I've recently come back to comp dancing after a break of some years, and I am quite disconcerted at the way that the rumba is danced, nowadays. Dancers are now dancing the rumba in a very sharp, staccato, almost aggresive style that to me seems more reminiscent of the paso doble or Argentine tango.
I've always thought of the rumba as a very fluid, flowing romantic dance, but the way it is danced now seems to have taken all of the character out of it.
Does anyone else have any comment about my observation, or an explanation for this development?

Latinlover. This is a good one to discuss. Years ago they used to ooze for want of a better word. Today they hold onto the 4 1 as long as possible and still keep in time by hitting that beat two. What is worth noting also is that a step forward, any dance ,is just a step. It is the part between the steps where we dance. In the Rumba in particular " 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and " is why it is counted that way. Its split into eight beats. If you listen to a proper Rumba you will hear. " tick a tick a tick a tick a". Which now brings us to. If we split a beat the ( and )comes from the beat you are on not the beat that is coming. In our studio the teacher uses those two peices of wood that a Latin Band use. We have to get right on that solid beat as the peices of wood are brought together. That should be enough for starters.
A bit more. It is a dance of love, there is a story, or there should be. Take a Hockey Stick from the Fan Position on the third step the lady looks at the man 4 1, Then Turns her back on him. She is saying No Way. Then the man turns her back sharply at the end of the turn saying come back here we are not finished yet. Do all of that soft and oozy it doesn't mean anything. It becomes just a walk around the park with no meaning.

That seems to be true in most dances, at the highest levels. I have seen videos of some of those people dancing in a more conventional/slower/pretty style and that is much more enjoyable to watch. I just watched a big British competion from 2005 and they seemed focused on doing the speed moves in the Waltz, with very little of the lovely moves possible in Waltz.