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The Foxtrot is one of the most popular ballroom dances performed today. But how did this dance get its start? Why is it still so popular? Read this article to find out all about the foxtrot.
The Foxtrot began with a man named Harry Fox, a longtime star of the vaudeville. By 1914, Fox was appearing in the New York vaudeville scene. A dancer for the New York theater, he married Yansci Dolly of the Dolly sisters and the two were seen doing a sprightly dance between regular shows at the theater. The result was a crowd pleaser, and the audience deemed Fox’s dance the “Fox Trot.” That same year, the American Society of Professors of Dancing standardized the steps of the Foxtrot. The dance was introduced to the public with Oscar Duryea, an established choreographer of the time. His dance team introduced the Foxtrot as a rolling smooth glide that moved in large steps across the room.
Why was this dance named the Foxtrot? Harry Fox’s original dance was a series of trotting steps. When Durynea prepared his premiere, he deemed the trotting step too much for ladies, and turned it into a smooth glide. Therefore, the Foxtrot was known by this name, although the trot did not remain.
The Dolly sisters soon began dancing through New York in their own review. The dance quickly spread to London through the efforts of one American, G.K. Anderson. While performing the dance in London and American competitions, he solidified to dance for the audience. The Foxtrot was a smooth dance that would remain in a certain section of the floor. This made it easier to dance in social settings, and more appealing to the watcher.
The Foxtrot has a regular step of slow-slow-quick-quick. It is done in square step, in a circular motion. Music for the Foxtrot has a flowing, perky quality and adhered to 4/4 time, so that steps are regular. Because of its mixed slow and fast steps, it is easy to keep the steps in a contained area. This does not mean that the Foxtrot cannot cover a lot of ground, however. Anyone who has watched a dance competition knows that couples can clear a room when dancing in earnest. Dancers who do the Foxttrot have noted that there are an unusual number of variations that can be performed. For some, it is the hardest of the ballroom dance series. It is not uncommon for a dance team to espouse this one dance alone, making it their specialty.
Several versions of the Foxtrot exist. Faster foxtrots turn into Swing and Jitterbug. A fast Foxtrot known as a One Step is today the Quickstep, and faster version of the original set to waltz music. The Foxtrot itself can be known as the Peabody and the Roseland Foxtrot. The Foxtrot has a reputation for being an incredibly social dance, because of these variations and their popularity.
To learn the Foxtrot, check out local dance studios, or call nearby colleges for a teacher. Certain ballroom dancing series classes will also offer this dance. Mail-order steps can be ordered, but it is recommended that you use an instructor, for basic balance and positioning.
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