The excitement and tension of the bullfight, the pride and dignity of the matador as well as the flair of his cape are all portrayed in the Paso Doble. Paso Doble is Spanish for "Two Step" which is a reference to the marching style of this dance with its 1-2 count. For the ballroom competitions the Paso Doble is done with chest high, shoulders wide and down, head back but slightly tipped down. The Batuque was an incredibly popular dance - so much so that at one time it was outlawed. The Batuque was done in a circle with dance steps resembling those of a Charleston with a solo dancer in the center of the circle. Down the line carnival steps were added and members of Rio's high society decided that once the dance had been modified to use the closed ballroom position it was then a proper dance. As fate would have it Rafael turns out to be a great dancer and becomes his father's best hope of winning a championship for his studio. The thing that makes this movie truly unique is that it is one of only a few movies that actually used ballroom competitors making for wonderfully realistic ballroom dance scenes. 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. A primary trait of American dresses is that they "flow" much easier than those from other countries. For example, an American ballroom dress usually has at least two layers of skirt, along with other cuts of fabric flowing from the neck and back. In contrast, international dresses are known for heavier fabrics and feathers. The rhythm of the dance, which is emphasized by any type of percussion, drums, pots, maracas, etc., is more essential to the dance than the tune itself. The fascinating rhythms and mesmerizing body movements of this dance make it one of the more popular ballroom dances. The Rumba was influenced by the Spanish and Africans with most of the development of the dance taking place in Cuba.