How To Dance the Paso Doble

Develop your stance. Stand tall with your shoulders back, arms resting at your sides, and chest held high. The male dancer’s chin should be lowered slightly, while the female dancer’s chin is slightly lifted on a long neck.

Practice the basic steps alone. Play the music and practice stepping in place, alternating feet, to the beat. Count “one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.” Press your feet down into the floor with each step.

Join your partner in a close, firm hold. Practice the basic steps together, beginning with opposite feet so you mirror each other.

Practice the chasse, a gliding step. Hold your partner. Instead of doing the steps in place, do them traveling toward the man’s right: Step, close, step, close, step, close, step, close.

Practice turning. Do eight steps in place, then, do them while turning around each other to the right, using eight counts to make a full turn. Then step to the left.

Put the elements together. Stay in character, maintain eye contact, and have fun.