
Quickstep
History:
The
Quickstep evolved in the 1920s from a combination of the Foxtrot,
Charleston, Shag, Peabody, and One Step. This dance is English in
origin and was standardized in 1927. The Quickstep now is quite
separate from the Foxtrot. Unlike the modern Foxtrot, the man often
closes his feet, and syncopated steps are regular occurrences as was
the case in early Foxtrot. In some ways, the dance patterns are close
to the Waltz, but are danced to 4/4 time rather than 3/4 time.
This dance
gradually evolved into a very dynamic one with a lot of movement on
the dance floor, with many advanced patterns including hops, runs,
quick steps with a lot of momentum, and rotation. The tempo of
Quickstep dance is rather brisk as it was developed to ragtime era
jazz music which is very fast paced compared to other dance music.
By the end
of the 20th century the speed of Quickstep, as done by advanced
dancers, has increased even more, due to the extensive use of steps
with eighth note durations. While in older times quickstep patterns
were counted with "quick" (one beat) and "slow" (two beats) steps,
many advanced patterns today are cued with split beats, such as
"quick-and-quick-and-quick-quick-slow".
Note that
there was a 19th century Quickstep, which was a march-
Musicality:
Quickstep music
has a 4/4 time signature and at 200 BPMs it is the fastest of the ballroom
dances.
Characteristics:
Quickstep is
danced in closed hold position and is characterized by runs, hops, skips,
flicks, points, crossing of the feet, and kicks. It is an extremely fun,
lively, and dynamic dance.
Poise:
MAN - Stand in a
natural upright position with knees slightly flexed, body inclined forward
from the feet braced at the waist with shoulders relaxed at normal level,
and with no tension in the chest, body weight forward over the balls of feet
with the feet flat
LADY - The poise
as a lady will be the same as described for man, except that she would be
poised backwards from the waist. This backward poise must not be
exaggerated. Some dancers and teachers like to talk about the backward poise
being created from the upper back rather than the lower back but it is
definitely a point of contention.
Hold:
MAN - Stand
facing the lady as described above, with the lady very slightly to the
man's right side. Hold the lady with the right hand, placing the hand
just below her left shoulder blade with the fingers neatly grouped.
The upper part of the r5ght arm should slope downwards from the
shoulder to the elbow, then downwards from the elbow to the hand in a
straight line.
The left
hand will hold the lady's right hand between the thumb and first
finger, the other fingers closed over the right side of her hand. The
left wrist must not bend, there should be a straight unbroken line
between the elbow and the hand. The palm of the hand facing diagonally
to the floor., the upper part of the left arm should slope downwards
slightly, the arm bent sharply at the elbow with the forearm slanting
upwards from the elbow to the hand. The hand being held just above the
height of the left ear, the forearm inclined very slightly
outwards from the body.
LADY - The
left warm will be placed lightly on the man's right arm, the fingers
of the left hand grouped neatly in the center of the arm just below
the right shoulder (depending on the height of the partner).
The right
arm will slope very slightly downwards from the shoulder to the elbow,
then upwards from the elbow slanting forward towards man's left hand/
The fingers will fold lightly over the man's left hand between his
thumb and first finger.,
Heel Turn:
In the
Reverse Turn in Foxtrot; having stepped back on the RF, starting to
turn to the left, the turn will commence on the ball of the RF, the
heel will then lower and all the remaining turn will continue on the
heel with the foot flat. A body rise will be felt.
The LF will
be drawn back with the heel in contact with the floor. The heel of the
LF will close to the heel of the RF with the fee flat and parallel. A
weight change will be made to the LF at the end of the turn. The RF
will then be taken forward onto the tow, then lower to the heel.
Timing is SQQ.
The Heel
Turn of Natural Turns would be the same except that it will start with
the LF back and the turn will be made to the right.
Balance:
Balance is
the distribution of weight of the body over the feet. When taking a
forward or backward walk there are three points of balance: forward,
backward, and when the weight is equally distributed (middle of foot).
