PATTERNS AND ROUTINES FOR AMERICAN FOXTROT -copyright Jonathan Tyrone Rowell, 2003 Notes: 1) Foxtrot is relaxed and easy going. I often imagine Dean Martin, lady in one hand and a drink in the other, as the concept for Foxtrot. Others like a slightly livelier interpretation. 2) Foxtrot has acquired not only its own proprietary moves, but has borrowed heavily from Waltz. This creates a rhythm problem for people first learn as they have to switch between SSQQ and SQQ. Bronze 1) Fwd Basic - aka Magic Step. The beginning pattern for SSQQ rhythm. By itself, it can be repeated if the man faces between DW and LOD (thus net movement is down LOD). 2) Back Basic - The two slow steps are taken backward for Man (fwd for Lady). 3) Closed Quarter Turns - aka Zig Zag. A combination of Fwd and Back Basics, where couple turns Right and Left on the QQ side steps to adjust alignment. 3b) Outside Partner Quarter Turns - a variant of the above pattern, but man steps outside of Lady with RF on second slow. Woman does NOT step outside of Man when she comes forward. 4) Left Rock Turn - Foxtrot's analog to Waltz Hesitation. Also useful for performing a left turning action, and can be used as a filler step in transitioning to SQQ rhythm to synch up the dancing rhythm with the 1-beat. 5) Right Rock Turn - the other Hesitation. LF back, RF replace, side-close. May be turned with right rotation. Also useful in combination with an overturned fwd Quarter Turn as a poor man's Natural Spin Turn at corners. 6) Grapevine - as part of the DCDI addendum, the simple form of the Grapevine with 8 quicks is acceptable. Last quick must be together. 7) Promenade Basic A and B - Unsure what the two variants are. The basic promenade moves LOD, although you can use it in any direction if necessary. 8) Swing Step - Foxtrot's analog to the Promenade Hesitation of Waltz. Slow side LF, slow transfer back to RF, the QQ side together, all facing partner. 9) Promenade Turn - aka Promenade Underarm Turn. as opposed to Pivot, where couple turns together, only the Lady will turn, beginning with the second slow. Advanced dancers can perform a double turn over the QQ part. 10) Promenade Pivot -NDCA aka Promenade Turn (not to be confused with the figure by the same name below). Up to on full turn can be achieved, thus you can continue down LOD, but most beginners only get 3/4-7/8 around, making it a good corner move to proceed down new LOD 11) Fwd and Back Change Steps - May be initiated with either foot 12) Progressive Box - amalgamation of the Left and Right Fwd Change Steps. Travels with better control than most figures, but is more a beginning social dance pattern. Only use in competition if necessitated by traffic. 13) Left Box Turn A, B, C - aka Reverse Turn. Three types, based on rotation, as above. "C" is identical to International Waltz Reverse Turn. Also may be thought of as combination of L Fwd Change and R back Change 14) Right Box Turn A, B, C- aka Natural Turn. Three bronze types, based on rotation achieved: "A" - no rotation, on the spot, "B" quarter turn each measure, "C" 3/8 rotation per measure. "C" is identical to International Waltz Natural Turn. Also may be thought of as combination of R Fwd Change and L back Change 15) Simple Twinkle - In bronze pattern, you must close your feet on 3 rather than brushing. Facing DW is most typical starting direction, but LOD or even DC or W can be used. Can be entered using 1-3 Natural turn, with a LF back, heel pull and and together (or brush) - this is an Open Impetus 16) Twinkle with Progressive Chasse - timing is SQQ SQ&Q SQQ 17) Progressive Twinkles Fwd - aka Fwd Twinkles, aka Serpentine. Picked up the silly name Serpentine because the couple "snakes" down the line of dance. For bronze pattern, feet must close on 3, 6, etc. Competition rules typically restrict this pattern to 6 measures. One interesting variant uses two-hand hold rather than closed position. While not entirely different, try not to confuse the styling with Samba Bota Fogos. 18) Progressive Twinkles Back - aka Back Twinkles. Here roles are reversed from above, with man going backward and woman forward. Variation and styling comments as above. 