The show is a real dog. Dog, as in bow-wow and tail wagging.

The internationally known dance team features two humans of admittedly questionable lineage. But the standard poodle and longhaired dachshund can trace their ancestors back to canine royalty.

Together the four create a magical show in which the dogs ride skateboards, jump through hoops, leap, twirl, and, yes, dance, all to the beat of the music.

The BowWow shows incorporate dance steps like you see in Dancing With The Stars but with a canine twist. Though the four-legged partners are both males, they assume the flashy female roles. Sam, the standard poodle, prances, leaps and twirls with Baryshnikov grace. Tucker, the longhaired dachshund, adds his own interpretation with fast direction changes, cute tricks and tapping feet. Where it gets interesting is when the dogs -- and their two humans -- dance together.

"As you can imagine, the dogs move at very different speeds," said Lynn Franklin, Sam's two-legged partner. "Sam's long legs carry him forward much faster than Tucker's short legs. When they move sideways, however, Tucker's short little legs allow him to go faster.

"So to dance together, the dogs needed to adjust to each other's pace. Going forward, Sam slows down and Tucker speeds up. The reverse happens when they move sideways or backwards."

The entertaining result earned Joan Rose, Lynn Franklin and their furry partners dozens of gold medals and dog dance titles. They were the second pairs team world-wide to receive their Masters dance title from the World Canine Freestyle Organization.

After retiring from competition, the team took their show on the road. They've appeared at theaters, community events and dog shows throughout the U.S. including the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. They've been invited to appear in England and were featured in Reader's Digest, Dog World, The Washington Post and Inside Edition.

The Chestertown show is the first stop on a spring circuit that includes the Dow Event Center Theater in Saginaw, Michigan. As a special treat for the local audience, the BowWows will premier two new routines that they'll be using on tour.

You can find additional show times as well as video clips on their web site: www.BoogieWoogieBowWows.com