When moving forward the center of gravity will start to travel from
the heel, to the middle of the foot, then to the ball, and finally
through the toes. When moving backwards the weight will start from the
toes, to the ball, then to the middle of the foot, and finally through
the heel. This is true if you are coming into a step and then going
out if it. In other words, at standstill your weight should be over
the middle of the foot.
Sway:
This is the
inclination of the body to the right or left from the ankles upwards.
It is used to assist balance or turn, but mainly for effect.
The
Principle of sway is to lean towards the inside of a circle. There
will be no sway when using CBM, but the sway will be to the right
after a RF CBM, and to the left after a LF CBM and is normally held
for 2 steps following the CBM step (except step 3 of a Curved
Feather).
Although it
is normal to sway for two steps at a time, some figures have sway on
one step only, such as, Telemarkds, Impetus and Open Imputeus Turn,
Change of Direction, etc. In these cases the sway should not be
overemphasized.
There are
several figures where way is not used, such as Spins, Natural or
Reverse Turn Pivots, Progressive Chasse to the Left or Right, Forward
and Backward Lock Steps, Chasse from Promenade Position etc.
Sway can be
used without actually making turn between the feet. For example a
Whisk as a man, or when using a slight curve to the right or left in
the body, as in a Feather Step and a Three Step.
The sway
used in a Change of Direction or a Hover preceding a Hover Feather in
Foxtrot and last part of a Natural Hesitation Change in Waltz, is not
normal sway but is felt from the waist upwards and is sometimes
referred to as broken sway.
Sway is most
obvious in the Waltz due to the more pronounced rise and fall and the
lilt of the dance.
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Rise and Fall:
Rise is the
increased elevation created by the bracing of the muscles of the legs,
the straightening of the knees and the stretching upwards of the body,
usually accompanied by the raising of the heel or heels from the
floor.
Fall is the
lowering of the supporting foot from the toe to heel and subsequent
flexing of the knees , as the next step is taken.
No foot Rise
- happens when the rise is felt through the legs and body as described
above, but when stepping back no rise occurs in the supporting foot
(as with the lady's part of a Feather and Three Step).
When a side
step follows no foot rise, the supporting foot will be flat and when
full weight is taken onto step 2, the heel of step 1 will be released
from the floor (ex. 1-3 of a Natural Turn in Waltz or Quickstep as a
lady).
When a step
back is followed by another step back with no foot rise, the toe of
the supporting foot is released from the floor so that when step 2 is
taken pressure is felt in the heel of the front foot. A body rise will
be felt when the weight is distributed between the hell of the front
foot and the ball of the back foot, (ex. Feather Step or Hover Feather
as a lady in the Foxtrot).
When no foot
rise follows a step, the heel of the side step will lower (not the
body) as the next step is taken to end up no foot rise (ex. Feather
Finish as lady).
The body should be
braced at all times, whether or not employing rise and fall.
In the Foxtrot,
the normal rise and fall will be: Rise at the end of count 1, up on count 2
and 3, lower at the end of count 3 to denote a quicker type of rise.
Contra Body Movement (CBM)
and Contra Body Movement Position (CBMP):
Contra Body
Movement is a body action used to initiate turn. It is the moving of
the opposite side of the body towards the stepping foot, either
forward or backward. The action will be strongest on Natural and
Reverse Turn Pivots. When stepping forward using CBM the toe will turn
slightly out. When stepping back the toe will turn in.
Contra Body
Movement Position is the placing of the stepping foot, forward or back, onto
or across the line of the other foot, giving the appearance of CBM having
been used, but without turning the body.
CBMP is used on
all Outside Partner steps, except step 3 of a Fishtail, to ensure a good
line and contact. CBM is also used on some Outside Partner steps.
CBMP can be used
when in line with the partner (ex. step 3 of a Change of Direction and all
normal LF forward steps in Tango.
"Forward and
across" in CBMP means that the moving foot travels more across the line of
the other foot. This applies to steps in Promenade Position only.