19) Promenade Walkaround - aka (un)Twist to Left from PP, aka Corkscrew. Taken after initiating a Simple Twinkle. On 4, man crosses RF in front of LF and guides woman to walk CCW about the man in PP for 2 complete measures. One full rotation should be achieved, with man's weight slowly brough back to LF with the untwisting. Finish as per a Simple Twinkle. May also be done in SSQQ rythm from Promenade. Outside foot fwd in PP (S), then proceed with 4-9 of Walkaround, end with 2-4 of Promenade 20) Cross Body Lead - there are two forms of the Cross Body Lead in Foxtrot, one in SQQ rhythm, and the other in SSQQ rhythm. The former is akin to CBL in American Rumba. 21) Open Finishes A, B, C - ?? These are moves that were listed on the NDCA syllabus a while ago, as well as a few others, but they seemed to have disappeared. Anyone know anything concrete? 22) Box Underarm Turn - Borrowed from American Rumba, man dances two Left Turn-A, while woman takes six fwd steps (LRL RLR) starting on the second measure. I have seen this move performed in competition, but personally I think this move should be reserved for waltz. 23) Butterfly - aka Flow(ing). This move is more Waltz-y than Foxtrot-y at Bronze (silver is another matter), but it doesn't strike me as out-of-place as the Box Underarm Turn. The term butterfly comes from the fact that the couple will be separating and coming back together like butterfly wings. It is NOT the "foxtrot"-version of the Butterfly amalgamation used in Rhythm/Latin, though both have the same inspiration for the name. The man begins facing either DC or C and initiates a Left Box Turn. The second measure is taken to side, with second step through with separation. Bronze couples must close feet on third step. The next three steps are through-side-close. This may be repeated; most competitions will limit this to six measures in Bronze. NO travelling spins - that's a silver development. One variant of this move allows for the man to lead the woman into a loop turn during the first measure ala american rumba during the transition from box to slot dancing. Routines SQQ Rhythm 1) (6m) Progressive Basic - repeated ad infinum - newcomers/ social only 2) (2m) Twinkle - repeated ad infinum 2b) (4m) Twinkle and Walkaround 2c) (3m) Twinkle and Chasse 2d) (2m) Twinkle and Promenade UAT - can be used as a transition piece, lose first S of Promenade UAT in this combination 3) (11m) Twinkle, Twinkle Walkaround, Twinkle and Chasse, Twinkle and Prom UAT 4) (8m) Left Box B, Left Box A, 1-3 Left Box A, 4-6 Left Box B, 1-3 Left Box B, RF change (fwd or back) 4b) (8m) Right Box B, Right Box A, 1-3 Right Box A, 4-6 Right Box B, 1-3 Right Box B, LF Change (fwd or back) 5) (6m) Reverse Turn, LF Change, Natural Turn, RF Change 6) (8m) Reverse Turn, Twinkle, LF Change, Natural Turn, RF Change 6b-d) replace Twinkle with Twinkle and Walkaround, Twinkle and Chasse or Twinkle and Promenade UAT 7) (12m) Reverse Turn, Progressive Twinkles Fwd, LF Change, Natural Turn, RF Change 8) (8m) 1-3 Reverse Turn to Progressive Twinkles Back, Left Box B 9) (9m) Twinkle, Twinkle and Chasse, Twinkle and Walkaround 10) (16m) Reverse Turn, Progressive Twinkles Fwd (ended DC/LOD), 1-3 Reverse Turn to Progressive Twinkles Back, Left Box B or Cross Body Lead 11) (10m) 1-3 Left Box B, RF Change (back or fwd), LF Change (fwd) to Butterfly, ended R Side Hesitation, Left Box 12) (8m) 11 ended with Cross Body Lead 13) (10m) 11 ended with Twinkle, Reverse Turn 14) (12m) 11 ended with Open Box UAT, Left Box 11-14 may be initiated by 1-3 Natural Turn with a back-step Twinkle (or Twinkle-initiated sequence) taken C/DC. This is in lieu of the first two measures 15) (6m) Reverse Turn, LF Change, 1-3 Natural Turn with back-step Twinkle (or Twinkle-initiated sequence) Chasse may be doubled, staying in PP throughout. Syllabus Mastery Routine Side Hesitations, Natural Turn to Back Twinkle w/ Walkaround, Reverse Turn, LF Change, Natural Turn, RF Change, Progressive Twinkle Fwd, 1-3 Reverse Turn, Progressive Twinkles Back, Right Box B (4-6,1-3) Progressive Basic x3, Left Box B, Box UAT Twinkle and Chasse, LF Change, Natural Turn, RF Change, Butterfly, Cross Body Lead, Simple Twinkle Left Rock Turn, Zig Zag, Grapevine, Zag, Zig and Right Rock Turn Zag, Promenade, Promenade UAT, Promenade, Swing Step, Promenade Walkaround, Promenade, Promenade Pivot, Promenade SSQQ Rhythm 1) (1.5m) Fwd Magic Step (basic) - repeated ad infinum 2) (3m) Zig Zag (Quarter Turns either inside or outside partner)- repeated 3) (7.5m) Zig Zag, Promenade, Zig Zag 