The quickstep is a ballroom dance that lives up to its moniker. The quick step is characterized extremely quick stepping, syncopated foot rhythms, and runs of quick steps in time to 4/4 or common time music, usually jazz. It is entertaining to watch but difficult to master.
Kicks, runs, and complex rhythm patterns are all part of the dance. Because a single set of moves may take place over several measures of music, the quickstep can be one of the more difficult dances to learn. Because some of the steps are performed in triples or triplets, it is similar to the waltz in some ways.
The modern quickstep was created in England in the 1920s and is closely related to dances such as the foxtrot and the Charleston. The overall impression dancers make should be elegant, just like the foxtrot. While the dancers move through the various forms of the quickstep, their upper body posture should remain rigid and perfect. People should get the impression that the dancers are extremely light on their feet after watching the performance. Light stepping, with the feet barely touching the ground, should be part of the overall impression, even when the moves become more complex.
Beginning quickstep dancers learn the dance’s most fundamental moves first. In 4/4 time, a single measure is danced as slow-quick-quick. The first and second beats are slow, while the third and fourth beats are quick-quick. The heel is used for most “slow” steps in music, while the balls and toes are used for most “quick” steps.
The side shasse, in which the dancer takes three steps to the side, and the lockstep, in which one foot is crossed over the other in the step, are two other important moves in the quick step. These, along with the most fundamental foot movements, make up the first quickstep steps. Turns and runs are added to the dance once the dancers have mastered these three steps.
Several Hollywood references to the quickstep have appeared in the 2000s. Richard Gere fails miserably at the quickstep in Shall We Dance, an American remake of the classic Japanese film, tripping over his partner’s dress and ripping it. However, his dance form is excellent in the few moments before he falls.
For contestants on the reality show So You Think You Can Dance, the quickstep has been dubbed the “kiss of death.” Many of the show’s dancers, who come from a variety of dance backgrounds, have completely failed to execute the light, quick steps required to pull off the dance. This changed in 2007, when a couple performed an admirable quickstep that drew praise from the judges and viewers alike.
Consider attending a ballroom competition to see excellent versions of the quickstep performed. These are frequently broadcast on PBS or BBC stations in the area. They’re entertaining to watch and provide excellent examples of a well-executed quickstep.