In the late 1920's Xavier Cugat formed an orchestra specializing in Latin American Music which really didn't develop a following until around 1929. By the end of the decade Xavier had the best Latin American orchestra of his day. Monsieur Pierre Lavelle, a London dance teacher, and his partner Doris Lavelle were responsible for bringing and popularizing the Rumba and other Latin American dances to Europe. It is based around the concept of a lady's pursuit of the man, with the steps representing the woman's charm. Often, the woman dances around the man and has quick and withdrawn steps, as the man pursues her. This is a Latin-based danced and is considered to be a very sensual performance in ballroom dancing. 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. It is a gait where unlike a normal trot where the front left and rear right (or front right and rear left) legs are moved at the same time causing a somewhat jerky motion, the Foxtrot has the animal moving each leg one at a time making for a smooth trot that is easier on the animal and the rider. The maximum height for ladies' shoes is three inch heels, whereas men's shoes are around one and a half inches. Like choosing a dress, shoes for ballroom dancing should not be based on appearance alone. Again, you will have to jump, twirl, and kick in these shoes, so you need them to be comfortable and supportive of your feet. With so many details that go into planning a wedding, often choosing a dance for the reception isn't a priority; rather, a lot of time goes into choosing which song the bride and groom will dance to. Selecting a song to dance to is typically the first step in the couple deciding on a ballroom dance. Most couples will opt to enroll in professional ballroom dance lessons with a certified instructor to come up with a dance for their song. Often, the woman represents the matador's cape. The paso doble is a very intense and dramatic dance, so the music selected should fit the scene. Most of the time, the music for this particular dance is instrumental, but fast-paced with a dramatic appeal. The Spanish culture should be kept in mind, so choose music with horns, maracas, and acoustic guitars.
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