3b) (6m) Zig, Promenade, Zig Zag 4) (6m) Zig to Grapevine, Zig Zag 4b) (6m) Zig Zag to Grapevine, Zag 4c) (9m) Zig Zag to Grapevine, Promenade, Zig Zag note any of the below may be substituted for the Promenade above. Many more random combinations are possible, and need not start with the Promenade, although they probably should end that way. 5) (1.5m) Promenade - repeated 5b) (4.5m) Promenade, Promenade Turn, Promenade 5c) (6.5m) Promenade, Untwist from PP, Promenade 5d) (4.5m) Promenade, Swing Step, Promenade 5e) (4.5m) Promenade, Promenade Pivot, Promenade - along LOD or at corner 6) (9.5m) Promenade, Promenade Pivot, Untwist from PP, Prom Turn, Promenade 7) (9.5m) Promenade, Untwist from PP, Pivot, Prom Turn, Prom 8) (6m) Promenade, Pivot, Prom turn, Prom 9) (6m) Promenade, Prom Turn, Swing Step, Prom 10) (7.5m) Promenade, Prom Turn, Pivot, Prom Turn, Prom Corners 1) (4.5m) Quickstep-ish Natural Turn (Zig plus Right Rock Step), Zig or Zag 2) (3m) Left Rock Turn, Prom or Zig or Zag 3) (4.5m) Promenade, Pivot, Promenade Rhythm Transitions 1) (3.5m) Left Rock Turn, Reverse Turn 2) (3m) Promenade, Promenade Chasse started outside foot fwd and side (S) 3) (5m) Zig Zag, Twinkle 4) (3.5m) Promenade, Twinkle 5) (3.5m) Reverse Turn, Left Rock 6) (2.5m) Promenade Chasse, Promenade 7) (5m) Reverse Turn, Zig Zag additionally, the Untwist from PP/Corkscrew can be used as a transition in either direction. Silver 1) Open Left Turn - aka Silver Left Box. This is improved Left Box C, as continuity steps are now being employed. Body alignment changes to left side leading. 2) Running Steps A, B 3) Open Triple Twinkle 4) Open Right Turn - aka Silver Right Box. This is the improved Right box C, as continuity steps are now being employed. Body alignment changes slightly during the performance of this move. 5) Pivots to Spin 6) Grapevine 7) Fallaway Turn 8) Weave 9) Promenade Cross and Chasse 10) Curved Run to Back Lock-NDCA 11) Open Simple Twinkle- aka Advanced Twinkle. Continuity steps are used, so dancers do not close feet on 3 and 6. As a result, lady must be led to switch from PP to Closed Position with Man outside partner. 12) Open Twinkle Fwd, Back- Progressive Twinkles with Continuity steps. As a bonus, Fwd Open Twinkles can be ended with the lady performing a develope. 13) Open Twinkle to Chasse- Use the brush step when starting the Twinkle, and then close with man outside partner at the end. Chasse stays the same 14) Promenade and Counter Promenade Runs- aka Passing Twinkles. In all likelihood, this is the money move for silver smooth. There are two variations on this move. The first has only the follower switching from side to side, while in the second both the leader and the follower alternate switching. In the case of the latter, the person moving fwd with the Right Foot will perform the action. 15) Curved Three Step 16) Fallaway Reverse Top, Slip Pivot, Syncopated Curved Three Step 17) Open Left Cross Turn to Cross Swivels 18) Progressive Basic -ISTD 19) Open Left Rock -ISTD 20) Open Swing Step -ISTD 21) Twinkles to Pivots -ISTD 22) Fallaway and Rock-ISTD 23) Twinkle and Twist -ISTD possibly the silver variant of the Walkaround 30) Butterfly - the silver version of this move allows the couple to incorporate two elements that weren't available in Bronze: 1) passing footwork on the even-numbered measures, and/or 2) travelling spins. Travelling spins on the even-numbered measures are most common and spin fwd (man cw, woman ccw). Possible variation has spins on the odd-numbered measures with opposite spin. Continuity of Basic and Rock Turns Many of the Bronze routines can be used in Silver level dancing, performed either with bronze technique (ie closed steps), silver technique, or a combination technique (like using the brush action of a silver twinkle but closing it to face DW as with Bronze). Routines 1) (4m) Open Left Turn, Advanced Twinkle - repeat 2) (6m) Open Left Turn, Running Steps, Open Right Turn, Running Steps 3) (8m) Open Left Turn, Open Progressive Twinkles, Hesitation with Develope, Close 4) (10m) Open Left Turn, Promenade and Counter Promenade Runs, Twinkle Close "Gold" # Continuous Grapvine # Advanced Triple Twinkle # Shadow Twinkles # Reverse Grapevine # Continuity Corkscrew # Reverse Wisk and Twist # Pivot Check & Quick Open Lt. Box Turn # Corkscrew Check # Ronde Fallaway # Cross Tap & Arch Turns