The Lowly FoxTrot

What's your favorite dance?  The answer is usually "Oh I love the Latin dances!!" or some people say they love swing, or any of the faster dances.  Now and then someone will say that the elegant Waltz is the favorite dance, but almost no one ever names Fox Trot as the favorite. 

I think it's because FoxTrot is usually the first dance that a couple learns and once they build up a little confidence FoxTrot seems a little too easy, a little too "ho-hum".  But ask an advanced dancer, and you will often hear that FoxTrot is the ultimate dance of choice. 

The poor lowly FoxTrot of the beginning student is the dance that first teaches the man to hold his frame (and the woman as well) and to dance on time to the music.  The "Slow Slow Quick Quick" of Fox Trot rhythm comes naturally to us, and we use it in other phases of life --- probably one of the biggest reasons the dance became popular and has lasted all these years.  FoxTrot is the dance that lets the men know they are in charge on the dance floor and gets the ladies to understand they must follow.  It is the "walking to music" dance that introduces closed position, promenade position, and outside partner position.    FoxTrot is the foundational dance that teaches the basics of frame and gets you and your partner working as a team on the dance floor.  Eventually this dance will teach the men how to vary the rhythm, and the women will finally let go of memorizing patterns.  Ho-hum? This is big important stuff!!

The more advanced dancer learns to not only vary the rhythm but the frame as well, and the subtleties of real leading and real following.  Footwork becomes very important at this stage, and the "walking to music" dance suddenly turns into gliding down the floor with elegance and grace.  Although many of the patterns are similar to Waltz, with FoxTrot there is the added challenge of holding that Slow and keeping the timing throughout.  The advanced dancer learns to appreciate the skill, and the control, and the hours of practice it takes to master this beautiful dance.  I find it is often the men who name FoxTrot as the favorite!!

Embrace the lowly FoxTrot --- the dance that teaches the men they are the drivers on the dance floor, and the basics of movement.  Just remember it is this dance that will start you out driving the family car but will eventually put you behind the wheel of that sleek little race car!!