The waltz is a dance that originated in Germany in the 17th century and is a familiar favorite among dances in the ballroom. The dance moves are smooth and precise as the couple dances in a side to side motion, usually in a circular pattern. The waltz is a very popular dance in weddings and special events and is considered to be one of the most romantic dances. 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. The last remaining step is for DanceSport to be granted Program Status by the IOC at which time DanceSport would then be added to the Olympic program. The old adage is "Persistent practice of postural principles promises perfection" gives you a clue to the importance of good posture in any ballroom dance. Timing: Just as bad posture can blow you right out of the water, if your timing and the music's timing don't match - you lose. It wont matter how well you do anything else. Depending on their interpretation she may take the part of the matador's cape, or the bull, or in some cases even the matador at different times throughout the dance. Some distinctive steps of the Paso Doble are the chassez cape (where the man uses the woman as the cape), the Apel, where the man stamps his foot as if to attract the attention of the bull (a very strong move) and the Arpel which is a movement that starts with stamping of the feet then the couples walk in opposite directions. While personal instruction is best, it isn't your only option. Recently, ballroom dance has been brought into the spotlight thanks to media coverage. Ballroom dancing has grown by leaps and bounds in the past decade, and more and more people are catching on to the dance craze. This is important and certainly works in your favor because you can find several instructional DVD's and videos on ballroom dancing. Fashion is definitely an important factor, but not as important as your level of comfort while dancing. Choosing shoes for ballroom dancing are just as important as choosing the dress. However, the shoes you wear largely depend on what type of dance you will be performing. There are special shoes for jazz dances, jive dances, swing dances, etc.