Do You Fox Trot Correctly?

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 18, 18 November 1927, Page 2

Do You Fox Trot Correctly?

Miss ‘Phyllis Bates Teaches the Natural Open Turn from 2YA

HE natural open turn is one of the essential movesnents of the fox-trot, A natural turn is a turn to a _ right-that is, in the. same direction as the hands of & clock-and js always taken "on a forward step with the right foot, or om a backward step with the left foot, ‘Io make my subsequent description clear I will explain what is meant by half and quarter turns. ‘' HALF AND QUARTER TURNS, Vace North; a quarter turn will bring rou facing Kast, while a half turn will bring you facing South, " MAN: First Half (one bar of music). Right: Long step forward on the heel "{Vig. A) rising te the ball of the foot ‘and tuking a half iurn to the right, wnweighted left foot moving round the ‘tight. Count "t, 2." . Left: Very short step to the side and ‘slightly to the rear on the sole (Vig. B). Count 3" Right: Short step backward on the wle (Fig. C). Count "4." 3° Second Half (one bar of music).

i Left: Long step backward on the ball | of the foot, dropping to the heel and taking a quarter turn to the right, drawing the unweighted right foot back to the left (Fig. D). Count "4, 2? (for step and turn). ‘Right: Short step to the side on the sole (Vig. 2). Count "3."

This completes the open turn. FY ollow, with the "Brush Step." Draw the left foot up to the right and step straight forward (lig. I‘). Count "I, 2," GIRL: First half (one bar of music). Left: Long step backward on the ball of the foot (Vig. A) dropping to the heel and taking a half turn to the right, drawing the unweighted right foot back to left. Count ‘1, 2." Right: Take the weight on the sole,

tight foot close to and slightly in advanee of the left (Fig. B). Count ‘3: Left: Short step forward on the sole {Fig C). Count "4.’* Second Hatt (one bar of music). Right: Long step forward on _ the lueel (Fig. J), rising to the ball of the foot and taking a quarter to the right, unweighted left foot moving round the right. Count "1, 2.’ Left: Step to the side on the sole (tig. i). Count 3, 4." This completes the open turn. Follow with the ‘Brush Step." Draw the right foot up to the left and step straight backward (Fig. fF). Count "1, WHEN PRACTISING. If you refer to last week’s lesson you will realise that the first half of the open turn is really a tliree-step movement. However, a learner is advised at first to take two beats for each step. NOTES ON THE TURN, On the first half of the turn the man is on the outside of the turn. He, as it were, steps around the girl, so that while after tarning, the girl’s right foot is close to lier left. The man must take his step on the left foot slightly to the side in order to maintain a directly opposite position of the feet. On the second half of the turn, the reverse is ihe case, the girl stepping omaha

around the man. Both take a step to the side, but the girl’s step will be slightly longer In the fox-trot there is a reactionary movement of the trunk in opposition to the movement of the legs By ‘‘opposition" I mean contrary, Vor example, when the right foot is forward and the left foot backward, the right hip and shoulder will be backward, when the left foot is forward, and right foot tackward, The left hip and shoulder will be bactward This contrary movement originates at the hips and travels up the trunk to the shoulders. ‘It is entirely natural and there must be no forced movement of the shoulders, When the feet are level there is no opposition of the trunk. This contrary movement is very important on turns. A step on which a turn is taken is longer than an ordinary walk, this increases the opposition. When turning on a forward right foot or a backward teft foot, the left hip. and shoulder come forward and round. As turns taken from both these positions are invariehly turns to the richt, ‘it «will be seen that on all rieht turns it is the left hip and shoulder which comes forward and round. Opposition wives the lead and the impetus for turns. It is most important that the dancer shonld remember and practise st.

Dancers are advised to study last week’s article in cunjunction with this. Photes posed by Miss Phyllis Bates and Mr. lvor Critchley, Photographs by S. P, Andrew.