The Quickstep combines elements of the Charleston and the Foxtrot and first became popular in the early 20th century. Though its basic pattern can be mastered with practice, its variations can be downright dangerous if attempted too soon! Get off on the right foot with How To Dance the Quickstep.
Introduction
- Dancing with the Stars' overnight successes notwithstanding, ballroom dancing is more difficult than it looks and takes years of practice to perfect. The Quickstep, a hybrid of the Charleston and the Foxtrot, among other dances, is one of the hardest to conquer. Though it is typically danced to a 4/4 tempo, its basic pattern consists of only three steps: Slow-Quick-Quick. Mastering the rhythmic aspect alone is enough to put off the novice!
Starting with the basics and practicing them until you're completely comfortable will give you a foundation. When you're ready to dive into turns and more complex variations on the steps, you will have a good jumping off point.
Step 1: Basic Quickstep for the Leader
- (As in a line dance, the pattern always starts with your right foot.)
- With your right foot, take a sizable step forward. (SLOW)
- With your left foot, take a step to the left, sliding your right foot in to meet your left. (QUICK)
- With your left foot, take another step to the left. (QUICK)
- With your right foot, take a sizable step backward. (SLOW)
- With your left foot, take a step to the left, sliding your right foot in to meet your left. (QUICK)
- With your left foot, take another step to the left. (QUICK)
Step 2: Basic Quickstep for the Follower
- (As in a line dance, the pattern always starts with your left foot.)
- With your left foot, take a sizable step backward. (SLOW)
- With your right foot, take a step to the right, sliding your left foot in to meet your right. (QUICK)
- With your right foot, take another step to the right. (QUICK)
- With your left foot, take a sizable step forward. (SLOW)
- With your right foot, take a step to the right, sliding your left foot in to meet your right. (QUICK)
- With your right foot, take another step to the right. (QUICK)
Step 3: Variations
- More advanced variations on the quickstep include the "outside forward" step (in which you step outside, or to the left of, your partner); the lockstep, (in which it is remarkably easy to trip yourself and your partner); and incorporating turns into the basic and advanced variations. Best advice on attempting the variiations? Proceed with care.
Conclusion
So, there you have it, quickstep in a nutshell. Once again, mastering the basic quickstep pattern is key: If the simple movements detailed above are not second nature, attempting the variations will not be pretty. But the uptempo nature of the quickstep, along with its light, bouncy quality, are sure to make the hours of practice worthwhile. So, one more time... Slow-Quick-Quick, Slow-Quick-Quick, Slow-Quick-Quick....
