Paso Doble

The drama of the bullfight, poise, elegance and attitude; the Paso Doble is the only Latin American dance that has not originated from the ‘Negro' culture. This dance is derived from a French-Spanish Flamenco style of dancing.
In common with the Samba this a moving dance that proceeds around the floor.

A major feature of all Paso Doble music is the presence of a series of ‘crashes', generally these ‘crashes' occur in the middle and at the end of a dance routine (although the music will often continue). These crashes, particularly the last, are often taken as opportunities by the dancers to strike a dramatic pose to signify the crescendo of the bullfight the ‘coup de grace'.

The Paso originated in France but rapidly spread to Spain where it is considered to be at home. The Paso is a marching dance that is danced in 2/4 time, the words Paso Doble are translated as ‘two step'. In the 1930's this dance became particularly popular with the upper classes in Paris where dramatic and theatrical poses were welcomed. The dance became accepted in the UK as a competition dance soon after the end of WWII.