The foxtrot appeared in American dance halls during the 1910s, popularized by vaudeville performer Harry Fox and later refined into a ballroom staple. As a dance of playful sophistication, the foxtrot has long been associated with smooth jazz orchestras and big band music (danced in 4/4 time, typically between 112–120 BPM), though slower, modern pop songs can also fit its style. The foxtrot (a broader American style) can be danced to slightly faster music, while the more technically demanding and formal slow fox is generally danced to slower jazz music.
How to recognize when to take the first step when dancing Slowfox?
To recognize when to take your first step, listen for the steady swing rhythm in the music, which supports a „slow-slow-quick-quick“ step pattern. Our basic figure is a 6-beat pattern. Therefore, every other full basic figure will be playfully offset, but provided that your first/slow steps initiate when the bass or percussion emphasize beats 1 and 3 of a measure, you are stepping correctly. Your second quick step should initiate on beat 2 or 4, during one of the lighter instrumental accents or finger snaps in the measure.
How to dance Slowfox?
As a smooth ballroom dance, you should take a closed frame with your partner and focus on long, gliding steps across the floor. The lead should aim to guide the couple in sweeping curves, while the follower keeps steps compact and poised to maintain flow. The overall impression is effortless, continuous motion.
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- recognizing the correct dance for the played music.
- recognizing the dance steps of each dance.
- recognizing the right moment to take your first step.
Sources
- James Mehl: Professional ballroom dance consultant
- Eddington, Marci H., and B. Lee Wakefield. American Social Dance: Syllabus and Progress Chart. Brigham Young University, 2003.
- National Dance Council of America. Compiled Rule Book Master v2 (March 2022). PDF file, National Dance Council of America, 2022.
https://www.ndca.org/ – Compiled Rule Book Master v2.pdf. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.