Basic Ballroom Dance Steps
Ballroom dancing is a popular pastime, but when offered the chance to get out on the floor, most of us turn into wallflowers or take on the appearance of a teenager dancing his or her first "slow dance." If you know that you will be expected to dance, a lesson or two with a group of friends makes for a fun outing.
Dance Basics
There are essentially three ballroom dances. Everything else is a variation on a theme. From easiest to most difficult the dances are the Social Foxtrot or Quickstep, Waltz, and Slow Foxtrot. In most cases dancers can get by with the Social Foxtrot (a popular dance at formal functions) and the Waltz (a requirement for anyone in a wedding party). The Slow Foxtrot is more complicated, requires significant practice and coordination with your partner and is not for beginners.
To coordinate movement on the floor, all ballroom dances proceed in a counter-clockwise motion. This movement around the floor occurs regardless of which direction an individual is facing in the process of a dance step. The steps of a ballroom dance reflect how a couple moves in relation to the nearest wall. A "zig" is where the couple moves toward the wall on a 45-degree angle; on a "zag," the couple moves away from the wall at the same angle.
The Hold
All ballroom dances begin with the proper "hold." This article assumes traditional ballroom convention: the dancers are described as male and female, with the man leading. In a correct hold, the man offers his left hand, which his partner grasps with her right, palm to palm. His right hand is placed at the bottom of her shoulder blade. His right elbow should be about the height of her shoulder, and she rests her arm on his. Shoulders should be relaxed and eyes should be looking at the horizon -- not at the feet. The dancers' feet are offset to avoid stepping on each other.
The Social Foxtrot
The Social Foxtrot, also called the Quickstep, is a four-beats-to-the-measure dance that involves the man zigging forward and the woman backward until the couple nears the wall beginning a diagonal zag away from the wall.
The dance begins by the man stepping forward in a zig with his right foot beginning a turn to the right with his upper body, as the woman moves backward with her left foot. This step takes two beats of the music and is considered "slow." For the second move, the man moving sideways, leading with his left while he stands parallel to the wall; the woman moves sideways with her right foot, facing the interior of the ballroom. This is a "quick step" that takes a single beat. In the next step, the couple each brings his or her feet together (i.e., a "close") and the man begins to walk backward with his left foot on a zag, starting a turn to the left. He then moves sideways with his left foot as the woman follows his turn, ending with her back parallel to the wall. Finally, the man closes his feet as the woman continues the turn until her back is on the zig line. The dance closes by the man moving sideways, ending with his left foot on the zig line, taking two beats for this last step. The steps are then repeated.
The Basic Waltz
A Waltz uses a three-step pattern: the lead steps forward with his right foot, turning his body slightly clockwise. The man then sidesteps beginning with the left foot, then closes with the right foot. He then steps back along the zag with his left foot, moves sideways with his right foot, closes with his left. Continuing with a step backward, the man slightly turns counterclockwise and steps to the side with his right foot. The next step has the man closing his feet together (moving his left foot toward the right) while continuing his turn until he faces the zig. He steps forward on the zig, moves sideways with the right foot, and finally closes with his left foot.
