Thoughts on Quickstep by Anthony Hurley

The first point to remember about the Quickstep is that it was designed to be primarily a swing dance. However, even allowing for development it has over the last few years, in general, become a hop, skip, run and jump, athletic dance, with endless syncopated chasses.

During the period from 1947 to 1952, the champions of the day, namely Wally Fryer & Violet Barnes, introduced some new figures and actions that highlighted their performance. Syncopated locksteps, chasses and Crackerjerjacks. The combination of these actions made an entertaining and successful performance that also highlighted the melody and accents of the Quickstep music.

To return to my first paragraph, the dance has without question changed dramatically. My impression of today’s Quickstep is that it has become a race around the floor to circumnavigate the ballroom as many times as possible.

Unfortunately, this immature approach leads to a lack of musicality and a stressful look.

To be in numerical count, example counting up to eight may keep one in basic timing, but does not necessarily create a musical performance.

There are so many attractive alternative figures available to customise one’s Quickstep choreography, which will result in a smooth and rhythmic interpretation. To overload with only one or two movements only highlights a lack of understanding of the lightness, beauty and exhilarating actions that are fundamentally the story of the Quickstep.

Overall, Quickstep is of course a progressive dance, but my advice to couples today would be to remember. “It is not how far we can move from step one to step two, for example, but how far we move in a bar of music, depending on the type of figure being danced.”

Why not set a trend and investigate evergreen Quickstep figures, such as the Cracker Jack, Pendulum Points, Sway Taps, even Charleston Flickers and filter them between the more modern progressive actions to create variety.

Finally, learn to control your energies and direct them to produce economy of movement. Above all, adjudicators want to reward a rhythmic and exhilarating performance full of characterisation, expression, lightness and most importantly musicality. They are not interested in how many times couples circumnavigate the floor.