This Moment

When I mention the foxtrot, you’ll probably think of a certain version of that dance. You’ll think about reverse poise, the man’s arms extended out and the woman draped over them like a garment with her face turned away from her partner. You’ll probably think of ballroom style foxtrot because that’s what most dance studios teach and it’s what the major brands (Fred Astaire and Arthur Murray would have you believe is the only way to dance the foxtrot. After Kelly and I made our Saturday trip to Cincinnati, I can tell you not only isn’t it the only way to foxtrot, it’s not even the original way of doing the dance.


We spent an afternoon with Rosie Lemkin of the Flying Cloud Academy. Flying Cloud is what’s referred to as a ‘vintage’ dance club, meaning they generally focus on the dances of the 1700’s, 1800’s, and early to mid 1900’s. This focus covers ragtime dances like The Grizzly Bear and the Turkey Trot as well as older styles like the Quadrille. Guess where the foxtrot falls into that mix? Well, the ‘fox’ part probably gives it away – the theory (at least Rosie’s) is that the foxtrot is a member of the family of animal dances that came about during the early 1900’s as a rebellion against the stiffness of Victorian social norms. In these dances not only did the dancers act out the aspects of the animals the names of which the dances bore, but they also (gasp) touched one another with more than extended fingers.

Thinking along these lines – that is to say, recognizing the animal dance roots of the foxtrot – it’s possible to start thinking about the dancer’s movements in a different way. In the vintage (20’s) version of the dance the footwork goes slow, quick-quick, slow, slow (as opposed to the ballroom slow, slow, quick-quick) and the motion includes a slight bounce with each quick. This bounce is meant to emulate a…trotting fox. If you’re not privileged enough to have witnessed a fox, think of a cat moving happily along. The bounce is subtle, not a hop or a jump just a slight bob with each step.

Personally, I love this version of the foxtrot. I think there are two reasons, really. Firstly it’s a dance of the twenties – that Wooster and Jeeves era that I love so much. When I tried the first steps of this dance I immediately felt transported to the twenties. I felt like a member of Wodehouse’s infamous Drones Club dressed up in waistcoat and cutaway and out for a night of jazz and champagne in the fashionable part of London. Secondly, there’s the fact that without reverse poise you’re left to look into the eyes of your partner. Yes, you came to dance with someone – there they are, right in front of you, so why not look at them? As Rosie said, “look into the eyes of your partner and get lost in the moment”.

To me that’s what dancing is all about, getting lost in the moment. It’s not about being the best on the floor, it’s not about showing off for the audience, it’s not even about knowing the steps to the dance. It is about enjoying the company of your partner and being totally present. Dance is a kind of Zen. The past is gone, the future not here yet, all you have is this dance – this stanza – this bar – this one note in this one moment. Look into the eyes of the partner you’re sharing the note with and get lost.