Media Center
Media Center » Group Class Syllabi » American Foxtrot
American Foxtrot
- Author:
- Dave Watson
- Date Published:
- July 6, 2004
COUNT:
Progressive Basic Forward: (Begin with Man facing Diagonal to Wall [DW])
Man steps forward for two steps – HEEL LEADS -- (left / right)
Lady steps back (right / left) S, S
Man now dances a Chasse’ (side / together) to his left (left / right)
Lady dances a Chasse’ (side / together) to her right (right / left) Q, Q
If Man is going to follow this pattern with another forward action, then no turn will be made on the Chasse’. However, if he intends to move backward into the next pattern, then there should be a slight turn to the right on the Chasse’.
Progressive Basic Backward: (Begin with Man Backing Diagonal to Center [BDC])
Man steps straight back for two steps (left / right)
Lady steps forward – HEEL LEADS – for two steps (right / left) S, S
Both partners now dance a Chasse’ to the Man’s left Q, Q
If continuing with another back action (very rare), then no turn will be made on the Chasse’. However, if the Man would like to dance forward into his next pattern, then a slight turn to the left should be made on the Chasse’.
Zig-Zag:
The Zig-Zag is nothing more than one Progressive Basic Forward followed immediately by one Progressive Basic Backward.
When dancing the Zig-Zag, couple should make ¼ turn to the right on the Chasse’ at the end of their Forward Progressive Basic, and ¼ turn to the left on the Chasse’ at the end of their Backward Progressive Basic. In this way, they will always be facing (or backing) the correct alignment, and they will “zigzag” down the floor.
Ad-Lib (Corner Step, Trouble Step, Left Rock Turn, Magic Left Turn):
Obviously, this pattern is known by many different names. It is probably the best known pattern in all of Social dancing; very useful, compact, and simple.
Man dances forward left – HEEL LEAD – and ‘checks’ the forward movement of his
Body by touching his right knee to his left and leaving his right foot behind
Lady dances back right, and ‘brushes’ her left foot to her right S
Man now steps back right – Lady steps forward left (HEEL LEAD) S
Couple now dances a Chasse’ to the Man’s left – turning slightly to the left Q, Q
Promenade Basic:
Man dances forward to his left in Promenade Position (PP) two steps (left / right)
Lady dances forward two steps to her right in PP (right / left) S, S
Couple now dances a Chasse’ to the Man’s left to complete the pattern. Q, Q
There are three ways to end this pattern, depending on the direction of the next pattern. If the couple desires to dance another Promenade movement, then they will remain in PP as they close their feet on the Chasse’. If the Man chooses to dance forward into the next pattern, then he will allow the Lady to close to him – turning just slightly to his left. If the Man chooses to dance into a backward movement at the completion of the Promenade Basic, then he will close to the Lady – turning just slightly to his right.
Progressive Twinkles (Scissors, Spirals) Backward: (Begin with Man facing Diagonal to Center [DC])
Couple will dance three steps of a Closed Reverse Turn (Box-Step), turning 3/8 of a turn to the left to end with Man Backing Line Of Dance (BLOD):
Man dances forward with left HEEL, then side right (Having danced through a line,
Then closes left foot to right
Lady dances back right, side left (foot turned out), and closes right to left S, Q, Q
Man now dances back (down the LOD) with his right foot, then dances side and
slightly back left having turned his feet 1/8 turn to left (But keeping shoulders
square to line), then closes right to left preparing to lead Lady to dance Outside
Partner on her next step
Lady dances forward left HEEL, side and slightly forward right keeping her shoulders
Square to the line, then closes left to right having turned feet 1/8 to left to
Prepare to dance Outside Partner on the next step S, Q, Q
Man is now BDC, but his shoulders (and, of course, hers) are square to the line. This is because he is about to lead the Lady Outside Partner along his right side as he leads the next Progressive Twinkle Backward.
