American Foxtrot

Foxtrot is an American dance that legend says was created by vaudeville star Harry Fox. Unable to find dancers who could perform a difficult two-step routine, Fox created the basic Foxtrot rhythm, slow-slow quick-quick. This dance caught Vernon and Irene Castle’s eyes and they quickly lent the dance their signature style and grace.

A competing version of the Foxtrot legend from W.C. Handy’s autobiography notes a story that Noble Sissle told. Handy’s Memphis Blues performed a song that had intermittent periods of slow music which eventually led, to the creation of “Bunny Hug,” a song based on those slow rhythms. As Bunny Hug began to travel the music and dance that accompanied it was renamed “Foxtrot.”

The competing stories of its origins are partly due to its broad popularity. From the around 1917 through the 1940’s the Foxtrot was second in popularity only to the Charleston. Its broad popularity was due in part to its wide range of music from Ragtime, to Lindy Hop records and everything in between.

Foxtrot is a relatively easy dance to start, though with all dances much harder to master. It features a closed ballroom position and can be danced very comfortably on a crowded dance floor. The versatility of the dance, from its ease to learn to its range of music make it perfectly suited for social dancing.