Europeans thought these dances were quite sinful as the dancers were close enough to have their navels touching. The Batuque was an incredibly popular dance - so much so that at one time it was outlawed. The Batuque was done in a circle with dance steps resembling those of a Charleston with a solo dancer in the center of the circle. When it comes to the competitive dances there are two groups, Combi (one partner is in a wheelchair the other is not) or Duo (both parties are in wheelchairs). They learn all the Standard Ballroom dances and the Latin American Ballroom dances. For those who are just interested in social dancing they offer courses for line and solo dances. A good Waltz has a smooth rise and fall; it's a gentle dance with turns, poses and long sweeping movements. Waltz music can be found in many venues, some examples are: The Blue Danube by Johann Strauss Jr, Show Me the Way by Styx, Waltz to the Death from the Batman soundtrack by Danny Elfman. Either Waltz can be danced to any music with a three-quarter tempo regardless of whether it is classical, rock, country or anything else. The early years for the USABDA only saw a small number of members in New York state, a few in the Washington, DC area and a small number on the west coast. In 1978 USABDA started its mid-eastern chapter and the push was on to take their little group to a national level. The next few years saw chapters being formed in several other states. During ballroom dance competitions the judges will be watching for the following: Interplay between the partners - this is a dance of love, a portrayal of romance. This is not the time for solemn, passive expressions A strong direct walk Lots of slow body shapes - the body NEVER stops changing its shape Figure eight hip rolls - hips alternating in a forward motion NEVER leading with the heel, stay on the balls of the feet The Cucaracha step - you should rock to the right or left then replace and close The fan position - the woman positioned to the man's left side, at arms length and at a 90 angle to the man Ballroom Dancing - Slow Fox Trot There are several different theories on the origin of this ballroom dance's name. The most often told story is that the dance was made popular by a young man named Harry Fox who was a vaudeville comedian with the Ziegfeld Follies. Another story says that the dance is so named because of the similarity to an equestrian gait that was dubbed the Foxtrot by the military.