamin Arthur/guardian.co.uk

I took this shot of a couple performing the tango in Plaza Dorrego on a lazy Sunday afternoon in Buenos Aires. It's a really theatrical, passionate dance, and I wanted to capture the elegance and drama by focusing the composition just on the body and legs of the dancers while they briefly held a suitably dramatic pose Photograph: James Ng/guardian.co.uk

Taken on the streets of Paris - a place where the art of dance is truly appreciated Photograph: Liam Callaghan/guardian.co.uk

A guy break dancing on London's Embankment Photograph: Shaun Carbon/guardian.co.uk

The dancer is Bradley Michaud, a well-known contemporary dancer and choreographer. I shot this image of him overlooking downtown LA Photograph: Paolo Focardi/guardian.co.uk

Each evening, beautiful traditional Rajasthani dances are performed in an old haveli (private mansion) in the centre of Udaipur. On this evening, there were fireflies dancing above the lake, the music was divine, and the audience was transfixed with the spectacular fire dances of this performer. Absolutely breathtaking Photograph: Megan Orpwood-Russell/guardian.co.uk

Young dancers enthusiastically performing traditional Croatian dances outside Diocletian's Palace in Split, Croatia Photograph: Jason Pemberton/guardian.co.uk

We came across these children dancing their hearts out in the streets for a saints day in Cusco, Peru. The bright clothing and looks of concentration on their faces was incredible.  Photograph: Alex Lambourne/guardian.co.uk

I took this photo in Buenos Aires. It portrays so beautifully the delicate intimacy between two tango dancers practising in the shade of an old verandah while waiting to perform in the street
Photograph: He;en Knight/guardian.co.uk

Dancing around with glow sticks in the red sand dunes just outside Dubai Photograph: Katy Morrison/guardian.co.uk

I took this photo around autumn 2008 in Moscow. A small band was rehearsing rustic Russian tunes in Alexander Gardens and some passers-by broke into dance - including this old lady, who was definitely the most enthusiastic - and dangerous - of the bunch!  Photograph: Nadia Khoury/guardian.co.uk

Cuautla, Morelos, Mexico. People get together every Sunday night at the main plaza to dance to Latin music. It's always crowded and always fun! Photograph: Isidro Martinez Garcia/guardian.co.uk

A whirling dervish dances in Wakalat al-Ghouri, a Mamluk-era caravanserai in central Cairo Photograph: Cambria Finegold/guardian.co.uk

This photo was taken on a trip to a Masaai village in Northern Kenya. The men in the community came out to do the classic Masai jumping dance whilst the women sang Photograph: Deborah Neill/guardian.co.uk

Third place: I took this photo in Beijing on a frozen-over Houhai lake. In winter, the lake is used for numerous acitivities, from skating to kite flying to swimming to dancing. In a crowded city, residents enjoy relaxing in any large, open space they can find.
Our judge, professional photographer Natalie Mayer, said: Wonderful! Fantastically caught and lovely composition with the people in the background, a very unselfconscious moment. I only wish with this one we could see a little of what it is that's making him move like this. Photograph: Chris Cherry/guardian.co.uk

Second place: I spent all afternoon at a street cafe watching tango in La Boca, Buenos Aires. Towards the end of the day, a retired American guy I was speaking to asked the dancers if he could achieve an ambition and dance in the street himself. He was actually pretty good.
Natalie said:'I love this shot. The previous partner looks on, I wonder what he is thinking? A lovely pensive moment, very well caught.' Photograph: Andrew Kerr/guardian.co.uk

The winning shot by Slawek Kozdras: I took this photo in one of numerous restaurants in Buenos Aires with tango shows. Unlike in other places, this particular couple seemed to have a genuine chemistry between them. I wanted to capture the intimacy of their dance.
Natalie said: 'Caught at any other moment, the dancers may not have been in the light as they are in this shot - the light on the feet of the lady and the face of the man is just perfect. This beautiful shot would make any professional proud.' Photograph: Slawek Kozdras/guardian.co.uk