Slow Foxtrot - Natural Turn

To finish the short sequence of steps that we have been explaining in the last few posts, the next step often learned in Slow Foxtrot is a Natural Turn.

Again, Ladies, the heel turn comes into play here! Remember, this movement takes practice and a lot of repetition before it starts to feel 'natural' so stick with it and don't cheat by turning it into a normal step.



Leaders'/Men's Footwork


After your Three Step, you are now facing Diagonal Wall. (You can also do a Natural Turn if you are facing LOD.)Your Three Step has brought you back in line with your partner so your first step onto your Right foot should still be in line with her.  As your partner goes into her heel turn, you step with your Left foot to the side, swinging yourself as much around your partner as possible, then continue a little bit of turn as you step back on your Right. (Slow, Quick, Quick). Getting around your partner is important as your partner will be pulled/pushed off of her heel turn if you don't get around her on your own.

You have one more step backwards with your Left foot before stepping a small step to the side and pulling your Left foot along with it (this is called a heel pull). The final step is taken forward on your Left foot - at which point you are now facing Diagonal Centre. The rhythm here changes; it is now Slow, Slow,Slow.

Followers'/Lady's Footwork

As you finished the Three Step Backing Diagonal Wall, that is where you are going to begin this step. (It can also be done starting Backing LOD.) Step back on your Left foot then bring your Right foot together with your Left as you turn (Heel Turn) to face the LOD. Bring the weight onto the balls of your feet (without rising) and step forward onto your Left foot continuing the turn slightly. (Slow, Quick, Quick) The step coming forward out of your heel turn should once again go between your partner's legs - do not try to step outside of him at this stage.

You then have one step forward on your Right foot, a step to the side on your Left foot, and a step back with your Right foot - having tracked the foot underneath you before stepping back. The rhythm for this section changes and becomes Slow, Slow, Slow.

Notes for both the Leader and the Follower:

 - The first step that the Lady takes after her heel turn should come straight forward between the Gent's legs. This is only possible if she has completed the turn - not overturned - and feels that her partner is far enough around her that she wont step on him! Gents, if you do not get far enough around your partner on the Side step (your second step), she will not be able to do this properly.... get around her and help her out, please!

Slow Foxtrot - Three Step

Following your Reverse Turn, the most likely thing that you will do, is a Three Step. Much like its name, it is comprised of three steps and is similar to the Feather Step in that regard. Unlike the Feather Step, the Three Step does not go outside partner.

We begin this step facing/backing Diagonal Wall (where we finished the Reverse Turn).


Leaders'/Men's Footwork



Starting with your Right foot, you have three steps, (R,L,R) forward and in line with your partner. There is a sway in the upper body lifting the right side forward and up which helps you get back in front of her after the end of the Reverse Turn. (Slow, Quick, Quick)

Followers'/Lady's Footwork


This, like the Feather Step, for the Lady is a fairly simple step. You have three steps backwards (Left, Right, Left) with no foot rise. You partner is in line with you and you have sway which pulls your left side back and up. (Slow, Quick, Quick)

Notes for both the Leader and the Follower:

- Don't forget that this is Ballroom. Gents, take forward steps with heels first, and Ladies, release the toes of your front foot as you transfer weight back onto the step you have just taken.

Slow Foxtrot - Reverse Turn

Following on from the Feather Step last explained, the next commonly used step in Slow Foxtrot is a Reverse Turn.

This is the first time that the follower will be doing one of the staples of the Slow Foxtrot as far as the follower is concerned - the Heel Turn! Ladies, this will take practice and a lot of repetition before it starts to feel 'natural' so stick with it and don't cheat by turning it into a normal step.

Remember, this dance is characterised by the fact that the feet almost always pass my each other - so it should move and get its fluidity from this.


Leaders'/Men's Footwork


As you are still facing Diagonal Centre after your Feather Step, that is where this step also begins. You are currently on the outside of your partner, so the first step onto your Left foot should aim to get you back in line with her. As your partner goes into her heel turn, you step with your right foot to the side, swinging yourself as much around your partner as possible to end up facing the wall to your left as you step back on your Left. (Slow, Quick, Quick). This is important as your partner will be pulled/pushed off of her heel turn if you don't get around her on your own.

You have one more step backwards with your Right foot before stepping side and slightly forward on your Left foot to point Diagonally to Wall. Then one more step forward (in CBMP) with your Right foot - this is outside your partner. (Slow, Quick, Quick)

Followers'/Lady's Footwork

As you finished the Feather Step Backing Diagonal Centre, that is where you begin this step. Step back on your Right foot then bring your left foot together with your Right foot as you turn (Heel Turn) to face the LOD. Bring the weight onto the balls of your feet (without rising) and step forward onto your Right foot. (Slow, Quick, Quick) This third step should go between your partner's legs - do not try to step outside of him at this stage.

You then have one step forward on your Left foot, a step to the side on your Right foot, and a step back with your Left foot in CBMP. (This IS outside partner... but it is up to Him to make that happen, not you!) (Slow, Quick, Quick)

Notes for both the Leader and the Follower:

 - The first step that the Lady takes after her heel turn should come straight forward between the Gent's legs. This is only possible if she has completed the turn - not overturned - and feels that her partner is far enough around her that she wont step on him! Gents, if you do not get far enough around your partner on the Side step (your second step), she will not be able to do this properly.... get around her and help her out, please!

Slow Foxtrot - Feather Step

One of the most beautiful, and sometimes most challenging, of the Ballroom dances is the Slow Foxtrot. Although it shares part of its name with the Social Foxtrot, it should not be thought of as the same dance.

Unlike most of the other Ballroom dances, it is very rare in the Slow Foxtrot that you will bring your feet together (other than in heel turns for the lady). Throughout this dance, you should try to create a sweeping and swaying movement which covers a Lot of the floor and which uses the momentum of the couple to naturally link one move to the next.

Also unlike any of the other dances we have looked at, the Slow Foxtrot will usually start with the leader facing diagonally into the centre of the room.  This is where we are going to start with the step breakdowns, and though teachers may choose to focus on the Feather Step and Three Step together before adding the Reverse or Natural Turns into the mix, the next few posts will look at each step I have just mentioned in the order that you would typically put them together and as if you have just completed the previous.

Depending on the technique book you look at, there are "extra steps" that technically may also be included in each of these steps, however, as I am essentially stringing them together, these extra steps (which are essentially the beginning of a new step) have generally been left off.



Leaders'/Men's Footwork

The Feather step, as mentioned, starts with you facing diagonally into the centre of the room. This step is comprised of three forward steps: one in line with your partner and two slightly outside. Begin with your Right foot forward in line with your partner (Slow). Then, step forward but slightly out to the left with your Left foot - Left side leading (Quick). Lastly, step forward, outside your partner with your Right foot in CBMP.

Followers'/Lady's Footwork

For you, this step is fairly simple footwork-wise. You have three steps backwards! The tricky things are allowing your upper body to sway from the waist up without affecting your feet and making sure that you have No Foot Rise. You start with your Left foot backwards, follow with the Right foot back, and then the Left. (Slow, Quick, Quick)

Notes for both the Leader and Follower:


- Followers, your partner will be outside you to your Right for two of the steps, so you must ensure that you are not ending up in his armpit - turn your shoulders to remain parallel with his. Leaders, make sure that you actually have your Left Side Leading as mentioned above - turning your shoulders but not your hips as you step outside your partner.

- Gentlemen, you have foot rise, but the Ladies do not. Ladies, all rise must be "Body Rise" which happens within the waist and ribcage - just like taking a deep breath in and lifting from your collar bone. So gentlemen should not over do their rise.