Foxtrot Showcase Dance Routine

http://www.batnet.com/mfwright/danceroutine.html

First performed in November 1999 and to be repeated in October 2001.

Foxtrot tune: Nat King Cole This Can't Be Love.
Song is a Broadway musical by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for The Boys From Syracuse.

Updated 10/6/01

Choreography and training by Maggie Zacca of Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Santa Clara (http://www.fredastairesj.com/).

Judging and Critique by Susannah and George Murdoch-Samaniego in November 1999.

The Develope'	Using a "dance floor" at an industrial facility to practice

(from L to R) George, Susannah, Sachiko, Michael, Maggie, Bill Ranells (co-owner of Fred Astaire Dance Studio Santa Clara)	This may not look like much, but this was the sheet Maggie used for sequencing and timing (only highly experienced instructors/ choreographers can understand these notes)

Me with the lady that holds it all together (the studio, showcase, students, and the staff): Floy Ranells (co-owner of Fred Astaire Dance Studio Santa Clara)

Notes:

Always step between lady's legs on second step of twinkles.

All quicks are toe leads.

Entrance

1. Walk onto floor with Sachiko on right, holding hand at breast level
2. Stop in front of judges, inside foot pointed forward
   Bow head to acknowledge
3. Turn to audience, same poise as before
4. Walk to starting position, make a definite stop
   Shadow position to judges
5. Be ready, music may start any second!

   Note: This is not the time to make big waving motions like at the ending. You are only letting people know you are preparing to perform a dance, not to say how great you are.

Beginning

1. Face judges in Shadow Position. Left foot free for both man and lady.
   Start music, no movement on first measure
   1S--Q--Q (count 1, 2, 3, 4)
2. Left step, point -- Right step, point
   2Slow (5, 6) -- Slow (7, 8)
3. Roll her out to his left -- he steps out to his left foot -- together -- point left foot (free)
   She pivots forward -- almost together -- side -- right foot free
   3Q -- Q -- Slow
4. He walks forward on four quicks
   She spins to right on four quicks
   4S--Q--Q
   End in outside partner ready for twinkle.

Note: Lead her forward on first quick. Ths is to start her moving forward, and then turn on the following quicks (keep hand above her head with very light grip). Line up so she does not have to turn so much to promenade on the triple twinkle.

First Part

Triple Twinkle Notes: Don't turn on 1, 2. Turn on 3, 4 (the second quick).

On open-arm twinkle, shape to her on back twinkle (like a bullfighter) with very small steps (stay in place) as she needs room to move around.

1. Forward Twinkle
   1S--Q--Q
2. Natural Pivot (four pivots)
   (or count as 1 - 2- 3, 1 - 2 - 3)
   2S--Q--Q, 3S--Q--Q (forward on these two quicks) end with weight on left foot
3. Forward Side (send her to left)
   4S--Q--Q (HOLD) =Right foot free=
4. Left Side-by-Side -- "hovers" -- like spirals but no traveling
   5S--Q--Q, 6S--Q--Q
   right foot forward-side-side, forward-side-side
5. Check-Back-Big Side
   7S--Q--Q
6. She spins (right turn) to right side (HOLD during this time) 1-2-3-4
   8S--Q--Q (for her, during this time HOLD on right foot)

Eight Measures

Second Part

1. Four measures of open left box turns in Shadow Position
   1S--Q--Q, 2S--Q--Q, 3S--Q--Q, 4S--Q--Q
2. Forward-Side-Send her to his left
   5S--Q--Q (HOLD)
3. Open Twinkle to connect
   6S--Q--Q (end with weight on left foot)
4. Reverse Weave, Promenade Position Forward (open left box turn)
   Slow (wait for her to get ready, don't rush)
   forward-side-back-back-side-forward
   7Q -- Q -- Q -- Q -- Q -- Q (6 quicks, all toe leads)

Like the zig-zag, allow her time for her to get in closed position after the Slow but before the Quicks.
Keep straight line on 3rd and 4th quicks.
Left foot points diagonal wall on 5th quick.
Right foot on 6th quick goes in same direction of where left foot points.

Eight Measures

Third Part

Wendy's Step:

1. First two measures of Triple Twinkle
   1S--Q--Q, 2S--Q--Q
2. Back Twinkle
   3S--Q--Q
3. Forward-Side-Back (separate and in left side-by-side position)
   4S--Q--Q (end with weight on right foot)
4. Left Solo Pivot
   5S--Q--Q (end with weight on left foot)

   think of and, pivot on right, slow, heel lead with left.

5. Double Hand Hold, Check (sway left) - Recover - Side
   6S--Q--Q (end with weight on right foot)
6. Check with Develope'
   7S--Q--Q (hold on these two quicks)
7. Back-Side-Forward (outside partner)
   8S--Q--Q

Eight Measures

Fourth Part

1. Twinkle
   1S--Q--Q

Grapevines (Natural and Promenade)


2. Zig Zag twinkle, Fwd in promenade, Fwd in between her feet (the quicks are like grapevines)
   2S--Q--Q

Right foot forward on slow (don't turn!), then turn left into her on the first quick,
right diagonal back on the second quick
Important to maintain promenade position on the slow. The turn is on the first quick.

