Foxtrot

History

In 1913, Harry Fox, a Vuadeville comedian, introduced a trot to a ragtime song in a Ziegfeld Follies that pushed other trots in the background. It became America’s most popular dance and remains so to this day as the standard of social dances.

Characteristics

The basic components of the Fox Trot are the walking steps and side steps. Crowded dance floors or nightclub conditions require that all three tempos be expressed with short steps. In larger ballrooms the slow Fox Trot is characterized by longer smooth, gliding steps, demanding ease of movement and control in order to give this dance an unhurried appearance.