Dance: The Musical – Act 2: Dancing

The Story

Dancing is the loftiest, the most moving, the most beautiful of the arts, because it is no mere translation or abstraction from life; it is life itself. (Havelock Ellis, psychologist)

So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing. (T. S. Eliot, poet)

The one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing. (James Brown, musician – the Godfather of Soul)

I got started dancing because I knew it was one way to meet girls. (Gene Kelly, actor/dancer)

The main thing is dancing, and before it withers away from my body, I will keep dancing till the last moment, the last drop. (Rudolf Nureyev, dancer)

I have no desire to prove anything by dancing. I have never used it as an outlet or a means of expressing myself. I just dance. I just put my feet in the air and move them around. (Fred Astaire, dancer)

Program (Past Posts)
Act 1: Dance

Act 2: Dancing
Dance is a rhythmic action to music, but it’s also an event where the action occurs. Then again, from the time we most-likely first danced on someone’s lap, one can dance anywhere – around the house, down the aisles of the grocery store, or wherever one desires.

Those who do it well, dance with style while expressing a message. For others, dancing is a fun activity because it brings them joy.

Act 2 features songs with Dancing or Dancin’ in the title.

Caution: No duplicate songs, which includes the same song by a different artist.

Production Note
To prevent browsers crashing from loading too many videos, please 1) include the song title and artist in your text, and 2) paste the URL as part of your last line (not a new line). The latter will provide a link, thus not embed the actual video … but I don’t mind unembedding, so apologies are not necessary.

Announcement
No matter the skill level, dancing is an expression for the dancer. Opening an act with an instrumental, but Act 2 is about dancing. Ladies and gentlemen, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to honor a dancing legend for the opener. Enjoy not only Dancing in the Dark by Ray Conniff (which is from the movie Band Wagon), but also the expression by Cyd Charisse and Fred Astaire.

On Quickstep

Quickstep – not the passion of Tango, not the aristocracy of Viennese Waltz, not the sexyness of Bolero – but Quickstep’s characteristics are quick, joyful, energetic, light-hearted, smooth, glamorous, flowing, cheerful, graceful, exuberant, playful, weightless, spontaneous, and carefree

The History
Music of the 1920s played the slow-Foxtrot too fast – thus Quickstep became the faster version

Roots lie in the strides of Foxtrot and the quickness of Charleston, but without the kicks

Quickstep is also influenced by dances Shag, Peabody, & One-Step, plus ragtime music

Quickstep called “the QuickTime Foxtrot and Charleston” at a 1927 dance competition

Performed in Ziegfeld Follies (Running Wild) in 1923

The Dance
Quickstep – the fastest tempo of all the ballroom dances

Appears dancers’ feet are barely touching the ground

Quickstep is danced in 4/4 time

Dancers stay in hold (no breaks)

The movement of the dance is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled with syncopation

Quickstep moves across the floor with quick steps, quarter turns, chasses, hops, runs, pivots, tipples, fish tails, swivels

Quickstep and it’s music are both happy and lively

The Basics
Quickstep involves fast movement, but the basic pattern is easy to learn

The basic pattern progresses down the floor in a zigzag pattern

The basic rhythm is slow-quick-quick-slow or slow-slow-quick-quick

Repeating pattern: slow, slow, quick, quick, slow, slow, quick quick, slow, slow, quick, quick, slow, etc

Quick is one beat, slow is two beats

Heel leads on forward steps important

Both the leader and follower should maintain an upright posture throughout the dance

The basic, but with a spin-turn for corners

Closing
Quickstep is not for everyone because it’s not an easy dance. However, there’s no doubt that the audience loves watching Quickstep at its finest.

On Foxtrot

My favorite dance is the Foxtrot. It’s a proper dance with proper music. It has class. (Anton du Beke)

Danced to the music of crooners, Foxtrot is a long, smooth, continuous dance designed to move down the floor and around clockwise (unless a pair has the floor to themselves as above). It’s easy, flowing manner displays face, style, and elegance … just imagine Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

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Origins
Foxtrot’s origins are debatable, some have it beginning in the 1890s. Whoever is right, there is no doubt that the dance became popular.

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There no question that early Foxtrot was faster than today as it was originally danced to ragtime. By the time of this film, the tempo had slowed down.

Style
Danced in 4-4 (4/4) time, Foxtrot is smooth and graceful … not jerky … not bouncy.

Its easy walking style helped make Foxtrot the most popular dance of the 1920s and 1930s.

Overtime, Foxtrot morphed into slow and fast versions, thus today Foxtrot is slower and Quickstep is fast. Each have similar steps, but done at different tempos. Even today, American and International versions differences include tempo. (To me, this is International style, which is slower.)

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Steps
Foxtrot is a combination of slows and quicks …. slow walking steps (each using two beats of music) followed by quick steps (each using one beat).

Because of the footwork, instructors often say “slow, slow, quick, quick” or “slow, quick, quick” in a repeated pattern

In some “slow, quick, quick” styles, the first quick is lengthened into an almost “slow, slow, quick”.

Foxtrot is a combination of walks, chasses, and turns with a rise-and-fall action from heel leads on the slows, but toe leads on the quicks. Partners commonly remain in hold most of the time … and at least in contact.

Although the timing of the music is different, many Foxtrot steps are usable in Waltz, and vice versa.

Arthur Murray started his road to fame and fortune by printing the basic step of the Foxtrot and selling them for 10 cents each through the mail. It was the first time anyone had printed dance steps and sold them mail-order.

Quickstep, Peabody, and Slow Fox are variations – thus in a group of social dancers, styles are (in my opinion) the most wide-ranging of all the ballroom dances

To close, enjoy this collection of Dancing with the Stars clips that have been brilliantly compiled, then placed into the same song.

Ready to dance?

On Taking a Deep Breath

Whew …. another Christmas is in the history book. I hope each of you had a holiday filled with joy and safety.

Our four hours at church playing handbells for two services went well. Christmas morning we traveled to my sister’s home several hours away. My wife met our new great nephew for the first time, plus we received the news that our youngest nephew’s engagement to a nice lady.

Since this is the week between two holidays, I thought a light start would be fitting. Consider this as the Tuesday Special Edition of  Monday Morning Entertainment. Since the video of Christmas clips from old movies delighted many of you, here is a clip of two classic dancers – Eleanor Powell and Fred Astaire. Enjoy …. and have a good week.

On a Thought for Shopping

I made it through the first week of the project. As an outsider, it is never easy walking into an organization I don’t know to take on a project that is in progress, with a deadline, and about a topic that I know nothing about. Being a gluten for punishment, I’ll return next week. Meanwhile, sometime this weekend I need to reply to the comments here.

Since missing the regular edition of Opinions in the Shorts still bothers me, maybe a Saturday surprise for entertainment purposes is in order. Let’s face it – the malls and other major shopping areas will be crazy this weekend, which exactly why you won’t find me there. But for those considering a shopping trip, keep your eye open for someone who may be expressing holiday cheer through dance. Thanks to H.E. for discovering this video.