the foxtrot: a dance for everyone!
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The Foxtrot: A Dance
For Everyone!
As you learn how to foxtrot, I thought it would be fun to listen to some music you would dance the Foxtrot to. Here are a couple songs you may be interested in:
• Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald• Ella Fitzgerald- Cheek to Cheek • Frank Sinatra- Our Love is Here to S
tay• Frank Sinatra- You Make Me so Hap
py
Foxtrot Music
Dancing, an act everyone can do, but many shy away from because they don’t know the steps. Well, now you do or will, so embrace the music and put on your dancing shoes!
Join me as I explain the basics of the Foxtrot; a simple and easy dance for impressing the ladies or
enjoying a moment with someone special!
Back
1. A Partner2. These instructions3. Enthusiasm4. Patience
Back
You’ll Need…
Created by Harry Fox, a Vaudeville performer.
Couldn’t find a capable dance partner to perform the two-step (found in a lot of folk dancing – polka, Texas Two-Step).
Harry Fox decided to add trotting steps to ragtime music; a slow, slow, quick, quick rhythmic pattern in 4/4 time or 1, 2, 3, 4.
Back
What is the “Foxtrot”?
1st: Face other with shoulders parallel, feet offset from your partners (your right foot pointed in between your partner’s feet).
Men’s position Women’s position
Hint – keep resistance in your arms by keeping shoulders, wrists, & elbows firm. Otherwise it will be difficult to sense which direction to go & what move to do next.
Back
Click me Click me
First Step: The Starting Position
2nd: MEN -> Extend your right arm away from your body, bent at the elbow slightly to the side at a 90 degree angle and place right hand below the woman’s shoulder blade. (HINT: Your right arm is the main support for the woman and allows the man to lead w/control, comfort, & east .)
The left arm is extended from away from your body,
elbow is bent at 90 degree angle and your hand is cupped holding the woman’s right hand.
This is what
it can look
like
Back to First Step
Men’s Position
2nd: WOMEN -> Your right arm is extended away from your body and slightly to the side at a 90 degree angle. Your right hand is slightly cupped w/fingers together and placed in the man’s left hand. (HINT: Allows for the man to lead w/his fingers and the heel of his hand.)
The left arm is extended away from your body slightly to the side and bent at a 90 degree angle and placed on the
man’s right upper arm. Your left hand is slightly cupped and placed just below the man’s shoulder.
This is what
it can look
like
Back to First Step
Women’s Position
The Simple Footwork -Forward walking steps w/ the heel hitting the floor 1st
and the toe lowering as the body moves over it. Backward walking is the opposite, the toe hits the
floor1st w/ the heel lowering as the body moves over it.
The Complicated Footwork - Forward Basic
Backward Basic Left Box (Reverse) TurnPromenade (Traveling)
Back to First Step
Second Step:
A combination of two walks followed by a side step to the
count of 1, 2, 3, 4 or Slow, Slow, Quick, Quick.
Men’s Forward Women’s Forward
CLICK ME!
Back to 2nd
Step
Click me Click me
Forward Basic(Traveling)
Count – style – footwork
1 – Slow – Left foot forward.2 – Slow – Right foot forward.3 – Quick – Left foot side &
slightly forward.4 – Quick – Right foot closes to
left foot.
Back to Forward basic
Men’s Forward Basic
Count – style – footwork 1 – Slow – Right foot Back2 – Slow – Left Foot Back3 – Quick – Right foot side &
slightly back4 – Quick – Left foot closes to
right foot
Back to Forward basic
Women’s Forward Basic
The reverse of the Forward basic; a combination of two walks followed by a side step to the count of 1, 2, 3, 4 or Slow, Slow, Quick, Quick.
(The man is moving backwards and lady forwards.)
Men’s Back Women’s Back
CLICK ME!
Back to Forward basic
Click me Click me
Back Basic Step:
Count – style – footwork
1 – Slow – Left foot forward.2 – Slow – Right foot forward.3 – Quick – Left foot side &
slightly forward.4 – Quick – Right foot closes to
left foot.
Back to Back basic
Men’s Back Basic
Count – style – footwork
1 – Slow – Right foot forward2 – Slow – Left foot forward3 – Quick – Right foot side &
slightly forward4 – Quick – Left foot closes to
right foot
Back to Back basic
Women’s Back Basic
For a little more movement during the dance add a turn. Left Box Turn is
borrowed from the Waltz, but with the subtle rise & fall action of the Foxtrot.
