Foxtrot

Design and deliver beautiful presentations with ease

and confidence.
History of Foxtrot
When we discuss the basics of
ballroom dancing, we often fall
back on two of its staple styles –
the foxtrot and the waltz. Today
we are going to take a closer
look at the foxtrot – a smooth,
progressive dance characterized
by its slow step, and long,
sinuous movements. 
Named for its creator, vaudeville entertainer Harry Fox, the
foxtrot made its debut in 1914. Born Arthur Carrington in
1882, Harry Fox was the classic vaudeville performer. He was
a comedian, as well as an actor and dancer who also made
some of the earlier “talking pictures” of the late 1920s. He
died in 1959, but he left us quite a legacy.
The first freestyle use of the (pre-Foxtrot) “slow step” was popularized in 1912, during
ragtime music’s heyday. This changed marked the beginning of a completely new phase
of ballroom dancing, once where dance partners were much closer together and often
ad-libbed to this new and exhilarating style of music. Prior to this period, the Polka, Waltz
and the One-Step were the popular dances, and partners were at arm’s length and a set
pattern of choreography was strictly observed. The Foxtrot took on the form we generally
see today when the famed dance couple, Vernon and Irene Castle, became enamored of
it and made its lines smoother and even more sensual. In fact, the Foxtrot helped the
couple reach the peak of their popularity in Irving Berlin‘s first Broadway show, 
Watch Your Step (1914), in which they refined and popularized the Foxtrot. 
By 1915, new and melodic “pop” songs were the smash hits of the day. The
dancing public quickly made the change to a smoother, more rhythmic style
of music, and their dancing began to absorb the better attributes of the older
dances. From 1917 up to present day, the accent has been placed on
smoother, more sophisticated dancing and individualized expression, most
figures are designed for the larger ballroom floor. However, these same
figures are also suited to the average dance floor when danced more
compactly.
Today, there are several styles of Foxtrot:

American Social Foxtrot – seen most widely at dance events, social parties, etc., the American
style allows for complete freedom of expression, utilizing various dance holds and positions

International Foxtrot – one of the five Standard dances that form the backbone of International
Style Dance competitions held around the world under the auspices of the International Dance
Sport Federation, its local affiliates, and other organizations. By 1960, the International style of
dancing had made its way into U.S. ballrooms and many of the techniques became integrated
into the American style Foxtrot. The main distinction of International style Foxtrot is that it is
danced entirely in contact, maintaining the normal dance hold.
 Foxtrot Basics

Foxtrot is a smooth dance, traveling around the line

of dance. The long walking movements involve a
subtle rise & fall action. Turning movements are
similar to Waltz, but with a more moderate rise and
fall, and more length-wise action.
International Foxtrot syllabus has only closed dance
position but in American Foxtrot, both open and
closed dance positions are allowed. The Foxtrot
originally started with slow and quick steps but soon
evolved to include twinkles and chasses.
The Foxtrot is danced to music written in 4/4 time
with the first and third beats of each measure more
heavily accented. It is danced in combinations of
slow and quick steps, with each slow step taking two
beats and each quick step one beat of music.
Therefore, a dance basic figure in slow, slow, quick,
quick rhythm takes one and a half measures, while a
dance figure in slow, quick, quick rhythm takes one
measure.
Foxtrot is extremely versatile and can be
danced to a variety of musical styles and tempi.
Foxtrot music has a tempo of 29 to 34 measures
per minute.
Foxtrot is danced in a closed ballroom dance
position hold. In closed position, the man and
lady stand in front of each other, slightly offset to
the left.
The lady's right hand and man's left hand are joined
in an upper-hand clasp at approximately the lady's
shoulder level.

The man's right hand is placed on the lady's shoulder

blade, with the lady's left arm resting on his right.
 Foxtrot Basic Forward

How to Dance a Basic Forward Step

Rhythm - Slow, slow, quick, quick. Foxtrot music is

4/4 timing which means there are 4 beats to 1 bar of
music. A slow is 2 beats and a quick is 1 beat.
 MEN
Men start facing line of dance. (Hint: Face slightly toward the right wall of the room, or you'll eventually hit the left
wall.)

1. Start with feet together and weight on right foot

2. With left foot take 1 walking step forward (slow)

3. Step forward with right foot (slow)

4. Step sideways with left foot (quick)

5. Close right foot to left foot (quick)

6. You'll end with your weight on right foot, ready to

'rinse, repeat' with left foot.

 Ladies
Start with feet together and weight on left foot

With right foot take 1 walking step backward (slow)

Step back with left foot (slow)

Step sideways with right foot (quick)

Close left foot to right foot (quick)

You'll end with your weight on left foot, ready to 'rinse, repeat' with right foot.
Foxtrot Basic Backward
Foxtrot Rock Left Turn
Man's foot position
Foxtrot Forward progressive
Man’s Foot Position
Foxtrot Promenade Step
Man's and lady's foot position