Man now steps back with his left foot leading Lady to dance forward Outside Partner
Along his right side. He then steps side and slightly back right turning his foot
¼ turn to right (But not shoulders), then he closes left to right preparing to
lead Lady Outside Partner along his left side on the next movement
Lady dances forward right HEEL Outside Partner along the Man’s right side, then
swings side and slightly forward left, then closes her right to her left, turning
feet (but not shoulders) ¼ turn to the right S, Q, Q
At this point, Man is Backing Diagonal to Wall [BDW] – although his (and her) shoulders are still square to the line – preparing to lead the Lady Outside Partner along his left side. Man could lead the Lady to dance two more Progressive Twinkles Backward before ending, but the following description is for the actual finish of the pattern.
Man now dances back right, leading Lady to dance forward Outside Partner along his
Left side
Lady dances forward left HEEL Outside Partner along the Man’s left side S
Man now swings through a line to a side step left (foot turned out) then closes right
To left
Lady dances side (swinging through a line) right, then closes left to right Q,Q
Continuity Twinkle In A Corner: (Begin with Man facing into a corner)
Very similar to other Continuity Twinkles, except, obviously, this one is designed to seriously overturn.
Man dances forward left, then swings straight through a line into the corner with
His right toe. Upon arriving to the toe, he will turn his feet 3/8 to the left,
and lead Lady to Promenade Position (PP)
Lady will dance back right, then dance diagonally back left to end in Promenade
Position (PP) S, Q
Both partners now exit to Promenade Q
At this point, couple is heading DC of the new LOD, having danced into, and out of, the corner.
Quick Open Reverse: (Begin with couple in PP, heading DC)
Man dances forward through a line for two steps (right [HEEL] – left toe)
Lady dances forward with her left heel, and begins to turn to her left so that she
Will be in closed Position by the end of her second step (side right) S, Q
This is a “Syncopated” pattern (hence the ‘Quick’ in the title). While taking their second steps, the partners will begin to accelerate. NOTE: Lady should be pulling her head weight STRONGLY to the left at the completion of step two.
Man now steps side and slightly back right preparing to lead Lady to dance Outside
Partner on her next step
Lady steps side left (toe turned out) preparing to step Outside Partner &
Man drifts back in CBMP left leading Lady to dance forward Outside Partner along
His right side – lower at end of step
Lady drifts forward right Outside partner along Man’s right side – lower at end of step Q
The entire pattern will turn approximately 3/8 of a turn to the left, so that the Man is now BLOD. Unless the Man leads otherwise, Lady will dance ‘In-Line’ on her next movement forward with her left heel. The normal ending for this figure is the second half (4, 5, 6) of a normal Open Reverse Turn. However, there are many other possible endings. We will consider the Oversway.
Oversway (to include the Challenge Line): Begin with Man BLOD
Man dances back right, commencing to turn to to left to set up a Promenade Position
Lady dances forward left – ‘In-Line’ S
Man now dances side and slightly forward in PP with his left foot – he cuts slightly
across the Lady’s line, and leads the Lady to PP. NOTE: foot is placed flat
on the floor (not toe), and the Man will stand on a straight left leg, and shape
strongly to PP – hold right foot in place (This is the Challenge Line)
Lady dances forward in PP – right foot flat – stand straight up on right leg
Holding her left leg in place (Challenge Line) S
Couple will remain with ALL of their weight on their standing legs (Man’s left – Lady’ right) throughout the entire Oversway.
Man now bends his left leg slowly (4 beats) leading Lady to shape to her left
Lady will turn her right foot slightly to her left to square off to Man a little as
She closes to him, closes her head, bends her right knee slowly (over 4 beats),
and shapes strongly to her left (Oversway) 1, 2, 3, 4 (or: S, S)
There are many different ways of exiting an Oversway. We will examine just the one method.
Man will rise on his left leg -- Lady will rise on her right leg and begin to close the free
Foot to the standing leg S
Man will close right to left – Lady left to right, and shape strongly to PP Q
Couple now exits in PP (Man left foot – Lady right) – lower at end of step Q
There are an infinite number of follows once the couple has attained PP moving down the LOD. One common follow would be the Open Natural (Right) Turn. For simplicity, we will simply end with a closed Promenade ending.
Man now dances forward right Heel – side left – close right to left
Lady dances forward left heel – side right – close left to right. S, Q, Q
Couple will attain Closed dance position on the second step of the above movement. However, the amount, and direction of turn – and, who closes to whom – is determined by the desired alignment and following pattern. SEE: notes above at end of Promenade Basic