Paso Doble is a dance that
originates in Spain, and is done during
competition and not much else. It's difficult to
improvise and is
carefully choreographed to show the
intricacies of the movements.
It's usually the last
Latin dance one will learn. The dance is inspired by the movements performed by the matadors during
bullfights-- for this reason, the
man is the focus of attention, as he is the
matador and the woman
personifies the
cape.
In the Paso Doble more than others, the man must be extremely
physically fit to give the proper impression of pride,
dignity, and create the strong and sharp movements and sense of tension required.
It rose to popularity during the 20's, and after WWII was accepted as a
competition dance.