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. Wheelchair dancers use their upper bodies and arms to perform the same movements in the same manner as non-disabled dancers. Also, no different from non-disabled dancers, some are good and some aren't but ALL dance because they love it. The dance classes have the added benefit of teaching both the wheelchair users and their helpers more and better uses of their chairs encouraging them to become more independent The Gallaudet Dance Company is comprised of about 15 students all of whom are deaf or hard of hearing. Music for Ballroom Dancing When you think of ballroom dancing, you probably think of slow music being played by a violin. Centuries ago, your thoughts would have been very accurate. Ballroom dancing was originally performed to acoustic guitars, violins, and cellos. This kind of music was appropriate at the time, as most ballroom dances were slow and very precise. Ballroom Dancing and the Movies Hollywood has always had a love affair with dancing. That includes everything from Ballroom dancing to break dancing. Great music combined with talented dancers and flamboyant costumes makes for a hit whether it's Standard Ballroom dancing, Latin American dance, jazz or disco In some movies the ballroom dancing comprises just a scene or two as in with Gone With the Wind, when Rhett bids for the honor of dancing the Virginia Reel with Scarlett or in The Shining when the hotel ghosts dance the night away in the grand ballroom. Still a third suggestion is that the dance (in its earlier version) resembled the way a fox walks (with one foot in front of the other leaving a single track). In the early fox trot the feet were placed in a single line one in front of the other. It wasn't until the 1950's that this ballroom dance was revised to have two different dance lines, one for each foot. Ballroom Dancing - The Viennese Waltz and the Quick Step The Viennese Waltz which was derived from the Austrian Landler is an elegant fast paced, whirling dance where the partners hold each other as if in a romantic embrace. This raised more than a few eyebrows of "polite" society. The rise in popularity of the Viennese Waltz, like the standard waltz, can at least in part be contributed to the music of Johann Strauss and toVienna's famous ballrooms.