Quickstep

The Basic Requirements of the Quickstep
The Quickstep should be a light, bright dance with tricky footwork. The dancers should look like they are dancing on hot coals - most of the moves should be up on the toes because of the speed. We should be able to see lots of:

• Ankle work - Need strong ankles
• A lot of work on the balls of the feet
• Lots of spring from the feet
• A sporty delivery and very fast paced movement
• Facial expressions. Not compulsory but helps to capture the essence of the dance.

• The basic feel is slow, quick, quick, slow, quick, quick. The majority of the slow should be taken on the heel; the majority of the quick should be taken on the toe
• Should see a good mixture of heels and toes
• Should see lots of fast moving steps which are generally made up of locks and shasses with synchronised timing
• Shasse - 3 steps going to the side (side - close - side)
• Lockstep - cross one foot behind the other foot. We should see lots of these
• Turing lock steps - a lockstep that turns
• Spin Turn (also in the waltz) - one complete turn, usually danced in corners.
• Pivot - continuous turns (spinning around)
• Natural turns and reverse turns. Natural turns: 3 steps to the right - should form up to half a circle. Reverse turns: 3 steps to the left - should form up to half a circle
• Variations - fast little hopping movements are referred to as variations, but this is a very vague term
• Runs - little fast, quick repetitive movements/steps.

Quickstep - Basic step

MAN

 

Step	Count	Q/S	Feet	Notes
1	1	Slow	Left foot forward	-
2	2	Slow	Right foot forward	-
3	3	Quick	Left foot site	1/8 turn to right
4	&	Quick	Right foot closes to left foot	1/8 turn to right
5	4	Slow	Left foot back	-
6	1	Slow	Right foot back	-
7	2	Quick	Left foot side	1/8 turn to left
8	&	Quick	Right foot closes to left foot	1/8 turn to left

LADY

 

Step	Count	Q/S	Feet	Notes
1	1	Slow	Right foot back	-
2	2	Slow	Left foot back	-
3	3	Quick	Right foot site	1/8 turn to right
4	&	Quick	Left foot closes to right foot	1/8 turn to right
5	4	Slow	Right foot forward	-
6	1	Slow	Left foot forward	-
7	2	Quick	Right foot side	1/8 turn to left
8	&	Quick	Left foot closes to right foot	1/8 turn to left