The turn happens to the Left by the Man over 6 steps; Slow, Quick, Quick, Slow,
Quick, Quick; 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2
CLICK ME!
Men’s Left Box Women’s Left Box
Back to Back basic
Click me Click me
Left Box (Reverse)Turn:
Count – style – footwork
1 – Slow – Left foot forward.2 – Quick– Right foot side.3 – Quick – Left foot closes to Right
foot. (up to 3/8 turn to left between 1-3 count)
4 – Slow– Right foot back.5 – Quick – Left foot side.6 – Quick – Right foot closes to Left
foot. (up to 3/8 turn to left between 4-6 count)
Back to Left Box Turn
Men’s Left Box Turn:
Count – style – footwork
1 – Slow – Right foot back2 – Quick– Left foot side3 – Quick – Right foot closes to
Left foot (up to 3/8 turn to left between 1-3 count).
4 – Slow – Left foot forward.5 – Quick – Right foot side.6 – Quick – Left foot closes to
Right foot (up to 3/8 turn to left between 4-6 count)
Back to Left Box Turn
Women’s Left Box Turn:
Another addition to your basics. The “V” shaped dance position where the man & lady travel in the same direction, toward the open end of the
“V”.
Both man and woman take two walks forward facing the same forward direction to Slow,
Slow. Then turn and face each other in closed position and finish w/ side step to Quick, QuickMen’s Promenade Women’s
Promenade
CLICK ME!
Back to Left Box Turn
Click me Click me
Promenade (Traveling Step):
Count – style – footwork
1 – Slow – Left foot side & slightly forward in promenade position. – Facing diagonal wall, traveling along line of dance (1/8 turn to Left between previous step 1).
2 – Slow– Right foot forward & across in promenade position CBMP? – Facing diagonal wall, traveling along line of dance (begin to turn Right).
3 – Quick – Left foot side – 1/8 turn to Right between 2-3 count.
4 – Quick – Right foot closes to left foot – end in closed position, facing wall.
Back to Promenade
Men’s Promenade:
Count – style – footwork
1 – Slow – Right foot side & slightly forward in promenade position – facing diagonal center, traveling along line of dance (1/8 turn to Right between previous step & 1).
2 – Slow – Left foot forward & across in promenade position and CBMP? – facing diagonal center, traveling along line of dance (begin to turn to Left).
3 – Quick – Right foot side – 1/8 turn to left between 2-3 count.
4 – Quick– Left foot closes to Right foot – end in closed position, facing center.
Back to Promenade
Women’s Promenade:
The Basics have been explained and now practice is in order. Someday, you and your partner may even look like this:
Check it out!
Back to Promenade
Put it all together…
Now, let’s test you’reFoxtrot knowledge!
A. Quick, Quick, Slow, QuickB. Slow, Quick, Slow, QuickC. Slow, Slow, Quick, QuickD. Quick, Slow, Slow, Quick
What is the count for theFoxtrot’s forward basic step?
A. Lower BackB. Right upper arm
C. HandD. Back of the neck
Back
Where should the woman’s LeftHand rest while dancing the foxtrot?
A. PromenadeB. Forward Basic
C. Back basicD. Dance Positioning
Back
What is one example of a Traveling step?
Back
Congratulations!
Back
Congratulations!
Back
Congratulations!
Harry Fox decided to add trotting steps toragtime music; a slow, slow, quick, quickrhythmic pattern in 4/4 time or 1, 2, 3, 4.
Back
Not Quite.
2nd: MEN -> Extend your right arm away from your body, bent at the elbow slightly to the side at a 90 degree angle and place right hand below the woman’s shoulder blade. (HINT: Your right arm is the main support for the woman and allows the man to lead w/control, comfort, & east .)
Back
See here
Not Quite.
Promenade = traveling stepForward Basic = traveling step
Back
Not Quite.
My dad and I dancing the Foxtrot at the Viennese Ball
in Eau Claire, WI 2008
Back
See you on the dance floor!
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HEIf2yP_P8&feature=related
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGNGpSzTLFY&feature=related
Back
Videos -
• http://www.ballroomdancers.com/Dances/dance_overview.asp?Dance=AFX
• http://www.ballroom-dancing-online.com/learn-how-to-foxtrot/
• http://www.centralhome.com/ballroomcountry/foxtrot_steps.htm
• http://www.dancing4beginners.com/learn-how-to-dance-foxtrot.htm
• http://www.dancetv.com/tutorial/foxtrot/index.html
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