I am at a sort of impasse in my understanding of the foxtrot step. I'll explain how my understanding of it has developed, and hopefully someone might be able to help this ignorant student.

I was taught long ago the basic Slow-Slow-Quick-Quick, with the understanding that it moved in a sort of "L" shape and that it always moved forwards (from the perspective of the lead). Spins, promenade, grapevine, etc all naturally fit in this progression.

Then, after watching a series of videos, namely from this site, it seemed that there was an "alternate" step: the slow-quick-quick. I didn't know what to make of that, except to assume that one could switch between the two steps at will. Also it seemed that one could indiscriminately move forwards or backwards. So with that: how in the world is the girl supposed to follow this seemingly random switching of step? Can all foxtrot moves be executed during either step procedure?

On that note, just what exactly is the core, defining element of foxtrot? I see the professionals dancing it and am unable to distinguish anything near "slow, slow, quick quick". They seem to step whenever feels appropriate. It is foxtrot, yet looks nothing like what I know. Skill level aside, when I see professional waltz, I can distinguish the typical down-up-up, the 1-2-3, etc. Professional fox looks like a different dance altogether.

Finally, just what differentiates quickstep from foxtrot? Or to phrase it as I did earlier, what is the core, defining element that makes a dance quickstep, opposed to foxtrot?

Many, many thanks in advance. I am incredibly grateful for any help at all.

Sounds like you learned the American version of bronze foxtrot. That's what most new students get when they start. The SQQ version you are referring to is the silver version. You are correct that it is a different dance. There is very little similarity between bronze and silver American foxtrot. The silver version is the same as International foxtrot in basic technique but many of the steps are different.

You can't arbitrarily mix bronze and silver.

There isn't much similarity between quickstep and foxtrot either.

In American Style dance, the SSQQ in foxtrot is known as the "Magic Rhythm", and the SQQ is the "Box Rhythm." While I have seen others make the same comment as SmoothGeezer about the first being bronze and the second silver, I don't believe the distinction is quite that clear cut: for example, DanceVision definitely includes "Box Rhythm" steps in its American Style bronze syllabus, although the majority of steps are in Magic timing.

To try to answer your other questions: American Style dance is meant for social dancing. Especially in social dancing to live music, songs can undergo changes in rhythm (a.k.a. a "break"), and the dancers have to do something like what a horseman might call a "flying lead change." What was a waltz might suddenly become more of a cha cha, or rumba, or whatever - and then change back again. The way the lady is suppose to follow any change in dance step rhythm is quite simple: she just has to follow a good lead. If you're the guy, it's your job to provide such.

If you're a lady, you are regrettably dependent to a large extent upon the guy's ability to lead, though admittedly, some men give leads that are more subtle than those of others, and which might require greater attention by the lady. If you're the lady, is your partner experienced, or a novice? If he's experienced, explain you're not always picking up on his lead, and ask him to explain his to you, and maybe strengthen them a little bit until you are properly "attuned" to it. If he's a novice, try involving your instructor the next time the situation arises -- both of you may need help in the lead/follow department, or maybe just he does. The instructor should be able to identify the problem. If you're not working with an instructor, ask some friends who dance well for help.

As someone who is only vaguely familiar with International Style dance, I can not provide a definitive answer concerning the differences between foxtrot and quickstep (quickstep is not part of American Style). Certainly, I have the impression that one key difference is the tempo, the speed of the music. I suspect there are styling differences as well.

I have never heard anyone refer to silver American foxtrot as a box rhythm, however I have heard people call bronze foxtrot a box rhythm.

The basic things that distinguish these two are:

Bronze foxtrot always ends in a closed foot position at the end of a step. (I can't think of any exceptions at the moment, except sometimes some instructors may take a simple silver step and teach that in a bronze class.) I can't think of any steps in silver foxtrot that end in a closed foot position (although there might be a rare one that I haven't thought of).

Another main difference between the two is the rise and fall. Bronze foxtrot "rise and fall" isn't even referred to as rise and fall by some people because it is so different from silver foxtrot and International foxtrot. I won't try to explain the difference here.

Although bronze foxtrot is usually referred to as a SSQQ rhythm and silver as a SQQ rhythm, there are exceptions. Some patterns in bronze are done SQQ and some steps may use other combinations of slows and quicks. There aren't as many variations in bronze as there are in silver however.

Yes bronze American foxtrot is often referred to as a social dance, but bronze foxtrot is also done in competitions, and depending on where you go, you may find that the predominate foxtrot danced socially is actually silver foxtrot.

I am not sure the direction of this thread has turned in a direction that will be helpful to the original poster (efire), who seems to be a beginner.

I don't see anything in the subsequent comments that go against the advice I gave to efire, so hopefully that is not an issue. However, there is at least one thing that I believe is being mis-stated here, and which could cause efire or others confusion later on. So: SmoothGeezer, it is my understanding that the issue of passing feet/closing of feet has nothing to do with fox trot per se, and everything to do with whether you are dancing at the silver level or the bronze. For example, in bronze waltz you also close your feet; in silver waltz, they pass. The passing/closing of the feet has little or nothing to do with the individual step being performed: in most cases, a step can be executed in either manner. Passing of the feet does not signify you are doing a more advanced step; rather, it merely indicates you are performing it with advanced (silver or higher) style.

I'll also point that I never said, nor even suggested, the American Style dance was not done in competitions. I said it was "meant" for social dancing, which admittedly was sloppy word choice on my part: I should have said something like "designed." At least as I understand it, social dancing is the wellspring from which the entire American Style sprang: use in competitions was a subsequent development -- i.e., a by-product, an after-thought.

I geared my original comments towards efire, who seems to definitely be at the bronze level. If anyone disagrees with the advice given, especially concerning leading/following, I'd be interested in hearing about it. terence2 is of course correct concerning the origins of the "magic" term; I used it because of the audience I was writing to, and because that is the term used in my own community (BTW, there is no A/M studio in the area, so perhaps the usage is regional, or maybe its more widely used than thought). IMHO, it is a friendlier label than "SSQQ," so I use it when given the choice.