(CNN) -- President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama were dancing their way through 10 official inaugural balls after a day of pomp and circumstance that saw his first presidential address and excitement about her inaugural dress.



Michelle Obama, dressed in Jason Wu, and President Obama at the Home State Ball Tuesday night.



The Obamas were serenaded by Beyoncé during their first dance at the Neighborhood Ball Tuesday night.



Beyoncé sang Etta James' "At Last," from her role in the movie "Cadillac Records" as the couple laughed and took their first spin around the dance floor.



Before the dance, Obama addressed the crowd, which erupted in applause when he entered the room.



"First of all, how good-looking is my wife?" Obama joked.  Watch the Obamas at the first ball of the night »



All eyes certainly were on Michelle Obama, who had kept her choice of a designer and dress style a secret until the moment she entered the dance floor.



The first lady was clad in a long white gown designed by up-and-coming designer Jason Wu, 26.  The gown made especially for the first lady is made of ivory silk chiffon, embellished with organza and Swarovski crystal rhinestones and silver thread embroidery, according to one of Wu's publicists.



Wu told CNN he didn't know that she had chosen his gown until her first ball appearance Tuesday night.



"It's thrilling. ... For a young designer, I couldn't ask for any more than this," said Wu, whose design style combines modern lifestyle dressing and haute couture, according to his Web site.



He designed and delivered the dress at the request of Michelle Obama's aides in December, according to fashion expert Mary Alice Stephenson, contributing editor at Harper's Bazaar.



Wu -- who has been in the business for three years, according to InStyle.com fashion director Joe Berean -- said he intended the gown to stand for everything that she and President Obama are about.  Listen to Berean critique Michelle Obama's inauguration outfits »



"It's about hope. It's about newness," he said. "It's all a little dreamlike, and we're making history, and I wanted to really reflect that."



The Neighborhood Ball, a first of its kind and one of the balls open to the public, was the first of 10 official balls that the Obamas were scheduled to attend.



For the new president, the first was particularly important.



"I cut my teeth doing neighborhood work and this campaign was organized neighborhood by neighborhood," he said.



For that reason "this ball is the one that captures best the spirit of this campaign," Obama said.



The Obamas then moved to their second ball -- the Home State Ball, for Illinois and Hawaii --  at the Convention Center.



After greeting the crowd by saying "Aloha," the president thanked many in the crowd who he said were old friends who had been part of the couple's lives for awhile.



"This is a special ball because it represents our roots," he said.



The couple laughed and embraced as they danced. President Obama even let loose after his long day, twirling his wife around in a circle -- a move the crowd cheered.  Time: See the glamour of past balls



Next, the Obamas made their way to the Commander-in-Chief Ball, attended by many members of the military, including wounded veterans.



"It is wonderful to be surrounded by some of the very best and bravest Americans," Obama said. "Your courage, your grace and your patriotism inspire us all."



Obama told the crowd that there is "no greater honor or responsibility than serving as your commander in chief."  Watch the Obamas as the Commander-in-Chief Ball »



Obama then introduced members of the military from Illinois stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan. After thanking them, Obama took time for lighter banter, polling the members of the military about whether they were Chicago Cubs or Chicago White Sox baseball
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Jason Wu, inaugural Obama white gown designed by up-and-coming designer Jason Wu,
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