PATTERNS AND ROUTINES FOR INTERNATIONAL FOXTROT -copyright Jonathan Tyrone Rowell, 2003 Notes: Int. Foxtrot is considered one of the harder, if not the hardest, of the 19 dances to do well. This is primarily because of the body shaping needed to switch between stepping outside partner and in-line. Bronze Syllabus 1. Feather Step - one of the two glue figures for foxtrot. The feather is noted for the outside partner step on QQ. Variations on the basic Feather action appear throughout the syllabus. 2. Three Step - the other glue figure for foxtrot. "Technically" the timing of the move is QQS, but in practice you hear called out SQQ. The reason is that the initial Slow (S) is borrowed off of the preceding figure (such as the Feather which is really SQQS) while the book's terminal S on the Three Step is absorbed into the first RF Slow step of the next figure. 3. Natural Turn - identical to the Quickstep natural turn 4. Reverse Turn and Feather Finish - there are no good analogues in the other dances to the Foxtrot Reverse Turn. Guy goes fwd-side-back turning DC to back LOD. The follower does a heel pull and brush fwd. Traditionally followed by the Feather Finish - a variant of the Feather Step with the initial RF step taken back, curving to L. 5. Closed Impetus & Feather Finish - The Closed Impetus is identical to Waltz or Quickstep Closed Impetus and follows 1-3 Natural Turn. Like the Reverse Turn, it is usually followed with the Feather Finish. this is the most technically difficult figure in the bronze syllabus. 6. Natural Weave - "Natural" because the figure goes 3/8R on the first step, but the actual weave action (6 quicks turning L) is similar to the Basic Weave. slight difference on first two Q's. 7. Change of Direction - cheap pausing action 8. Basic Weave - usually follows 1-4 of Reverse Turn checked. Routines Long: Feather Step, Reverse Turn and Feather Finish, Three Step, 1-3 Natural Turn, Closed Impetus and Feather Finish, 1-4 Reverse Turn Checked to Basic Weave (also covers some of short side) Short: Three Step, Natural Turn Long: Natural Weave, Three Step, Feather Step, Change of Directions 1. (2m) Feather Step / Three Step 2. (5.5m) Feather Step, Reverse Turn and FF, Three Step, Natural Turn* 3. (6m) Three Step, 1-3 Natural Turn, Closed Impetus and FF, Reverse Turn and FF 4. (3.5m) Feather Step / Change of Direction / Feather Step 5. (7m) Three Step, Feather Step, Reverse Turn and FF, Three Step, Feather Step, Change of Directions 6. (10.5m) Feather Step*, Reverse Turn* and Feather Finish*, Three Step*, 1-3 Natural Turn*, Closed Impetus* and Feather Finish, Three Step, Feather Step, Change of Direction* 7. (8m) Feather Step, 1-4 Reverse Turn check and Basic Weave*, Three Step, 1-3 Natural Turn, Closed Impetus and FF 8. (6m) Feather Step / Reverse Turn with Feather Finish / Three Step / Natural Weave 9. (4.5m) Feather Step / Change of Direction / Natural Weave 10. (8m) Natural Weave, Three Step, Natural Turn, Feather Step, Change of Directions 11. (14.5m) Natural Weave, 1-4 Reverse Turn, Check and Basic Weave, Three Step, 1-3 Natural Turn, Closed Impetus and FF, Reverse Turn and FF, Three Step, Natural Turn 12.(8m) Feather Step, RevT with FF, Three Step, Natural Weave, 1-4 Rev T with FF 13. (13.5m) Three Step, Natural Turn, Feather Step, Reverse Turn and FF, Change of Direction, Feather Step, Reverse Turn and FF, Change of Direction (to LOD), Feather Step 14. (17m) above + Natural Weave*, Change of Direction 15. (8m) Reverse Turn and Feather Finish, 1-4 Reverse Turn Checked to Basic Weave, 1-3 Natural Turn, Closed Impetus and Feather Finish Silver/Licentiate 1. Closed Telemark - just like the Waltz move, timing is SQQ(S) 2. Open Telemark & Feather Ending - the Open Telemark is like Waltz, and opens to PP. The Feather Ending (the third feather) feels like the second part of the Silver Twinkle in American Foxtrot 3. Top Spin - despite the name, there isn't a lot of spinning involved with figure (only 1/2L over 4Q's). I think of this as more a jack-knife or the back part of a three point turn (for you drivers out there). After the feather finish heading to DW, reverse direction with two steps back to face DC (woman gets an extra beat to finish), and then LF side, RF fwd OP on the new DC. 4. Hover Feather - our fourth type of feather, the Hover Feather can be inserted after any Heel Pull by the man. (The Heel Pull isn't a separate figure, but a step-element in figures like the Natural Turn). The Heel Pull serves in the place of the RF fwd normally associated with the Feather. 