The Castles were intrigued by the rhythm, and Jim asked why they didn't create a slow dance to go with it.

Shortly after, they went abroad and, in mid-ocean, sent a wireless to the magazine to change the name of the dance from "Bunny Hug" to "Foxtrot.

"[3] It was subsequently standardized by Arthur Murray, in whose version it began to imitate the positions of tango.

When rock and roll first emerged in the early 1950s, record companies were uncertain as to what style of dance would be most applicable to the music.

Since that recording, by some estimates, went on to sell more than 25 million copies, "Rock Around the Clock" could be considered the biggest-selling "foxtrot" of all time.

As a result, the dancers progress fairly slowly around the room, and some figures can even be danced in place.

Body contact is unnecessary and not generally expected; all figures can be led through the frame formed by the arms.

Both the rock turns and balance step can be danced entirely in place, if necessitated by crowded conditions.

It differs from the social style in that the dancers pass their feet at the end of each figure, rather than closing them.

Consequently, dancers progress much more rapidly around the room, in a smooth, continuous manner that gives the style its name.

This permits the dance partners to assume a much wider variety of positions and, therefore, to execute many types of figures that are not possible in the International Style.

"Lines", in which the partners form and hold a special shape for a short period of time, also play an important role.

Other figures based upon the same rhythm include the serpentine (a/k/a progressive twinkles) with open footwork; the curved running steps; the outside swivel; the pivot from promenade; and the natural fallaway.

The International (British) Style[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] is widely employed in Europe and Great Britain as a social and competitive dance.

Dancers concentrate on creating an image of a smooth, gliding motion around the dance floor.

This use of heel turns, and the effort required to produce the desired gliding motion, give International Style Foxtrot a reputation as being perhaps the most difficult of all ballroom dances to execute well.

Competitions are generally held at six successive levels of difficulty: Bronze (beginning), Silver (intermediate), Gold (advanced), Novice, Pre-Championship, and Championship.

Competitions are again generally held at six successive levels of difficulty: Bronze (beginning), Silver (intermediate), Gold (advanced), Novice, Pre-Championship, and Championship.

At the Bronze level, only American Social Style is allowed; this is enforced by rules that require closing the feet at the end of each figure.