Does Foxtrot have to take up a lot of space?

[KevinL]

Foxtrot is a very interesting dance, people generally love it or hate it, for one reason or another. I personally like it a lot because the bronze level American style that I know is very versatile. And by making the rhythm SQQ I can even use all of the waltz patterns that I know to make it even more interesting (read: challanging to the follower).

However, there are lots of different ways to dance foxtrot, based on personal preference, the tempo of the music, and the size of the crowd. There is one local dancer here who loves to do double time Foxtrot, the timing of which seems to be 123& 412& 341& 234& (still SSQQ, just that the slows are one beat and the quicks are half beats). It's easier to see it than it is to explain it, I think. Because he is moving so fast he tends to travel a lot compared to other dancers, and the competitive dancers tend travel more than the social dancers.

In your opinion, does foxtrot have to cover a lot of distance? Can you dance foxtrot as a "spot" dance that doesn't follow line of dance? It obviously wouldn't have the character of "real" foxtrot, but could do you think you could do it?

Kevin

[Porfirio Landeros]

I was taught those "all quicks" in American style, which were presented as "advanced", in order to add some contrast of movement around the floor (go slow for a while, then fast, then slow). I guess they were useful for really slow foxtrots, but personally, I now enjoy the challenge of doing a foxtrot really slow, allowing more time for swing and stretching into shapes.

In the end, it turns out the "all quicks" are a way of cheating instead of being advanced, especially when you'll notice the dancers doing this are running around on their toes (we have one or two dancers that seem to have adopted this speed as his permanent social style). But, since there are no rules in social, I guess you do what makes you happy :P

[Laura]

I've social danced with someone who led foxtrot as all quicks. It was odd, but I had a good time. Made me miss the slows, though!

[Chris Stratton]

There's always the continuous top spin... I do this every once in a while socially, and I think once in a comp I did an intentional top spin that became a twice-redirected feather finish due to there actually being someone in the way where I was planning to exit.

International foxtrot demands large linear movements - you can chop the dance up and make it turn a lot without violating the written rules, but it tends to loose its character, and hence much of the fun of doing it.

Also, one of the things about large movement is that it makes it easier to stay on time - you are still going fast, but the distance to cover eats up the time. There's little worse than the hesitation foxtrot that occurs if you keep driving harder than the tempo*distance product requires and having to put on the brakes to stay on time. Moving smaller amounts doesn't necessarily require all that much more strength or control than consistent large motion, but it does require practice at adjusting the amount of drive you put into steps - and doing that together.

[Warren J. Dew]

Bronze American foxtrot doesn't typically cover a lot of distance. It should still move generally line of dance, though.

English foxtrot does tend to cover a lot of distance, because the most characteristic figures tend to be linear and don't generally lend themselves to doubling back. This is a disadvantage when the dance floor is not large.

Continuity American foxtrot can cover a lot of distance, but some of the figures are more maneuverable, so it's easier to dance on a floor that's only medium sized.

[Genesius Redux]

It's definitely easier to move around the floor and pilot in continuity American than bronze--but one of the reasons I hate dancing foxtrot socially is that the floor is generally packed with people who know just a little bit of bronze and people are always running into you or just stopping unexpectedly in front of you. I much prefer social dancing tango, since it seems to scare off some of the less experienced leads, and you can have an open floor to move around! :wink:

[Sagitta]

Oh, is that it? I'm inexperienced, but a tango comes on and I shamelessly grab someone and make a go for it. :oops: If they had regular ballroom here I would get better, but they don't. Their fault!! :wink: :)

[Genesius Redux]

Oh, is that it? I'm inexperienced, but a tango comes on and I shamelessly grab someone and make a go for it. :oops: If they had regular ballroom here I would get better, but they don't. Their fault!! :wink: :)

I shouldn't have written "less experienced leads." I should have written casual half-hearted male dancers whose wives and SOs have dragged them out for dancing. For some reason, people who can't dance at all will crowd onto the floor for a foxtrot, but clear it for a tango. Ironically, it's much easier to tango around human obstructions than to foxtrot around them--or so I've found! :wink:

[spatten]

I remember one NDCA comp where the split the stinking floor for Silver Internation Foxtrot. Goes something like this....

Feather, Reverse Turn, Woops! Uh, How do I turn the corner with a Feather Finish?

So in my opinion - Yes! Foxtrot, by definition, takes up a lot of room.