Do you wanna dance? The first criterion for Cinderella status is to receive an invitation to the Great Ball known as the NCAA Tournament. But just one dance, no matter how fancy the steps, doesn’t get you a ticket to NBCSports.com’s Cinderella Extravaganza. No, we’re giving out only 10 invitations to this gala event, and you have to dance at least three times before we’ll even consider putting you on our mailing list.

Although No. 15 seeds like Richmond, Coppin State and Santa Clara have shocked the world by beating No. 2 seeds, this list is not about one-hit wonders. So, thanks for the memories Valparaiso and Cleveland State. You knocked on the door but we wouldn’t let you in. Kent State? Your impressive showing last season, when you reached the Elite Eight as a No. 10 seed, got you inside the velvet ropes but not onto the ballroom floor.

This was a tough ticket to be sure. We didn’t even consider teams from NCAA Tournaments played before 1979 because there were no seeds, making it more difficult to measure the true worth of an upset. So start the music. Here are our 10 favorite Cinderella stories, ranked in order.

1. Villanova, 1985
The Wildcats were a No. 8 seed in the Southeast Region, entering the NCAA Tournament as a bubble team with a 19-10 record. But they featured a patient, clocking-killing offense (the 45-second shot clock was not yet in use) and a tough-to-decipher matchup zone defense. Rollie Massimino’s team won five close games without once cracking the 60-point barrier to reach the championship game against mighty Georgetown, the nation’s No. 1 team.

John Swart / AP file Villanova's Harold Pressley (21) goes up for a basket against Georgetown's Patrick Ewing on April 1, 1985.

To this day, Villanova’s 66-64 victory is known as “The Perfect Game.”

The ’Cats shot an incredible 22-for-28 (79 percent) from the field against a ferocious Georgetown defense anchored by center Patrick Ewing. As Big East commissioner David Gavitt said of the Hoyas after the shocking outcome and the classy way coach John Thompson handled the defeat, “They taught college basketball how to win this season. Tonight, they taught college basketball how to lose.”

2. North Carolina State, 1983
The Wolfpack was a No. 6 seed in the West Region with a 17-10 record and needed a shocking triumph in the ACC Tournament to even earn an NCAA bid. The shocks and aftershocks were just beginning.

N.C. State rallied late in the second half in three different tournament games on its improbable march to the title game, where No. 1 Houston awaited. The Cougars, of Phi Slamma Jama fame, had just beaten No. 2-ranked Louisville in the semifinals, 94-81. Many called that the “real” championship. But Akeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler were slowed to a crawl and their teammates missed key foul shots as the Wolfpack rallied yet again.

In the closing seconds, they managed only an off-balance 30-footer by Dereck Whittenberg that was short. But Lorenzo Charles grabbed it and, in a delicious bit of irony, dunked at the buzzer for the 54-52 triumph that sent coach Jim Valvano racing down the court “just looking for someone to hug!”

3. Kansas, 1988
It was one of the last Final Fours staged in a relatively cozy setting — the non-dome Kemper Arena. But that was by design, as the tournament was celebrating its 50th anniversary and wanted a “throwback” feel. Little did they know that Kansas, with its tradition and historical link to the roots of the sport, would wind up on center stage.

The Jayhawks were 12-8 in February and barely got into the event as a sixth-seed. But once there, Larry Brown turned his star player, Danny Manning, loose. The Jayhawks, fueled by a “home” crowd, eliminated Duke in the semifinals and then faced the No. 1-ranked Oklahoma Sooners for a third time.

It was indeed, charming for the team known as “Danny and the Miracles.” Brown told his underdogs, “get it to the last five minutes.” They obliged. With five seconds left, Manning (29 points, 18 rebounds, 5 steals) hit two clinching free throws for an 83-79 triumph.

4. Providence, 1987
The Friars did not win the national title, but just getting to the Final Four under first-year coach Rick Pitino was something like divine intervention. Providence was a lightly regarded No. 6 seed.

But with Pitino taking full advantage of that season’s brand-new 3-point shot, the Friars averaged 92 points a game in their first four NCAA games. Along the way, they upset Alabama and Big East champion Georgetown. The backcourt tandem of Billy Donovan and Indiana transfer Delray Brooks launched 3-pointers fearlessly and frequently. In fact, during practice sessions, Pitino would blow the whistle and scream at players if they pulled up for a shot inside the arc.

The formula worked wonderfully until the semifinal, when Big East rival Syracuse, coached by Pitino’s close friend Jim Boeheim, held Donovan to just 8 points and the Friars to just 5-of-19 from downtown in a 77-63 victory.

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