In the Beginning

To me, the introduction into ballroom is one of the most important parts of learning or teaching properly.  If you don't get a good introduction, you will learn very slowly, and eventually you will have to fix many bad habits that were learnt in the beginning.  Obviously, we want to start with the simplest dance of them all.  Latin or Rhythm dances would most certainly get the basic ideas of changing the feet on every step and timing, but this doesn't help us with moving down line of dance.  But Waltz is just too confusing, and we don't want to confuse our beginners with the Tango 'tap' step.  So what is the perfect dance to start with?

In my opinion, the very first dance anyone should learn is American foxtrot.  I know I rank on this little dance for not being quite as nice as International Foxtrot, but the truth is, as an introduction into dance, nothing beats it!

You see, in American foxtrot we have that simple "step, step, side, close" rhythm which can be repeated over as many times as we want.  Knowing that the "side close" is the end of every basic figure can help the lady follow the man, and the man has less to think about.

Also, the lack of turns in the beginning makes it very simple to pick up and dance.  Not having to worry if you are facing this wall or that wall takes another confusing element away.  All the man has to do is focus on his pattern and face the outside wall.  Pretty convenient isn't it?

Also, the first four basic steps we learn, the forward basic, back basic, promenade, and rock turn can be danced in any order, as in any one of these steps can be danced directly after any of the other steps, with one small exception; the rock turn should only be done once in every corner, but it still can come before or after any of the other steps I mentioned.  Its pretty convenient because you don't have to worry where the step is going to put you, you just have to worry about what step you will do next.

If you are looking into ballroom, I plan on making a little tutorial on how to start with Foxtrot.  But this is why, in my opinion, essentially everyone should start off with foxtrot.

-Aaron Mullen