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Foxtrot: Basic Sequence: Part 3

The first basic sequence.

Please Note: This is a sequel to Waltz: Basic Sequence

Basic Sequence
1. Quarter Turn
2. Natural Pivot Turn
3. Reverse Pivot Turn
4. Under Arm Turn
5. Side Step

Pre-Turns Chat
Note: The ease of movement should always be the aim in all exercises.

Turns Exercise: Individual
Part 1
Stand on the Left foot with relaxed knees and erect body posture. The Right foot is off the floor and close to the Left foot. Now execute a complete left turn or as much turn possible.

Do this exercise ten times.

Detailed Description for Part 1
Keeping the body erect, bend the Left knee and immediately push upwards and diagonally forward by strongly straightening the Left knee. As the rise starts, execute a small circling counter clockwise with the head.

This is similar to the turning done to check the flare of a dress.

Part 2
Stand erect on the Right foot with the knees relaxed. The Left foot is off the floor and close to the Right foot. Step forward on the Left foot, and execute the Part 1. At the end of the turn move the Right foot back to the start position.

Perform this exercise ten times.

Detailed Description for Part 2
Keeping the knees relaxed, the weight is on the Right foot. Move the body forward until the weight shifts from flat foot to the ball and then beyond. At this stage the body begins to "fall" forward and the Left foot swings forward. Land on the Left foot heel and immediately going on the flat foot. The knees are kept relaxed through the movement to soften the landing and in the process, the knees bent slightly more than before. In this position using the thrust of the forward "fall" let the body weight shift from flat foot to the ball of the Left foot. By this time, the Right foot comes close to the Left foot, but it is off the floor.

This is similar to jumping over a ditch when walking.

Part 3
This is almost same as Part 1. The difference being that the turn to the left (counter clock wise) is on the Right heel.

Do this exercise ten times.

Detailed Description for Part 3
Keeping the body erect, bend the Right knee and immediately push upwards and diagonally backward by strongly straightening the Right knee. As the rise starts, execute a small circling counter clockwise with the head.

Part 4.
This is almost similar to Part 2. Stand erect on the Left foot with the knees relaxed. The Right foot is off the floor and close to the Left foot. Step Backward on the Right foot, and execute the Part 1. At the end of the turn move the Left foot to the start position.

Perform this exercise ten times.

Detailed Description for Part 4
Keeping the knees relaxed, the weight is on the Left foot. Move the body backward until the weight shifts from flat foot to the heel and then beyond. At this stage, the body begins to "fall" backward and the Right foot swings backward. Land on the Right toe and going on the flat foot only when the feet are together. The knees are kept relaxed through the movement to soften the landing. Bent the knees are gradually to allow for the delayed lowering of the heel and to facilitate the smooth backward movement of the body. At the time of lowering of the Right heel do not straightened the Right knee. Continue the backward movement of the till body weight is felt on the Right heel. Now starts the Part 3.

This is similar to jumping over a ditch when walking.

Part 5
This exercise is done with the partner. Man takes the position to move forward whilst the Lady to move backward. The respective movements are as described above. Initially the Man moves forward, Lady backward, and then turn.

There are four things to bear in mind.
a) Turn as much as possible.
b) When turning keep the feet together however, one foot is on the ground/floor only.
c) Through out the exercise both the partners should remain square to each other.
d) After the turn stay, balancing each other on the foot on which the turning was done, only until the exercise starts to get comfortable. Later move the free foot (the one that is off the floor) backward for man and forward for Lady and step on it.

Some Hints for Part 5
a) The movement in the direction, forward for Man and backward for the Lady, should continue until just after the straightening of the knees.
b) The Man should move to the Left and simultaneously move the Lady in the same direction immediately as the straightening of the knees commences. Gradually relaxing the hold so that the Lady can move further away, although the feet remain in the same position.

Part 6
Next practice the above with the Man starting with the Right foot moving forward and the Lady with the Left foot backward and the turn is clockwise.

Part 7
In this case, Man practices the backward movements and the Lady the forward, in hold.

This is the way, the upper body would move in a circular motion pivoting around a single point. Over this point swivels the heel or the ball of the foot.

For Man the turning starts ahead of the toes. This means that on reaching on the ball of the foot the body should keep moving slightly forward before the swivelling action. Or else, the Lady will experience a sudden break in motion and the turn would become laboured.

At the frame ‘I’, the body-weight is on the toe for the Man and on the heel for the Lady. At this stage the rise and the tilt to the left begins and the result is the turning. During this turning, the body is behind the feet; i.e. the feet are ahead of the body.