We've seen several styles of ballroom dancing dresses on television, thanks to the media's recent interest in covering this elite activity. However, there are several differences in ballroom dress styles depending on the country. American ballroom dresses are typically easy to distinguish from other nationalities. They have enjoyed major growth in numbers of chapters, dancers, competitions, workshops and social dances each year. Each year the USABDA sends United States representatives to the World Games. The World Games provide a venue for Olympic recognized sports that have not yet been added to the Olympic program. Unlike the Waltz, the sway and the rise and fall motions are to be avoided at all costs. The desired movements are very sharp and well defined. The music for this ballroom dance is usually provided by an orchestra that has a piano, guitar, violin, flute and a bandoneon (an offshoot of a koncertina, which looks a little like a small accordion). On the other hand, dances like the jive or paso doble can burn over 400 calories, which is comparable to an intense step aerobics class. While walking on a treadmill or doing crunches are well-known exercises, they only work certain parts of your body - which leave you to workout longer in order to cover the rest. Ballroom dance can be elegant and sophisticated (like the Waltz) but it can also be hot, sultry and sexy (like the Tango or Paso Doble), or a good bit of lively fun (like the Fox Trot Jive or Quick Step). Webster defines ballroom dancing as simply "Any of various, usually social dances in which couples perform set moves". It has become a popular worldwide pastime, thanks to the media bringing it back into the spotlight with shows like "Dancing with the Stars." It wasn't long after the first season that the dance craze soon swept over America, with more and more people choosing to learn to dance. However, ballroom dancing is certainly nothing new and has quite an extensive background.
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