The system he and his colleagues developed became the basis for all Latin and American competitions held under the World Dance Council (WDC).
As a young man, Pierre's engineering studies at Zurich University were abruptly halted when he was struck in the eye by a tennis ball.
After this accident he went to live in Paris where his spare time was spent in the night clubs where Cuban and other Latin immigrants enjoyed their music and dances.
[4] The studio stayed open all through World War II, and was a popular meeting place for the Free French fighters on leave in London.
[citation needed] In 1932, Monsieur and Madame Chapoul, well known French demonstrators, gave an exhibition of rumba at the Café de Paris in London, followed by Don Azpiazú and his band, the very group who had had such a hit with their recording of Peanut Vendor.
[9] One of the characteristics of Cuban dance to the son, and other similar rhythms, was, and still is, their method of taking three steps to four beats of music (whether 2/4 or 4/4).
All social dances in Cuba involve a hip-sway over the standing leg and, though this is scarcely noticeable in fast salsa, it is more pronounced in the slow ballroom rumba.
This small band of specialists worked to establish an examination system and syllabus for both amateur and professional dancers.
This work naturally included the samba, paso doble and jive as well, but it was the composition of the rumba which was critical.