Hate is a strong word.
It was exactly how I felt. Pure, unbridled, seething, hatred.
The day I found out that all of my beloved swing music…was actually Foxtrot. I didn’t know what it was, but I decided not to like it. How could this ultra-hip, old-school, vodka gimlet swilling, swing music betray me? And especially for that, hoppity hop Fox-something?
Eventually, I learned the dance (work reasons… go figure). My feelings of betrayal and disbelief were systematically swapped out after each private lesson and group class where I found myself teaching and dancing more and more Foxtrot.
It was happening.
My relationship with Foxtrot was the plot to a romantic comedy. You know, guy moves to an apartment. Girl next door is beautiful, but could use some sensitivity training. They can’t stand each other. They’re both looking for “something”. He fixes her VCR, she buys him a new shirt. They fall in love. “Hate to Love.
Foxtrot fixed my VCR.
So that’s my story, but why do so many other people hate the Foxtrot? It’s simple: Training Wheels. There isn’t a kid alive who, after successfully transitioning to the big kid world of 2-wheeler biking decides to have their training wheels reattached. In fact, even the suggestion may evoke such responses like, “training wheels are for babies” (even if they were just removed yesterday). So what does this have to do with Foxtrot? Everything.
Foxtrot is simple:
- Simple dances are easy to layer
- Easy layers make for faster progress
- We use the skills we learn from Foxtrot in other dances to make them easier
- Foxtrot gets cast aside like… you guessed it, Training Wheels
So, unfortunately, Tango will be the glory hog of the ballroom family. Waltz, the elegant one - that’s always seemed so smooth. But trusty old Foxtrot, that dance version of training wheels is the unsung hero of the pack.
What many people don’t realize is that:
- Foxtrot goes through the biggest caterpillar to butterfly metamorphosis of all the dances
- The negative feelings start to subside when Foxtrot spreads its wings and starts looking like a “sassy waltz”
- This is social dancing. Foxtrot teaches you to talk while dancing better than any other
So, give the new neighbor a chance. Foxtrot could, quite possibly, be the next romantic comedy in your dance program.
Hate it now and love it later.
