Ballroom Dancing

Alex Moore

• Publisher: A&C Black Academic and Professional
• Year: 2009
• Print ISBN: 9780713662665
• eBook ISBN: 9781408116876
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Dance

A guide to ballroom dancing. It includes all the main ballroom dances,
along with versions of most dances approved for championships. There
are diagrams showing every step from both the male and female
perspective. This tenth edition is revised and updated.

Section III

The Foxtrot

The Foxtrot is characterized by long, gliding, and perfectly smooth steps, demanding ease of movement and control in order to give the dance a lazy and unhurried appearance.

The construction of the Foxtrot is such that it is only possible to dance it in a large and uncrowded ballroom. The keen dancer, who will doubtless practise and dance at one of the many excellent dance studios or public dance halls throughout the country, will find it of great assistance in acquiring balance and control.

Whilst the Foxtrot is the most delightful dance and most typical of English ballroom dancing, it is unfortunate that it is of little direct use to the social dancer. The social dancers, whose dancing activities are likely to be restricted to club, hotel and restaurant dances, would be well advised to learn to adapt the simple basic figures of the Quickstep to the slower tempo. This type of dancing is called “Rhythm Dancing” or “Social Foxtrot”.

GENERAL NOTES

Time. 4/4. 4 beats in a bar. The 1st and 3rd beats are accented, but not so definitely as in the Quickstep.

Tempo. Music should be played at 30 bars a minute.

Basic Rhythms. The figures consist of various combinations of “Slows” and “Quicks”. Each “Slow” has 2 beats of music. The “Quicks” have 1 beat each.

Figures. Walks, Feather, Three Step, Natural Turn, Reverse Turn, Closed Impetus, Closed Telemark, Open Telemark, Change of Direction, Reverse Wave, Basic Weave, Natural Weave, Hover Feather, Natural Telemark, Hover Telemark, Outside Swivel, Weave from Promenade Position, Natural Twist Turn.

The first thing for the beginner to appreciate is that, whereas in the Quickstep the change to a quicker rhythm is made with a Chassé, in the Foxtrot this change is made with a figure called the Three Step, a description of which is given on pages 165 and 166.

The correct interpretation of the Three Step is of utmost importance, and the beginner would be well advised to practise this, combined with the Walk, before attempting any other figure. Although the following amalgamation does not appear in the finished dance, it is by far the simplest method of acquiring the smooth and unhurried entry from the Walk to the Three Step which is the basis of the Foxtrot.

Face the Line of Dance

	Count
Walk forward with RF	S
Walk forward with LF	S
Three Step (Right, Left, Right)	QQS
Walk forward with LF	S
Walk forward with RF	S
Three step (Left, Right, Left)	QQS
Repeat walk with RF, LF, etc.

This amalgamation should be practised with music, taking care that the entry to each Three Step is made without obvious effort. Careful attention to the footwork and rise and fall will help the dancer to attain a smooth and flowing movement.

Before learning the basic figures which comprise the Foxtrot, the novice should have some idea of its construction.

The Walk, as a separate figure, does not appear in the dance, all slow walking steps forming a part of a basic figure.

It should be noted that, in joining two figures such as the Three Step and the Natural Turn, the last step of the Three Step will also be the first step of the Natural Turn. Hints on amalgamation are given after the description of each figure, but, as a preliminary guide, the following amalgamation, which is the first to be attempted by the beginner, may be helpful.

The Feather, Three Step and Natural Turn

Rhythm as separate figures:

Feather	Three Step	Natural Turn
SQQS	QQS	SQQSSS

Rhythm when amalgamated:

Feather	Three Step	Natural Turn
SQQS	QQS	QQSSS

Thus it will be noted that the last step of the Three Step (RF) has been used as the first of the Natural Turn.

THE WALK – FORWARD AND BACKWARD

A full description of the Walk is given an pages 9–15, and unless this has been correctly mastered the pupil should not attempt the Foxtrot, which is the most difficult of all ballroom dances.

The Walk in the Foxtrot is practically the same as in the Quickstep, but the following special points should be noted.

1. The steps will be slightly longer than in the Quickstep owing to the slower music.

2. The slower music will result in the knees being slightly more relaxed than in the Quickstep.

This is especially noticeable when a slow step is to followed by a quick step. As the weight is taken on the slow step the knee will relax rather more than usual, and the gradual straightening of that knee will result in a “softer” entry into the following quick step.

FEATHER

Man

The Feather consists of a slow step followed by a type of Three Step in which the man steps outside the lady on the second quick step. The rise is also taken earlier.

It can be taken along the LOD, diagonally to the centre, or diagonally to the wall. In the first basic amalgamation it is taken along the LOD.

Commence and finish facing the LOD.

1. RF forward, turning body slightly to R.	S
2. LF forward, preparing to step outside partner, L side leading	Q
3. RF forward, outside partner	Q
4. LF forward, in line with partner	S

Contrary Body Movement. CBM on 1 and 4. The 3rd step is placed in CBMP.

Rise and Fall (Body). Rise at end of 1; up on 2 and 3. Lower at end of 3.

Body Sway. Sway to R on 2 and 3.

Amount of Turn. There is no turn, except for the L side lead on steps 2 and 3.

Footwork. 1. H T. 2. T. 3. T H. 4. H.

General Notes. The stepping o...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Contents
• Foreword to the First Edition By Philip J. S. Richardson
• Preface to the Ninth Edition
• Preface to the First Edition
• Introductory Section
• Section I The Quickstep
• Section II The Waltz
• Section III The Foxtrot
• Section IV The Tango
• Section V Rhythm Dancing (Social Foxtrot and Quickstep)
• Section VI The Viennese Waltz
• Section VII For The Keen Dancer
• Section VIII Ballroom Party Dances
• eCopyright