5. Hover Telemark - similar to the Closed Telemark, with two main differences: guy starts facing DW, and only 1/4L is obtained in the rotation (thus into DC) Hover Telemark may also be ended in PP. 6. Natural Telemark - the exact opposite of the Closed Telemark. Initiated from the RF, facing DW and turning 3/4R to face DC. Also two extra Q's (really the Hover Feather) inserted as steps 4-5. 7. Hover Cross - can be thought of as combo of first part of natural telemark, LF fwd check OP, and the last part of weave. Slight difference for woman's turns. 8. Open Telemark, Natural Turn, Outside Swivel & Feather End - amalgamation. Underturn Open Telemark and overturn 1-3 Natural turn while in PP (squared only on 6). now do a tango-esque fan swivel and exit with a feather step. The Open Telemark and Natural Turn part can be followed by Weave from PP. The Outside Swivel could also be danced by checking OP on any Feather movement. 9. Open Impetus - Identical to the waltz figure, aka Twinkle from Natural Turn 10. Weave from Promenade Position - Like the Basic Weave, except instead of a check, you step through PP. 11. Reverse Wave - underturned Reverse Turn, starting from facing LOD, followed by three steps back, curving L to back LOD. Finish with the heel pull exit of the Natural Turn Routines Master of Silver Syllabus Routine Short: Three Step, Hover Cross, Reverse Turn and Feather Finish, Top Spin (at corner) Long: Closed Telemark, 1-4 Natural Turn, Open Impetus, Weave from PP, 1-8 Reverse Wave, Hover Feather, Open Telemark and Feather Ending, Hover Telemark (corner) Short: Feather Step, Three Step, Natural Telemark, Open Telemark and Natural Turn to Outside Swivels with Feather Ending 1. Feather Step, Closed Telemark, Natural Turn 2. Feather Step, Open Telemark and Feather Ending, Three Step, Natural Turn 3. Feather Step, 1-3 Open Telemark, Weave from PP 4. (at corner) Reverse Turn and Feather Finish, Top Spin, 1-3 Open Telemark, Natural Weave from PP 5. Three Step, 1-3 Natural Turn, underturned Closed Impetus and Feather Finish, Top Spin, Hover Telemark, Feather Step 6. 1-5 Natural Turn, Hover Feather, Reverse Turn and Feather Finish, Three Step 7. Three Step, Feather Step, 1-2 Hover Telemark (SS), Hover Feather, Reverse Turn 8. Three Step Feather Step, Hover Telemark, Hover Telemark to PP, Weave from PP, Hover Telemark 9. Closed Telemark, Natural Telemark, Reverse Turn 10. Three Step, Hover Cross, Reverse Turn 11. Closed Telemark, Hover Cross 12. Open Telemark and Natural Turn to Outside Swivel and Feather Ending, Closed Telemark, 1-3 Natural Turn, Open Impetus, Feather Ending 13. Feather Step, Reverse Wave, Feather Step, 1-4 Reverse Wave, Basic Weave, 1-6 Reverse Wave, Open Impetus 14. Reverse Turn with Feather Finish / 1-6 Reverse Wave / Open Impetus 15. Feather Step / Reverse Turn with Feather Finish / 1-6 Reverse Wave / Open Impetus / Feather Ending / Three Step 16. Feather Step / Open Telemark and Feather Ending / Three Step / Natural Weave 17. Three Step / Natural Telemark / Open Telemark 18. Feather Step / Open Telemark with Feather Ending / Three Step / 1-3 Natural Turn / Open Impetus / Weave from PP / Top Spin Gold/Fellow 1. Natural Twist Turn (with Hover Feather) - There are three variants (see below) in addition to the basic figure here. While similar in some respects, this is not the Tango figure of the same name done to Foxtrot music. First timing is vastly different (SQ&QSQQS). Second, it is done out of CP not PP, and the man never actually crosses her line. Rather she heel turns, then he heelturns (untwists). The basic figure ends with the Hover Feather. 