Abbreviations

LF - Left Foot

RF - Right Foot

L - Left

R - Right

Q - Quick (1 beat of music)

S - Slow (2 beats of music)

CW - Clockwise

ACW - Anti-clockwise

DC - Diagonal to Centre

DW = Diagonal to Wall

LOD = Line of Dance

OP - Outside Partner

Sway and alignment is given for the man, lady is normal opposite unless stated otherwise

General rules

A quick = toe (unless going backwards), a slow is a heel if going forward, a toe lower if going back. 

Never go from a down to an up without having rise or fall through the feet - i.e. a rise or a lower.

Remember you are trying to swing from the hip and get a transitional, smooth movement, smooth and in tune with your partner.  We are looking for long steps so that anyone watching you from the waist upwards would assume you are on wheels.

Before you Start

S tand up

E quilibrium - i.e. get in balance

X troverted hold - i.e. lots of airiness and space in the top line, arms flowing outwards and upwards.

As you Start

S wing from the hip

E ngage with your partners - i.e. move together - the one moving forward providing the motive power

X tend the foot - it is a normal length stride, then the foot is extended slightly further. 

Walks

To be used to get you moving initially.

Normally used to get you moving from a standing start, eg two walks starting on man's LF to get into a feather.

Feather / Feather Finish

Can be danced in any direction, although most commonly either DC or DW.

 (Starts with Man's LF, Lady's RF.  Bear in mind that on step 1 the man is turning his shoulders CW ready to step OP on steps 1 and (particularly) 2, and that he turns his shoulders ACW on step 3 to get back in line for following steps)

1 - Q - Man LF Forward, Lady RF Back.  Sway L.  Toe for Man

2 - Q - Man RF Forward, outside partner,. Lady LF Back.  Sway L.  Toe (lower) for man.  Sway L

3 - S - Man LF Forward, in line with partner, preparing for the next step.  Lady RF Back.  Straighten up.  Heel for man

If danced as a feather finish, eg at the end of the Reverse Turn, step 1 will continue the turn of the preceding step and take the direction that the following steps will proceed in.

Three Step

Can be danced in any direction, although commonly will be DW.  It can be danced with or without a small amount of turn.  Try to keep all three steps in line with your partner.

(Starts with Man's RF, Lady LF)

1 - Q - Man RF Forward.  Heel, toe for man.  Lady LF back

2 - Q - Man LF Forward.  Toe, lower for man.  Lady RF back

3 - S - Man RF Forward.  Heel for man. Lady LF back.

Reverse Turn

(Starts with Man's RF, Lady's LF.  Man facing DC)

1 - Q - Man to side, turning ACW, Lady closes feet and does heel turn.  Sway L.  Toe for Man (Make sure you are in line at this point by the man taking a wide step no further from his partner than he started) - remember the lady's heels are the centre of the turn.

2 - Q - Man LF back, Lady RF forward.  Sway L.  Toe (lower) for both.

3 - S - RF back, backing DC.  Lady LF forward (heel).  No sway. 

Natural Turn

(Starts with Man's LF, Lady's RF.  Man facing DW)

1 - Q - Man to side, turning CW, Lady closes feet and does heel turn.  Sway R.  Toe for Man (Make sure you are in line at this point by the man taking a wide step no further from his partner then when he started)  - remember the lady's heels are the centre of the turn.

2 - Q - Man RF back, Lady LF forward.  Sway R.  Toe (lower) for both.

3 - S - LF back, backing LOD.  Lady RF forward (heel).  No sway. 

Side, Close

A simple way of finishing off a Natural turn.  Man takes his RF to side, completing a further 1/4 turn CW to face across the room, then brushes his LF to RF without weight.  Lady does the normal opposite.

Timing = S S

Pivot Turn

Used instead of the side close, this is very similar to a spin turn in waltz / quickstep, and keeps you moving

(Starts with Man's RF, Lady's LF.  Man backing LOD.  No sway)

1 - Q - Man Forward, turning CW (approximately 1/2 a turn), Lady Back.  Toe for both Man and Lady.

2 - Q - Man replaces weight back to LF, Lady RF forward, having brushed to LF.  Toe lower for both.

3 - S - Man RF back, turning to take desired alignment (depends on next step), Lady takes LF Forward. 

Order of Steps

Remember that Foxtrot follows commensense principles - you are effectively walking and therefore using the alternative foot each time.

So if a step ends on the LF, the next step must be one that starts with the RF

The following list shows the steps above and which comfortably follows which:-

Walks - pretty much anything follows walks, although a comfortable combination is two walks into a Feather Step

Feather Step - followed by a Three Step or a Reverse Turn

Reverse Turn - followed by a Feather Step (technically a Feather Finish)

Three Step - followed by a Feather Step or a Natural Turn

Natural Turn - Followed by a Side, Close or a Pivot Turn

Side, Close - Followed  by Walks

Pivot Turn - Followed by a Feather Step

 

The above notes are not verbatim copies of the approved technique of the teaching societies, but are intended to be easily digestible aide memoires from the course you attended.

(c) 2009 Ballroom Experience Co