Harry Fox, an African American Vaudeville dancer, introduced the “Foxtrot” when he performed with the Ziegfeld Follies in 1910.
Vernon and Irene Castle, husband and wife ballroom dance sweethearts, appeared on Irving Berlin’s Broadway show in 1914, “Watch Your Step.” They popularized the Foxtrot.
Women were finding greater freedom to participate in dance.
James Reese Europe’s 125-piece orchestra created music for Vernon and Irene. The “Castle Doggy-Fox Trot” was named after the couple.
Smooth syncopated rhythms
Brassy bluesy tones
Bright, high-pitched sound of Mandolins
Bass sound from bandores
Harp guitars
Bass
Wide range of pitches and tones from strings
Irene, a fashion trend setter
Tossing the cruel corsets
Long soft flowing sun colored chiffon gown lavished with crystals
Tight bodice
Soft low-heeled slippers
Bobbed dark hair style decorated with a band of pearls
Pancake makeup achieves “pale look”
Pots of carmine color used for lips, cheeks
Pots of grey, brown and lemon colored paste applied slightly to lids
Vernon, a World War I pilot
Dark black hair
Black dress shoes smooth split sole
Black dress pants
Tailored white shirt
Bow tie
Black narrowed waist length shouldered jacket with coat tails
Closed position man and lady face each other slightly offset
Hold an upper hand clasp
4/4 time with first and third beats of each measure accented
Tempo 29 to 34 measures per minute
Follow the graceful motion and lightness of the footfall
Leader: step forward with left foot (slow) then step forward with right foot (slow) walking steps forward heel-toe foot placement
Quick-quick: step to left side with left foot (quick) then close the right foot to the left (quick)
Follower: step backward with right foot (slow), then step backward with the left foot (slow) these are two walking steps backward maintaining a toe heel placement
Quick-quick: step to the right side with the right foot (quick) then close the left foot to the right (quick)
Weight shift: transfer weight fully with each step
Footwork: roll through your feet using heel-to-toe or toe-to-heel movements
Keep shoulders relaxed, core engaged
Promenade (slow slow quick quick) keep knees soft as you walk forward, swing through with your sidestep, close your feet together while still being offset to the left, turn your head and look into the direction you are traveling, rotate your hips a little bit as your feet turn
Hear the beat of the music
Smooth, glamourous, controlled elegant movements
“Shall We Dance? The True Story of the Couple Who Taught the World to Dance” by Douglas Thompson shares the final stored love letter from Vernon to Irene in 1918 during WWI. In February 1918 Vernon died when training a student at the Royal Air force.
Irene,
“When you get this letter. I shall be gone out of your sweet life.
My only thought, darling, is for you. I don’t want you to be unhappy. You may be sure that I died with your sweet name on my lips, and my only wish for your future is happiness. You are the sweetest thing God ever made, dear.”
When dancing the Foxtrot, don’t forget what Harry Fox, the Castles, and James Reese Europe’s orchestra did for the world of dance.