1b. Natural Twist Turn with Natural Weave Ending - steps 1-5 of the Natural Twist Turn, LF side, almost backing DC (Q) and end 3-8 of Natural Weave 1c. Natural Twist Turn with Closed Impetus Ending - steps 1-5 of Twist (SQ&QQ), LF side backing DC aLOD (different twist amount) (Q), Feather Finish 1d. Natural Twist Turn with Open Impetus Ending - 1-5 Nat Twist (SQ&QQ), LF diag fwd in PP, facing LOD, pting DC, through PP (S) 2. Curved Feather to Back Feather - The curved feather is a normal feather step gradually turned 3/8R over the three steps. The Back feather is the a reverse role feather step, with woman stepping OP of man, curving a slight 1/8R. Typically initiated while facing LOD, and ended with a Feather Finish. 3. Natural Zig-Zag from Promenade Position - When I first tried this move without a partner, it felt like a short and sloppy Grapevine. From PP, move RF fwd and across (S). now all Q. LF side down LOD, RF back to C and 1/8L, LF side, RF fwd OP, LF fwd DW. The woman, on the other hand is taking three steps fwd DC (1st actually LOD), the last OP on L side. 1/8L the RF side, another 1/8L and end with two back steps to DW. 4. Fallaway Reverse & Slip Pivot - This move is identical to the International Waltz figure of the same name. Foxtrot figure has no less than five different rhythms acceptable (SQQS, SQQ&, SQ&Q, S&QQ, QQQQ) 5. Natural Hover Telemark - This is not a "natural" opposite of the Hover Telemark, rather, it is the Natural Telemark with a heel turn for the man, and an extra Slow inserted for a long brushing action (the hover part) 6. Bounce Fallaway with Weave Ending - facing DC, go forward, turn to PP, and take a fallaway whisk down LOD. Two more steps back to back LOD, and then end with 4-6/7 of the Basic Weave. For Paso Dancers, this is like Ecart after the appel extended down the line of dance to square the woman. The "Bounce" part comes from a lowering via flexed knees in steps 2 and 4. 2-7 is all toes. Rhythm is S&QQ QQQQS Routines Master of Gold Syllabus Routine Long: Feather Step, Bounce Fallaway with Weave Ending, Three Step, Natural Twist with Open Impetus, Natural Zig Zag from PP (to DC, at corner) Short: Three Step, Natural Hover Telemark, Fallaway Reverse and Slip Pivot, Hover Telemark to PP, curved Feather to Back Feather, Feather Finish (corner) Long: Three Step, Natural Twist Turn with Hover Feather, Closed Telemark, Natural Twist Turn w/ Natural Weave Ending, Three Step, Natural Twist Turn with Closed Impetus and Feather Finish 1. Feather Step, Reverse Turn and Feather Finish, Three Step, Natural Twist Turn, Reverse Turn and Feather Finish, Natural Twist Turn with Natural Weave Ending 2. Feather Step, Reverse Turn and Feather Finish, Three Step, Natural Twist Turn with Closed Impetus and Feather Finish ending 3. Feather Step, Reverse Turn and Feather Finish, Three Step, Natural Twist with Open Impetus, Natural Zig Zag from PP, Change of Direction 4. Feather Step / Bounce Fallaway with Weave Ending / Three Step / Natural Twist Turn with Open Impetus Ending 5. 1-6 Reverse Wave / Open Impetus / Curved Feather to Back Feather checked / Natural Weave 6. at corner, Reverse Wave, Curved Feather to Back Feather, Feather Finish, Three Step, Natural Hover Telemark 7. Feather Step / Open Telemark, Natural Turn to Outside Swivel and Feather Ending / Reverse Turn with Feather Finish 8. Natural Turn to Outside Swivel and Feather Ending / Fallaway Reverse and Slip Pivot (QQQQ) / 1-4 Reverse Turn checked / Basic Weave 9. Reverse Turn and Feather Finish, Curved Feather, Open Impetus 10. Closed Telemark, Natural Hover Telemark, Fallaway Reverse and Slip Pivot, Hover Telemark to PP, Natural Zig Zag from PP 11. Feather Step, Reverse Turn and Feather Finish checked, Outside Swivel and Feather Ending, Fallaway Reverse and Slip Pivot, Change of Direction 12. Feather step (to DW), 1-4 Reverse Turn checked to Basic Weave, Three Step, Natural Hover Telemark, Closed Telemark 13. Reverse Turn and FF, Three Step, Hover Cross, Bounce Fallaway with Weave Ending 14. at corner, Feather Step (DW), Top Spin, Bounce Fallaway with Weave Ending, Three Step General * Feather Step / 1-3 Reverse Turn / Reverse Impetus / Back Whisk / Feather Ending * Feather Finish / Change of Direction / Contra Check / Feather Ending * Feather Ending / Change of Direction / Travelling Contra Check * Open Telemark / Hover Corte / Back Whisk / Natural Turn to Outside Swivel / Weave from PP