Would anybody else like to see the official timing for the Foxtrot in the International Style lowered from 30 BPM to 25 BPM . That apears to be the Tempo being used in demonstrations given by top performers. Which allows for the extra bending of the knees and much more musicality as they sweep across the floor.

No thanks.

The extremes of dancesport at the highest level are OK in their proper place, but seeing wider adoption, thoughout the general dancing community (which is largely completely indifferent to the tiny world of competitive dance), would be awful.

BTW, I seriously don't think that tempo (within sensible limits) has any impact on musicality, unless you can't dance very well.

Telemark. Learn to stay on the supporting leg longer. This I am told.
At the point where I am balanced , at the extent of the stride on the heel of the front foot and the toe of the back foot, My weight is in the middle but moving. At this point one and one half a beat has elapsed which leaves a half a beat to send my weight onto the new standing leg and bring the now moving foot under the body and passing.. This is repeated on all slows in the Foxtrot. The first of the Reverse Turn for instance. It is possible to count this 1.1/2. 1/2. but not very practical. So just stay on the supporting leg longer. As long as we know what is supposed to happen. We are part way there at least. I think I am right if I say that a teacher calling the slows and quicks without music will be more towards 25 bars per minute than 30.

What has this got to do with tempo? Indeed, why do you address your remarks to me?

Hi ME
I'd be happy to see the tempo reduced to 29 or maybe 28 (bars per minute).
Frank Sinatra's "Strangers in the night" is at about 25 bars per minute. Although it's good to dance to this for practice, it's very difficult to make it look 'good'.
It's not just a matter of staying on the standing leg longer. Suppose the tempo were reduced to 1 bar per minute? nothing could make that look smooth.

Its been played at 29 bars for many yrs in Intern. Standard...

I'm about to weigh-in in an unsusal venue...but I do dance Standard and I think this is not just a Foxtrot question.

At a competitive level all the dances are basically too fast for how much has to happen. You become a stunning dancer when you stem the tide and you become so good it isn't 'too fast' any longer and you make it beautiful, easy, and almost as if you have all the time in the world.

I have seen people play with the speed by changing when they arrive on the beat. If they arrive at the beginning rather than the middle or the end it makes it look different. Maybe you should try playing with when you arrive within your musical phrasing.

I would not say ALL the dances..the one exception might be Tango.. the rest in Standard, are acceptable at the current speeds, for good interpretation.

I should have said seemed...not really actually too fast...

And yet Professional dancers giving a demonstration seem to go for the much slower Foxtrots . Even down to 22 bars per minute. The most used appears to be 24 bars per minute. These are by the top demonstrators and can easily be found on youtube. If we go to Orchestras who specialize in recording dance music. If they relied on selling only to Ballroom Dancers they would soon go broke. The general puplic like a vocal recording and if the song needs to be played at whatever tempo. Thats what it will be played at. So maybe its the orchestra leaders who have the last say.