Whether you are dancing a slow dance such as the waltz or an upbeat dance like the jive, you need to choose attire that you can move easily in and won't get tangled up around your partner. For example, consider choosing a dress made of silk; it flows easily and doesn't tangle. Remember that although ballroom dancing is a formal and elite event, your dress doesn't have to be covered in heavy sequins, jewels, or feathers. Each of these unique dances has specific steps and characteristics that make it different from other dances - but there is one aspect that remains constant throughout each style of dancing. No matter what dance style is being performed, you can bet they are being performed by a couple. Every ballroom dance involves a man and a woman, usually remaining in contact throughout the entire routine (although there are some ballroom dances where contact is broken, but the couple reunites by the dance's end). 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. In 1955 with the help of Pierre and Lavelle the Cuban Rumba was finally named as the officially recognized version of the Rumba. Depending upon the style of dance, you can easily burn between 200 and 400 calories. For example, the foxtrot or the waltz provide an easy and gentle workout and will burn around 200 calories. This is comparable to a brisk walk in the park or thirty minutes on the elliptical. 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. Most couples will opt to enroll in professional ballroom dance lessons with a certified instructor to come up with a dance for their song. With ballroom dancing growing in popularity, couples are beginning to steer away from the traditional circular dance. In fact, more and more engaged couples are choosing to learn a ballroom dance for their wedding. In some ballroom dances one of the worst things you can do is to break your hold. Poise: In smooth dancing, the stretch of the woman's body upwards, outwards and leftwards into the man's right arm will achieve balance and connection with his frame, as well as to project outwards to the audience. Poise like posture and line has everything to do with the image you project as you move around the ballroom.