Quickstep

Quickstep has mixed American and English origins. In the 1920’s, as tempos of dance music were not yet standardised, many bands were playing faster tempo of the then popular Foxtrot. Not being able to keep up with it, couples started a slightly different style of dancing adding faster jumps and runs, but retaining original walks, chasses and turns of Foxtrot.

On several British Islands, the influence of Shimmy, Black Bottom, Shag, Peabody, One Step and solo danced Charleston, helped established the joyful character of this dance, then named ‘Quicktime Foxtrot and Charleston’.

In 1927 it was standardised as an elegant ballroom dance keeping the glamour and smoothness of its Foxtrot ancestor, yet being distinguishable by sequences of quick steps, runs chasses and locks giving an impression of lightness. The Quickstep music is bright and fast (200 beats per minute), allowing dancers an infinite variety of steps. They often use syncopation, using extra half measures, creating unusual and interesting shifts of accent in 4/4 music.