Paso Doble

Paso Doble, like Samba, is a progressive International Latin dance. The Paso Doble originated in Southern France and is the Latin dance most resembling the International Standard style, in that forward steps are taken with the heel lead, the frame is wider and more strictly kept up, and there is significantly different and less hip movement.

 

A significant number of paso doble songs are variants of España Cañi. The song has breaks in fixed positions in the song (two breaks at syllabus levels, three breaks and a longer song at Open levels). Most Paso Doble routines are choreographed to match these breaks, as well as the musical phrases. Because of its choreographed tradition, ballroom Paso Doble for the most part danced only competitively, almost never socially — or at least not without sticking to some sort of previously-learned routine. This said, in Spain, France, Vietnam and some parts of Germany to the left of the river Rhine, it is danced socially as a lead (not choreographed) dance.