Foxtrot

The Foxtrot is a smooth and elegant Ballroom dance that was a favorite of Fred and Ginger Rogers. It’s a versatile dance that can be danced to many different tempos and variety of music. Therefore, it’s a popular style to learn for a wedding dance or social events and dancing parties.

History

The Foxtrot is an early 20th Century American dance that has its origins in the one-step, the two-step, and syncopated ragtime dances. It was popularized in the USA by dancers Vernon and Irene Castle in 1914, and it is believed to be named after Harry Fox, who was an entertainer. The versatility of the dance is greatly responsible for its popularity. It can be danced to most music that’s in a simple duple metre.

Foxtrot Dance Today

Today, the Foxtrot has evolved into a dance of social elegance and is celebrated by both the social dance circuit and competitive dance circuit.

In the competitive world of DanceSport, Foxtrot is found in both American Smooth and International Standard dance styles. International dancers often refer to Foxtrot as the “Slow Foxtrot” because tempo is slightly slower. In competitive American Smooth Foxtrot, dancers are allowed to dance in both open and closed frame positions. In competitive International Standard Foxtrot, dancers remain in a closed frame position.

In the social dance world, Foxtrot is more commonly found in dance studios, dance ballrooms, and venues featuring music for all the ballroom standards.

Today, the Foxtrot is easily recognizable because it was built off a foundation of simplistic walking steps and side steps. Slow steps and quick steps are utilized harmoniously in this dance. The slow steps use two beats of music and the quick steps use one beat of music. While dancing the Foxtrot, dancers strive to be completely smooth with no jerking movements and to have good timing. Often, it is recommended that new dancers learn the Waltz or Quickstep before learning the Foxtrot, as it is conceptualized as a more difficult dance.

A specific feature of the Foxtrot is the way dancers take long steps during the slower counts of music and shorter steps during the faster counts. The “trot” of this dance refers to the dancers shortening their steps as the music increases in tempo. Traditionally, the Foxtrot is danced to Big Band style music, however, many styles of music, including modern up –tempo songs and ballads, work well with the Foxtrot style dance. Today, contemporary pop music hits that work with the Foxtrot timing are just as popular for dancers as old Foxtrot classics.

With questions or to schedule your Private Dance Lessons to learn Foxtrot please contact us:

Phone: (281) 741-3242

email: info@ballroomdancesugarland.com

Currently lessons are being taught at DanceSport Club 11758, Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77031