The Castle Fox Trot (Castle, Ladies Home Journal, 1914, p. 24):
Home About Dances Manuals Search
In the Ragtime era, the name Fox Trot was used to refer to a variety of different dances. While each dance has its own unique characteristics, the common thread between them all is that they involve combinations of slow and quick steps.
This is the Fox Trot as described by Vernon Castle in the December 1914 issue of Ladies Home Journal.
According to Castle, "So far as the music for this dance is concerned, if you will play an ordinary "rag" half as fast as you would play it for the one-step you will have a pretty good idea of the music and tempo. And now for the dance itself. Before teaching you the steps I should like you to listen to the music. You will find absolutely no difficulty in dancing to it, but the natural inclination is either to dance very fast steps double time to the music or very slow steps with it. The latter is what most people do, and what is more they seem to enjoy it. But it seems to me that, as to keep up the dance one way is too fast and the other too slow, the only real solution is to combine the two. By doing this you not only make the dance comfortable, but you also make it possible to do a great variety of easy and amusing steps."
The combination of slow and quick steps that Castle proposes is two slows, followed by four quicks: slow, slow, quick, quick, quick, quick (1, 2, 3, and, 4, and). Castle describes a variety of steps in this timing.
Basic: The Lead walks forward six steps, as the Follow backs up six steps, in SSQQQQ timing. In taking the slow steps, "the stride should be as long as possible, as it adds a great deal of grace."
Spin: Two slow steps as before, then spin for three fast steps, stopping on the fourth. By stopping suddenly, the Follow will fall into half of a grapevine step at the end.
Back Kick: Two slow steps, then a quick hop, kick back, and two quick steps.
Drag Step: Small hop on second foot (&), slide first foot to the side (1), and draw second up to it without weight (and). Repeat opposite (& 2 and). Then four quick steps as usual.
Promenade and Reverse: Promenade two steps in tango position (both forward towards the hands), then four quick promenade steps. The second time, promenade one slow step toward the hands, then turn towards the elbows to take one slow step over the elbows, and continue with four quick steps over the elbows.
The Castle Fox Trot (Castle, Ladies Home Journal, 1914, p. 24):
Victor Records for dancing the fox trot:
© 2016 Nick Enge
For more dance descriptions, see our three books on dancing:
The Book of Mixers: 100 Easy-Teach Dances for Getting Acquainted (2022) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge,
Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide (2019) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge, and
Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living (2013) by Richard Powers and Nick Enge.
For full-length teaching videos, visit: University of Dance.
For help crafting a life you love, visit: Project Quartz.
Home About Dances Manuals Search