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Here's Dr Matt's List of Music Tempos for Social Dancing

Dr Matt's Dance Class — Foxtrot Week Seven

Here are the notes for each week's Foxtrot Lessons:
1     2    3    4    5    6   7    8    9    10    11    12    pics

Hi Everyone:

We learned 2 new steps this week:

      1)  The 360 degree Guy Flop — in combination with the Girl Flip Flops
      2)  Hesitation Foxtrot Basic — Slow Slow Quick Quick.

360 Guy Flop

Here's an example of the Guy Flop in a Samba. Even though the dancers in the video are not dancing a Walk Rhythm (as we are in class), the body orientation and foot positions are essentially the same. One difference is this: In Walk Rhythm Foxtrot we will consistently step forward with a "heel lead" when lowering.

In the Samba, Cha Cha, Rumba, and Jive, all footwork commences with the "ball of the foot." The only Latin Dance that has"heel leads" is the Paso Doble. Whereas in the Smooth Dances: Tango, Waltz, Quickstep, and Foxtrot, . . . the first "lowering" step forward is always a "heel."

For the most part, we are dancing the Walk Rhythm Foxtrot "flat" . . . without rise and fall. Once we progress to a higher level of dancing, "rise and fall" will be infused in many of the steps that are learning. The Zig Zag introduces the "rise and fall" technique.

Hesitation Fox Trot:

To lend variety to the Walk Rhythm Foxtrot, the Guy can "lead" in and out of Continuous Hesitation OR a Hesitation Foxtrot Basic.

From a Forward Walking Step, the lead to do a Hesitation Foxtrot Basic is obvious and clear—the Guy simply makes a Right Quarter Turn to get parallel to his partner. The parallel position eliminates the possibility for the Girl to step Forward or Back, or try to do a Crossing step (as in a Grapevine).

From a Grapevine, the Guy leads a Hesitation Step by pulling his partner into a close parallel position, again eliminating the possibility for the Girl to step Forward, Back, or Cross.

As long as the parallel position is maintained, the Hesitation Step continues. To "lead" out of Continuous Hesitation, the Man simply open his partner to Promenade Position and gently leads a Side - Cross Step.

Because there is the clear distinction between the Closed Position versus Promenade Position, this is precisely why the Hesitation + Cross Step is my Basic Step for the Hesitation Foxtrot.

The Hesitation Foxtrot Basic begins in Closed Position (while you dance: Side - Touch, Side - Touch) done in four musical beats, and in the next two musical beats, you do Two Quick Walking Steps (Side - Cross) in Promenade Position—or you can also stay in Closed Position and simply do a Chasse (Side - Together). Here are examples of both endings.

Side Together shown at  0:21,  0:35,  0:55,  1:12,  3:13,  3:17
Side Cross demonstrated at  3:46

What the Instructor calls the "sway step" is what I term the "hesitation." The Video shows an UnderArm Turn on two Quick Quick Steps as well. This means, in 6 counts of music you will dance: Side - Touch, Side - Touch, Side - Cross (or Side - Together). Again, the "Side - Cross" ending is much easier for the Women to feel the "lead."

The SSqq Rhythm is the Old-Time Foxtrot rhythm (which is the same as the Single Swing Rhythm). Here's an example of an Old-Fashioned Foxtrot, also called the Social Dance Foxtrot. This video correctly points out the "off center" position (although the term is not used). Read my previous explanation of "off center."

While the Social Dance Foxtrot happens in a SSqq Rhythm, the International Foxtrot and American Smooth Foxtrot are both danced in a Sqq Rhythm.

Here is a fantastic example of the American Smooth Foxtrot performed on the British Television Show called "Strictly Come Dancing"—which has been exported to the USA under the title: "Dancing with the Stars."

You will see the Flip Flops danced at  1:00  and the Pivots at  1:06 — 1:14  & 1:55 — 2:00.  While dancing Pivots, notice how the couple moves as One Unit—there are no body parts dangling or wagging. Listen to the audience reaction when the couples do the Pivots! It's a most impressive step. The Sqq Rhythm is danced at  2:14 — 2:19

I use the analogy of having your "feet attached to the inside of a wagon wheel" to emphasize that the two turning fulcrum points created by the couple remain consistent throughout the pivot—the legs are locked in, so to speak. The Left Foot Position is Back, and the Right Foot Position is Forward for both the Girl and the Guy.

When properly done, the couple will "shock absorb" the rocking action, so you will not see the Forward and Backward Rocking Action in the upper body at all—but the rocking action IS the fundamental movement that underlies rotating Pivots. Now that you've become aware of the shock absorbing technique . . . take another look at the excellent examples of pivoting:  1:06 — 1:14  and  1:55 — 2:00.  

Notice the Hour Glass upper body shaping (Head up, Chest up and away from partner), and the fact that you don't see the Rocking Action because they have "shock absorbed" it with their legs (just as skiers do when they go over a mogul). You will also see another step that are worth learning in this routine: Turning Shadow  1:20 — 1:26.

Now here's an International Foxtrot Example: Wow!

These two Italian Dancers show incredible control and elegance in their movement. Three advanced techniques to notice in this example:

      1)  Upper Body Sway — Left and Right.
      2)  Woman rotating her Head Position — called a "Rainbow" technique.
      3)  Lowering and Driving.

If you watched "So You Think You Can Dance" this past season, . . . "Lowering and Driving" is what both Joshua and Twitch (the Final Two Dancers) could NOT do whenever they danced a Standard Ballroom Dance. Especially Twitch, he was completely incapable of lowering and driving. Watch Twich klomp like Frankenstein during a Foxtrot routine—klomping seen at  0:34 — 0:40.

In the example of Luca & Loraine, none of their dancing steps are normal walking steps (they NEVER Klomp), all of their steps push beyond where a foot would naturally land in normal walking — the "driving action" comes after lowering and then pushing forward (or backward) from the supporting foot. The lowering and driving technique that Luca & Loraine demonstrate takes years to learn.

For those who did not attend the very first class, you need to get clear on the Asteroid Analogy—a concept essential to understanding how Leading & Following happens.

 :o)
Matt

Notes for Dr Matt's Ballroom Dance Class — Week Eight

Hey Dance Fans, . . . have you read my review of the
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