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Believe it or not, the swing is actually a type of ballroom dance. This light-hearted dance involves concentrated footwork and lifting or twirling your partner. It became popular in the 1920's and was originally invented at the Savoy Ballroom in New York. A spin-off of the Lindy Hop, the swing dance combined fast twirls and steps to the beat of jazz music. This is important and certainly works in your favor because you can find several instructional DVD's and videos on ballroom dancing. You can watch them in the comfort of your own home and practice at any time. These may also be a more affordable option than ballroom dance lessons. You can also scout out the internet for instructional ballroom dance websites. This easily exposes your toes to be stepped on, so consider going with a close-toed shoe. 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. The movie Dance With Me, is the story of a young Cuban, Rafael, who comes to America after the death of his mother where he meets his father who runs a dance studio. 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. Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" is a great example for the jive, as is the obvious song, "Born to Hand Jive". Any song that follows this kind of tempo is appropriate for the jive. The quickstep is a combination of the swing and the jive. The steps are very quick and movements must be fast and concise. For more contemporary ballroom dances, the dress is usually very lightweight and moves well with the dancer. A popular look for the top of the dress is either halter-style or sleeves that dangle from the shoulder. Strapless-style dresses are not very common in ballroom dancing, probably because of the risk of falling off during a fast-paced dance or not fitting properly while moving about on the dance floor.
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