Paso Doble dance lessons at Arthur Murray Dance Studio in VA Beach are quite the experience! When you take a class for this style of dance, you'll have a memory that lasts a lifetime, as its both dramatic and theatrical!

The name “Paso Doble” in Spanish means walk double time. This refers to the marching nature of the steps, which may be counted 1,2,1,2. At a basic level only one step is taken to each beat of music. 

History of the Paso Doble dance
The Paso Doble was one of many Spanish folk dances associated with various facets of Spanish life. In particular, the Paso Doble is based on the Bullfight. It portrays the Torero (the male dancer) and his cape (his partner), and is danced to the characteristic march music used for procession at the beginning of a corrida. Bullfights date back to ancient Crete, but only in the 1700’s were they held in Spain. The dance itself became popular amongst the upper classes of Paris in the 1930’s, and acquired a set of French names for many of the steps.

The competition version of the Paso Doble is danced with a high chest, the shoulders wide and down, and with the head kept back but inclined slightly forward and down. The weight is forward, but most forward steps have heel leads. Often it is choreographed to the tune “Espana Cani” (the Spanish Gypsy Dance), which has three crescendos in the music. These highlights are usually matched in the choreography by dramatic poses, adding to the spectacular nature of the dance.