Dresses for Ballroom Dancing Getting dressed for an evening on the ballroom dance floor is much different than getting ready for a night out at the club. With ballroom dancing becoming a popular American pastime, the attire is also constantly growing and changing. We've seen several styles of ballroom dancing dresses on television, thanks to the media's recent interest in covering this elite activity. 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. 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. You can also scout out the internet for instructional ballroom dance websites. There are a couple of really good ones out there that break down every type of ballroom dance, and some that even have videos you can watch. This may present a better option for you if you are on a budget, as these websites are free of charge and all you need is access to the internet. As common as it seems, this style of dancing was developed in Western Europe in the early 1600's. Dances were often held the evening prior to men going off to battle, as a way for the men to go off to war in good spirits. Men often wore their swords while dancing with a woman and it is believed that this led to a woman placing her left hand on her partner's right shoulder, while grasping his left hand for additional balance. If you find that the heel is too uncomfortable, you can purchase insoles designed specifically for women's high heel shoes. The last thing you want to do is damage your feet, legs, or back because your shoes did not fit properly. Finally, beware of shoes with tight back straps or are heavily decorated. In 1935 Shirley Temple tapped her way through The Little Colonel with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and in 1939 after Judy Garland watched dozens of "munchkins" dance and sing to celebrate the wicked witches demise she joined with the scarecrow, tin man and lion and they danced their way to the land of Oz.