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What is Foxtrot?
The
Foxtrot is truly an American dance, credited to Harry Fox
and dating back to 1914 when he was reportedly doing rapid
trotting steps with his partner to Ragtime music (the original
form of Jazz), and it was originally referred to as “Fox’s
Trot”. Since those early vaudeville days both the music
and the dance have changed into the more smooth and sauntering
dance that we see today. Foxtrot is the classic social Ballroom
dance- In most old movies when you see a large crowd dancing
close with their partners to a big band, they are doing Foxtrot.
Foxtrot is danced to jazz
or Big Band music, the same style of music that you would
dance swing to. Speed is usually the deciding factor that
makes a song better for Foxtrot (danced to 110-150 beats per
minute) or for Swing (danced to 120-250 beats per minute),
but you can usually dance a slow swing to any Foxtrot tune.
In fact it is fun and not too difficult to go back and forth
between Swing and Foxtrot in the same dance.
Foxtrot is danced in a closed
position (facing your partner and holding them close). The
walking steps are taken as “slows” (2 beats per
step) or “quicks”(1 beat per step), with the most
common Foxtrot rhythms being SQQ, SQQ or SSQQ, but ultimately
the dancers may use whatever rhythm that they choose, which
allows them to change their dance to fit the music.
Many people mistakenly think
that Foxtrot is a difficult dance to learn , but this is usually
because they are thinking of more complicated styles of Foxtrot
such as International Style and American Silver and Gold Styles,
that are used mainly in performances and competitions. Basic
social Foxtrot (sometimes referred to as American Bronze Style)
is fun and simple to learn, an excellent dance for beginners.
Click
here to listen to an example of Foxtrot Music.
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What is Swing?
Swing music has an infectious accent on the upbeat and makes
even non-dancers tap their feet, and snap their fingers. The
most elemental definition of Swing dancing, is any style of
dancing to Swing music, and there are hundreds of styles.
Swing dancing is usually characterized by it’s bounce
and energy as well as lots of spins or under arm turns.
The original style of Swing dancing is the Lindy Hop which
was named by Shorty George Snowden in 1927 after Charles Lindberg’s
famed nonstop flight across the Atlantic.
Known by many for it’s acrobatic moves called arials,
Lindy Hop is also danced socially featuring 8 count and 6
count patterns, often with kicking or Charleston steps. Examples
of Lindy Hop can be seen in recent movies such as Malcom X
or Swing Kids, or older movies like A Day at the Races or
Hellzapoppin. There are many different definitions and styles,
but when most people refer to basic swing dancing, they are
referring to a simplified version of the original Lindy Hop,
favoring 6 count moves and also referred to as 6 count swing,
east coast swing, jitterbug, and Lindy.
6 count swing can be danced
to jazz or big band music from speeds of 110 beats per minute
to 300 beats per minute, but most people enjoy dancing to
the 120-180 beat per minute range. The 6 count basic can be
modified in many ways, but is most common as rock-step, triple-step,
triple-step (often referred to as triple time or triple step
swing) or rock-step, step, step (often referred to as single
step or single time swing). 6 count swing is easy to learn,
especially when done with the single step rhythm. The triple
step rhythm is better suited for slower songs, and can be
substituted for the single step once you are comfortable with
the steps. Swing music and dancing are two of the most important
cultural imports of America, learning how to dance can be
a great way to connect with a part of our history.
Click
here to listen to an example of Swing music.
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What is the Waltz?
One of the most distinguishing
features of the Waltz is the 3/4 time signature that it is
played in. This means that each measure has 3 beats rather
than the more common 2 or 4. Waltz is counted 1-2-3 with a
heavy accent on the 1. You can not dance other dances such
as foxtrot, swing, or tango to waltz music because of this
three beat grouping. Graceful turning moves are very characteristic
of the Waltz.
The history of the Waltz goes
back to peasant folk dances in Austria as early as the 16th
century, but it began to resemble the Waltz of today when
the Austrian aristocracy adopted and altered it in the 18th
century, eventually spreading to France, England, and other
European countries. Until the Waltz became popular, the aristocracy
danced with their partners in an open position. The closed
position (with the partners face to face and holding each
other close) caused uproar, thought by many to be immoral
and obscene. By the late 1800’s the waltz was generally
accepted by polite society, and eventually many more closed
partner dances, such as the foxtrot and the tango, were to
follow.
Today, the Waltz is most commonly
danced in the Viennese, country or ballroom style. Viennese
Waltz is danced very fast and is characterized by an almost
nonstop turning and is one of the most difficult forms of
Waltz to learn. Country and ballroom styles of Waltz are very
similar, with the country style danced at a slightly faster
pace and incorporating more moves in open and side-by-side
positions. Ballroom Waltz can be divided into American and
International Styles. International Style originates from
England and is danced mostly in competitions by more advanced
dancers, while American Style is more suitable to beginners
and those who want to dance Waltz socially. A beginner dancer
should start with country or American style Waltz.
Click
here to listen to an example of a Waltz
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