Promenade Position:
When the
man's right and the lady's left sides are in contact with the opposite
sides of the body turned out to form a slight V. The feet will
normally match the turning out of the body.
Note: I am updating it step by step so if the link does not appear I don't have it done yet. Sorry - I will work as fast as possible I promise!
Quickstep Closed Syllabus
Newcomer:
1. Quarter Turn to
the Right
2. Progressive
Chasse
3. Forward Lock
4. Natural Turn
5. Natural Turn
with Hesitation
6. Natural Spin
Turn
7. Natural Pivot
Turn
8. Chasse Reverse
Turn
Bronze:
1. Closed Impetus
2. Back Lock
3. Progressive
Chasse to the Right
4. Tipple Chasse
to the Right
5. Running Finish
6. Natural Turn
Back Lock
7. Reverse Pivot
8. Double Reverse
Spin
Silver:
1. Quick Open
ReverseS
2. Fishtail
3. Running Right
Turn
4. Four Quick Run
5. V6
5. Closed Telemark
Gold:
1. Cross Swivel
2. Six Quick Run
3. Rumba Cross
4. Tipsy to Right
and Left
5. Hover Corte
Newcomer Class Choreography
1. Preparation
Step (1234 5678)
2. Quarter Turn to
R (SQQS)
3. Progressive
Chasse (SQQS)
4. Lock Step (SQQS)
5. Natural Turn (SQQS)
6. Quarter Turn to
R (SQQS)
7. Progressive
Chasse (SQQS)
8. Forward Lock (SQQS)
9. Natural Spin
Turn (SQQS)
10. Progressive
Chasse (SQQS)
11. Quarter Turn (SQQS)
12. Progressive
Chasse (SQQS)
13. Forward Lock (SQQS)
14. Natural Turn
with Hesitation (SQQS)
15. Chasse Reverse
Turn (SQQS)
16. Progressive
Chasse (SQQS)
17. Forward Lock (SQQS)
18. Natural Pivot
Turn (SQQS)
CONTINUE WITH #2
Bronze Class Choreography
1. Chasse Reverse
Turn (SQQS)
2. Progressive
Chasse (SQQS)
3. Forward Lock (SQQS)
4. Natural Turn
with Back Lock (SQQS QQS)
5. Running Finish (SQQ)
6. 123 Natural
Turn (SQQ)
7. Closed Impetus (SSS)
8. Reverse Pivot (S)
9. Double Reverse
Spin (SSQQ)
10. Progressive
Chasse to the Right (SQQS)
11. Back Lock (SQQS)
12. Tipple Chasse
to the Right (SQQS QQS)
13. Natural Pivot
Turn (SQQS)
16. Natural Spin
Turn (SQQ SSS)
17. Progressive
Chasse (SQQS)
18. Natural Spin
Turn (SQQ SSS)
19. Heel Pivot -
Quarter Turn to Left (SQQ)
19. Cross Chasse (SQQ)
19. Natural Turn
with Hesitation (SQQ SS Hold S)
19. Zig Zag, Back
Lock & Running Finish (SSS SQQS SQQ)
19. Natural Turn
with Hesitation (SQQ SSS)
CONTINUE WITH #1
Silver Class Choreography
1. Running Right Turn (SQQSSSSSQQ)
2. Natural Turn with Hesitation (SQQSS hold S)
3. Chasse Reverse Turn (SQQ)
4. Reverse Pivot (S)
5. Double Reverse Spin (SSQQ)
6. Chasse Reverse Spin (SQQ)
7. Reverse Pivot (S)
8. Closed Telelmark (SSS)
9. Fishtail (SQQQQS)
10. Natural Turn Back Lock (SQQSQQS)
11. Running Finish (SQQ)
12. Forward Lock (SQQS)
13. Natural Spin Turn Underturned (SQQSSS)
16. Progressive Chasse (SQQSS)
17. Quick Open Reverse (SSQQ)
18. Four Quick Run (SQQQQS)
19. 1/2 Natural Turn (SQQ)
20. Tipple Chasse (SQQS QQS)
CONTINUE WITH #1
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