The Fox Trot can be danced to most any music regardless of whether it is slow or fast. In the 1920's the Fox Trot was embraced by America's youth. They loved this ballroom dance, which started out as a bouncy trot-like step that had been incorporated into the vaudeville act of Harry Fox. The Fox Trot has become one of the most loved ballroom dances to date. Several American styles also are adorned with feathers, but are not the essential accent of the ballroom dress. Most international ballroom gowns are designed for appearance from one angle - either they look appealing from the front or back, but not usually both. You're most likely to find that American ballroom dresses are accented with sequins or jewels, and come in a variety of lengths. The Rumba was influenced by the Spanish and Africans with most of the development of the dance taking place in Cuba. The Rumba evolved in 19th century Havana, originating with the African Negro slaves who had been imported. The rural Rumba was originally for exhibition rather than participation. In some reference works the Rumba is said to be a pantomime of the movements of barnyard animals with the steady level shoulders depicting the movements of slaves as they carried heavy burdens. Let's start by discussing the meaning behind the world "ballroom". In simple theory, it means a place where balls may be held. The English language adopted this term from the Latin word "ballare", meaning "to dance". Ironically, this also serves as a base for words like "ballerina" and "ballad". Until recently, ballroom dancing wasn't an ideal activity for everyone - it was mainly reserved for the older generations and the wealthy. When most people think of ballroom dancing, they tend to think of a gentle trot around the dance floor to slow, acoustic music. However, ballroom dancing involves so much more than a typical slow dance. The USABDA's quest to get their spot in the Olympics is still going strong. To date the ISDF has been granted full recognition by the International Olympic Committee as the worldwide governing body for DanceSport and the USABDA has been granted affiliate membership recognizing them as the national governing Body of DanceSport in the Untied States.