Let’s Begin with the Foxtrot
While the professional dance instructors at Arthur Murray teach many different styles of ballroom dance, the Foxtrot is one of the most popular ballroom dances in existence.
In fact, a casual conversation with one of our instructors led to this very blog post.
He said “I absolutely love the Foxtrot.”
Really?? I was fascinated by that, given his expertise in so many styles. I had to know, “why the Foxtrot?”
“A lot of that has to do with the fact that it’s the dance you do to the best music in the world like Frank Sinatra, big band stuff. It’s just great!”
He is right! Foxtrot is extremely versatile and can be danced to a variety of musical styles and tempos. And for that reason, it’s perhaps the most common style of ballroom dance.
Think about the last wedding you attended. It’s the music and dancing that you typically see and hear at social occasions. So, it can be said that Foxtrot is really the most useful social dance to know.
It’s not a fast rhythm, either. Our instructor noted, “You can learn a whole routine of basic steps and still feel that you can take your time executing them the very best way you can.”
It’s very easy to follow along and seems to be a very natural rhythm for most people to master. You might recognize the Slow, Slow, Quick, Quick counting pattern of the timing without even realizing it. The Foxtrot helps beginners to quickly build confidence.
Now keep in mind, it’s a traveling step. That means that you actually have to move across the floor. You are not standing in one place, swaying back and forth. And, because you are moving, you need to be sure you have plenty of room on the dance floor. You can always keep your steps small and compact, however, the dance will move you around quite a bit.
Another reason Foxtrot is so popular is that it’s a very smooth step style. Once you master it, you’ll look and feel as though you are gliding across the dance floor. Further, you don’t need to know a huge range of Foxtrot steps to achieve success.
According to the experts, “The basic step, with a rock step and a turn added (that’s just three different steps) can easily be built into a fantastic-looking routine suitable for all occasions”
For all these reasons, there dance teachers at Arthur Murray tend to teach the Foxtrot first and why it’s considered “the perfect dance” for weddings, parties and functions.
Contact one of our Nine Boston Area Arthur Murray Studios today and schedule your first free lesson.