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 Stay Frank Sinatra- You Make Me so Happy

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 Partner 2.These instructions 3.Enthusiasm 4.Patience Back

 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

1 st : Face other with shoulders parallel, feet offset from your partners (your right foot pointed in between your partner’s feet). Men’s positionWomen’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

2 nd : 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 StepFirst

2 nd : 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 BackBack to First Step

The Simple Footwork - Forward walking steps w/ the heel hitting the floor 1 st and the toe lowering as the body moves over it. Backward walking is the opposite, the toe hits the floor1 st w/ the heel lowering as the body moves over it. The Complicated Footwork - Forward Basic Backward Basic Left Box (Reverse) Turn Promenade (Traveling) Back to First 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 ForwardWomen’s Forward CLICK ME! Back to 2 nd Step Click me

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

Count – style – footwork 1 – Slow – Right foot Back 2 – Slow – Left Foot Back 3 – Quick – Right foot side & slightly back 4 – Quick – Left foot closes to right foot Back to 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 BackWomen’s Back CLICK ME! Back to Forward basic Click me

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

Count – style – footwork 1 – Slow – Right foot forward 2 – Slow – Left foot forward 3 – Quick – Right foot side & slightly forward 4 – Quick – Left foot closes to right foot Back to 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 BoxWomen’s Left Box Back to Back basic Click me

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

Count – style – footwork 1 – Slow – Right foot back 2 – Quick– Left foot side 3 – 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

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, Quick Men’s PromenadeWomen’s Promenade CLICK ME! Back to Left Box Turn Click me

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

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

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

A.Quick, Quick, Slow, QuickQuick, Quick, Slow, Quick B.Slow, Quick, Slow, QuickSlow, Quick, Slow, Quick C.Slow, Slow, Quick, QuickSlow, Slow, Quick, Quick D.Quick, Slow, Slow, QuickQuick, Slow, Slow, Quick

A.Lower BackLower Back B.Right upper armRight upper arm C.HandHand D.Back of the neckBack of the neck Back

A.PromenadePromenade B.Forward BasicForward Basic C.Back basicBack basic D.Dance PositioningDance Positioning Back

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

2 nd : 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

Promenade = traveling step Forward Basic = traveling step Back

My dad and I dancing the Foxtrot at the Viennese Ball in Eau Claire, WI 2008 Back

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