QUICKSTEP!

ROUNDALAB:

    [Timing is 4/4]  Figures are usually written in 1 or 1 1/2 measures using various timing:     [{SS; S,} {SS;QQ} {SQQ;} {QQS;} {QQQQ;}].

      Quickstep should have flight and be danced with a very light airy feeling.  Poise is slightly forward so that the weight is carried across the inside arch of the feet.

PRACTICAL HINTS ON TECHNIQUE:

  1. Weight fwd on balls of feet (Fwd Poise).

  2. Smooth Topline (Don’t Bounce).

  3. Think Slow, but dance at tempo.

  4. Strong contra banjo pos. with shoulder leads.

ALEX MOORE*:

      “This dance might be termed the ‘joy’ dance of modern dance.    . . . the tempo of the music and the whole character of the dance seem to invite a care-free interpretation of its bright rhythm.”

      “The dancer who masters the fundamentals of the Quickstep will have a command of a dance that can never grow stale, a dance that is unquestionably the most attractive expression of rhythm the world has ever known.”

* Ballroom Dancing by Alex Moore, A & C Black,

  London, 1986, pg. 28-30.

QUICKSTEP

INTRODUCTORY BASICS

Magic Step                            Box Finish                             Spin Turn                              Back Lock Back

Qtr.Turns & Prog.Chasse  Left Turns                              Impetus                                 Whisk

Maneuver                              Right Turns                           Telemark                               Wing

Pivot 2                                    Fishtail                                   Hover                                     Hesitation Change

Box                        Chasse                                 Forward Lock Forward       Change of Direction        

                                                                                                                                                Charleston

MAGIC STEP  {SS;Q,Q,}

   M: Fwd L, -, Fwd R, -; Sd L, Cl R,

   W: Bk R, -, Bk L, -; Sd R, Cl L,

QUARTER TURNS & PROGRESSIVE CHASSE;;;;

   {SS;QQS;SQQ;SS;}

   M: (CP/LOD) Fwd L, -, Fwd R (turn 1/4 RF), -; Sd L, Cl R, (CP/DRW) Bk L,-; Bk R (turn LF), -,

        Sd L, Cl R; Sd & Fwd L (BJO), -, Fwd R, -;

   W: Bk R, -, Bk L (turn 1/4 RF), -; Sd R, Cl L, Fwd R, -; Fwd L (turn 1/4 LF), -, Sd R, Cl L;

       Sd & Bk R, -, Bk L, -; (BJO)

MANEUVER or MANUV, SIDE, CLOSE  {SQQ;}

   M: Fwd R (turn RF to face RLOD), -, Sd L, Cl R;

   W: Bk L (turn RF to face LOD), -, Sd R, Cl L;

PIVOT 2  {SS;}  [Can turn 1/2 to full turn]

   M: (CP/RLOD) Bk L turning RF, -, Fwd R  turning RF, -;

   W: Fwd R turning RF, -, Bk L turning RF, -;

BOX;;

   M: Fwd L, -, Sd R, Cl L; Bk R, -, Sd L, Cl R;

   W: Bk R, -, Sd L, Cl R; Fwd L, -, Sd R, Cl L;

BOX FINISH;

   M: Bk R, -, Sd L, Cl R;

   W: Fwd L, -, Sd R, Cl L;

LEFT TURNS;;   [3/4 to full turn over 2 meas.]

   M: Fwd L (turning LF), -, Sd R (turning LF), Cl L;    Bk R (turning LF), -, Sd L (turning LF), Cl R;

   W: Bk R (turning LF), -, Sd L (turning LF), Cl R;  Fwd L (turning LF), -, Sd R (turning LF), Cl L;

RIGHT TURNS;;   [3/4 to full turn over 2 meas.]