3. Natural grapevine, Back-Side-Forward-Side
   3Q--Q--Q--Q
4. Back Twinkle
   4S--Q--Q
5. Promenade grapevine, Forward-Side-Back-Side, 1/2 right open turn
   5Q--Q--Q--Q
6. Forward-Side-Back
   6S--Q--Q
7. Back with her underarm spin right (Back-Run-Run-Run, little steps!)
   7Q--Q--Q--Q

Caution: Don't subconsciously throw in a slow
Keep steps small, don't go pass her, maintain relative position

8. In & Out Twinkle
   8S--Q--Q

Eight Measures

Fifth Part

1. Two more measures of In & Out twinkles
   1S--Q--Q, 2S--Q--Q
2. 1/2 Open Natural
   3S--Q--Q
3. Back with her underarm spin right (Back-Run-Run-Run, little steps!)
   4Q--Q--Q--Q

Caution: Don't subconsciously throw in a slow.
Keep steps small, don't go pass her, maintain relative position

4. Twinkle
   5S--Q--Q

Note: This twinkle happens much sooner than expected.

Sammie's Triple (show step)


5. Forward-Side-Back, she underarm spin left on Q--Q
   6S--Q--Q
6. Three back steps, she is on left side going forward
   7S--Q--Q
7. Last 1/2 of "open box" -- with her underarm left to meet in closed position outside partner
   8S--Q--Q (U.A.T. on the Q--Q)

Eight Measures

Sixth Part

1. Roll In / Roll Out
   Twinkle, his U.A.T forward walks
   1S--Q--Q, 2S--Q--Q
2. She rolls in, he forward walks
   3S--Q--Q
3. She rolls out, he forward walks
   4S--Q--Q

   only one roll in/roll out.

4. Twinkle
   5S--Q--Q
5. Passing twinkles
   6S--Q--Q, 7S--Q--Q

Man does spirals for the Passing Twinkles.
6. One In and Out, she ends on left side
   8S--Q--Q

Eight Measures

Seventh Part

Fallaway is a backwards promenade (like a 5th position to the right).

1. Open Fallaway -- Solo Pivot (two each)
   1S--Q--Q, 2S--Q--Q, 3S--Q--Q, 4S--Q--Q
2. Fallaway Twinkle
   Fwd, Side, Back in fallaway (5th position). Think of stopping her from turning, shape to lady.
   5S--Q--Q (she goes back on second Q)

Palm contact with hands, don't raise elbow where people can see armpits.

3. Continue Fallaway Twinkle
   Back Slip Pivot, rock-step turn (don't think of this as a back-step).
   6S--Q--Q
   

   Hip contact! very small steps, turn her
   Be sure she is aligned, back small step on the slow
   Rock steps on QQ, these are very small steps,
   rotate a lot but virtually no forward or backward movement,
   and don't let rear heel touch floor.
   No straight legs, keep left arm forward, avoid falling back.
   Stay low!
   Look left and not to her during this.
   

4. Spiral and Spiral Turn
   7S--Q--Q, 8S--Q--Q

Caution: Don't turn on the 8S.

Eight Measures

Eighth Part

1. Check and Develope'
   1S--Q--Q

   Important: Right side forward on develope'

2. Back-Side-Forward (she underarm spin left)
   2S--Q--Q
3. Oversway
   3Slow -- 4Slow, 5Slow -- Q -- Q
   Bend the knee, look to right,
   but don't think of moving the body,
   it will shape automatically when bending the knee.
4. Return to promenade position
   5S--Q--Q
5. Zig zag like, send her to left, end in open position.
   6S--Q--Q

6. Grapevine, 8 counts (allow her time to setup before doing these quicks)
   7Q -- Q -- Q -- Q -- Q -- Q -- Q -- Q

   Caution: Don't throw in a slow.

   Maggie says, "Slow down!" (don't keep speeding)

Eight Measures

Ending

Full body (show off) to judges, not half the body.

1. Forward, Side with pat-a-cake Lunge
   Slow -- Slow

   Open up to face judges
   Weight on outside foot, inside points diagonal forward.

2. First criss-cross pivot, 360 behind her and open up on other side
   2Q--Q--S
   Weight on outside foot, inside points diagonal forward.
3. Second criss-cross pivot, 360 behind her and back to as in #1
   3Q--Q--S
   Weight on outside foot, inside points diagonal forward.
4. She spins into Shadow Position (DON'T MOVE)
   4S--Q--Q
5. One spiral
   5S--Q--Q
6. Four Shadow Position grapevines facing judges (four quicks)
   Q -- Q -- Q -- Q

7. Step small side right and hold in Shadow Position
   Slow
   Shape to judges
   end music

Exit

1. Hold and shape while in Shadow Position
   Count "one-thousand, two thousand, three-thousand"
2. Bring her to left side so both face judges, point inside foot forward
   Be sure she is not behind
   Keep her at your attention
   Inside hand no higher than her breast level
3. Turn to face audience
   Forward-side-back
   Same poise as before
4. Precise floor exit
   1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5
   Forward-side-back-back-back-left-turn and present arm for her.
   Don't forget to look at her when presenting arm.

Finis

Sachiko, Maggie and I	Dance de-brief from Susannah and George

This is to show that dance de-briefs are not like getting grilled by LSOs.	Sachiko with her instructor Kim Andrews doing lift on a viennese waltz

Dancing is a high risk activity and your analytical brain functions can be seriously impaired or lost as a result of your participation in dancing, parties, and related activities.

Michael Wright
Website Editor