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Round Dance Tips by
Tim Eum—
Introduction To
Quickstep
History:
The Quickstep evolved in the 1920s from a combination of the foxtrot,
charleston, shag, peabody, and one-step. While it evolved from the
foxtrot, the quickstep now is quite separate. The quickstep was
formally standardized by English ballroom organizations in 1927 at the
Star Championships. The dance gradually evolved into a very dynamic one
with a lot of movement on the dance floor, with many advanced patterns
including hops, runs, and quick steps with a lot of momentum and
rotation.
General Characteristics:
Unlike the modern foxtrot, the man often closes his feet in the
quickstep and syncopated steps are regular occurrences (as was the case
in early foxtrot).
Three characteristic dance figures of the quickstep are the chasses,
where the feet are brought together, the quarter turns, and the lock
step. The tempo of quickstep is rather brisk, as it was developed to
ragtime era jazz music, which is fast-paced when compared to other
dance music. The quickstep is elegant like the foxtrot and should be
smooth and glamorous with good upper body posture. The dancers should
appear to be very light on their feet. It is very energetic and is
danced to 4/4 music at 48 to 52 measures per minute.
Terms:
- Close: Bring free foot together to weighted foot and change
weight.
- Touch: Bring free foot together to weighted foot but keep
that foot free (i.e., don’t change weight).
- Lock: Bring free foot snuggly up behind the weighted foot
and change weight.
- Cut: Bring free foot snuggly up in front of the weighted
foot and change weight.
- Closed Position (CP): Stand close facing partner slightly
offset so that right toes are pointed ahead between partner’s feet.
Join man’s left hand and lady’s right hand and hold “eye-high” extended
to the side but with arms still curved. Man’s right hand rests on
lady’s left shoulder blade with right elbow the same height and
distance from body as his left elbow. Lady’s left hand rests on man’s
upper right arm. Lady turns her head to look to her left and man holds
head erect looking over lady’s right shoulder.
- Semi-Closed Position (SCP): Similar to CP but lady turns to
her right (head, hips, knees, and toes) while maintaining the same CP
hand holds and upper body “frame”. The man turns toes and head slightly
to his left but leads the lady by turning his hips and upper body
slightly to his right.
- Banjo Position (BJO): Similar to CP but man turns hips and
knees slightly to his left while the lady turns her hips and knees
slightly to her left. The lady is still in front of the man’s right hip
(not side by side), and both toes of both man and lady are pointed
outside of partner. Keep upper body frame the same (hands, arms, head)
as CP.
- Sidecar Position (SCAR): Similar to CP but man turns head
and knees slightly to his right while the lady turns her head and knees
slightly to her right. The lady is still in front of the man’s left hip
(not side by side), and both toes of both man and lady are pointed
outside of partner. Keep upper body frame the same (hands, arms, and
especially the head) as CP.
- Acknowledge: Most dancers simply step apart and point --
look at partner and smile – but the goal is to pass to your partner the
idea that you just enjoyed a great time dancing and so you could Dip
Back with a Leg Crawl or Roll Her In to Wrapped and give a hug – or
whatever else acknowledges your great partner.
Tim
Eum has
prepared many Round Dance Tips for Calls 'n' Cues,
WASCA, for his weekly Rocket Rounds email reports, and for
other
publications. DRDC is
grateful for permission to collect and reprint. A Tim Eum archive.
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