   M: Bk L (turning RF), -, Sd R (turning RF), Cl L; Fwd R (turning RF), -, Sd L (turning RF), Cl R;

   W: Fwd R (turning RF),-, Sd L ( turning RF), Cl R;  Bk L (turning RF), -, Sd R (turning RF), Cl L;

FISHTAIL;  {QQQQ;}

   M: (BJO) XLIB, Sd R (turn RF), Fwd L, XRIB;

   W: XRIF, Sd L (turn RF), Bk R, XLIF;

CHASSE; {QQS;}

   M: Sd L, Cl R, Sd L, -;

   W: Sd R, Cl L, Sd R, -;

SPIN TURN  {SS;S}

   M: (CP/RLOD) Bk & Sd L (RF Pivot), -, Fwd & Rise R, -;    Sd & Bk L, -

   W: Fwd & Sd R (RF Pivot), -, Bk & Rise L, -; Sd & Fwd R, -,

IMPETUS to SCP  {SS;S}  [Can start in CP or BJO]

   M: (CP/RLOD) [Heel Turn] Bk L turning RF, -, (continue RF turn on L) CL R to L, -; Fwd L to SCP, -,

   W: Fwd R (turn RF), -, Sd & Fwd L (turn RF), -; Fwd R, -,

TELEMARK to SCP  {SS;S}  [Can start in CP or BJO]

   M: (CP/DLC) Fwd L (turn LF), -, Sd R (turn LF), -, Sd & Fwd L to SCP, -,

   W: [Heel Turn] Bk R bringing L to R, Turn LF on R & Chg weight to L, -; Sd & Fwd R to SCP, -,

HOVER  {SS;S}  [Can start in CP or BJO]

   M:Fwd L to CP,-, Fwd & Sd R(rising),-; Rec Fwd L to SCP,-,

   W: Bk R, -, Bk & Sd L (rising),-; Rec Fwd R to SCP, -,

FORWARD LOCK FORWARD  {QQS;}

   M: (BJO) Fwd L, XRIB, Fwd L, -;

   W: (BJO) Bk R, XLIF, Bk R, -;

BACK LOCK BACK  {QQS;}

   M: (BJO) Bk R, XLIF, Bk R, -;

   W: (BJO) Fwd L, XRIB, Fwd L, -;

WHISK  {SS;S}  [Can start in CP or BJO]

   M: Fwd L to CP, -, Fwd & Sd R(rising),-; XLIB to SCP, -,

   W: Bk R, -, Bk & Sd L (rising),-; XRIB to SCP, -,

WING {SS;S}

   M: (SCP) Fwd R, -, Draw L to R, -; Tch L to R turning LF, -,

   W: Fwd L, -, Fwd R turning LF @ M, -; Fwd L to SCAR, -,

HESITATION CHANGE {SS;S}  [Can start in CP or BJO]

   M: (CP/RLOD) Bk L turning RF, -, Sd R to CP, -; Draw L to R, -,

   W: Fwd R turning RF, -, Sd L to CP, -; Draw R to L, -,

CHANGE OF DIRECTION  {SS;S}

   M: (CP/DLW) Fwd L, -, Fwd R turning LF, -; Draw L to R, -,

   W: Back R, -, Bk L turning LF, -; Draw R to L, -,

CHARLESTON;;  {SS;SS;} [W can step Fwd or Bk]

   M: Fwd L,-, Point R Fwd,-; Bk R,-, Point L Bk,-;

   W: Fwd R,-, Point L Fwd,-; Bk L,-, Point R Bk,-;

                        ABBREVIATIONS

S (Q): Slow (Quick)              COH: Center of Hall

Fwd: Forward                       LOD: Line Of Dance

Bk: Back                                RLOD: Reverse LOD

Sd: Side                                 DLW: Diag. LOD & Wall

Tch: Touch                            DRC: Diag. RLOD & COH

Cl: Close                               OP: Open Position

M: Man                                   CP: Closed Position

W: Woman                            BJO: Banjo Position

L (R): Left (Right)                 SCAR: Sidecar Position

LF (RF): L (R) Face             SCP: Semiclosed Pos.

XLIF: Cross L in Front         Tch: Touch

XRIB: Cross R in Back       Rec: Recover

Fc: Face                                 Ck: Check

Lk: Lock

; Semicolon indicates end of a measure

, Comma divides a measure into counts

- Dash indicates a hold count