"The couple would be in big trouble if the lady did not know she was about to dance a syncopation. What about when she has to dance four steps to the mans three,is he going to dance it for her?"

A lot of the time, she will not consciously know she is about to do one of these things until she is already well into the process of doing it - unless you are doing a fixed routine, actual following is about responding at a sub-cognitive level. By the time she actually consciously knows what he is doing, it is far too late to respond. So the man isn't going to dance for her, but he has to do the things that lead her to do these timings, without her needing to know that they are about to happen.

Good answer. Dave

Dave. If the man dances out of time then he should spend a few hours going up and down the floor. All heel leads and in time, all slows. That goes for the lady also. After that try a Feather Step Three. Feather Step Three Step straight down the floor and around the around the hall, with parner. At first in an extended hold. Backwards also. Then in ballroom hold. If you can't do that then you cannot dance the Foxtrot.
Latin also. Rumba Walks straight line all the way around and around the ballroom. Then try Cha Walks and Locks. and Samba. Anybody who knows anything about Latin will tell you to do this all the time, there is no other way.

Don. We very rarly go out of time,my version of going out of time is to be a little late or early at arriving over the foot,but not being out of time, for example arriving at the right moment to dance that perfect hover, or to get there a little early so as to enhance the movement. Going out of time in the standerd dances is a thing of the pass for us, but latin is more difficult.

Annie. One thing that has not been mentioned as regards timing and that is.
If either you or your partner or both dont keep your feet in contact with the floor the timing will suffer. If the stepping foot is clear of the floor you are on one leg, there is no control untill it touches down. If somebody said freeze, ( stop ) it is not possible if one of the feet is not on the floor and the other skimming the floor. If the balance and the feet are correct a dancer should be able to stop instantly. A simple test is to freeze on the second quick of a Feather Step and hold it.

"If the balance and the feet are correct a dancer should be able to stop instantly."

BZZT, wrong. If you can do this you have no body flight, and are dancing latin, not modern.

Suomynona. You have not got that right.Your body is over the right foot as the heel lowers. Without body flight I would be still on my supporting foot.
Have you taken note how John Wood and partner are in a neutral position at this point. If this proves difficult you can blame it on the absence of CBMP. In the Foxtrot in particular the absence of CBM and CBMP causes most of the trouble that exists in this dance. Think like this, if there is no CBMP on the second quick of the Feather. Then the first step into our Reverse will be compromised, or if you like wrong. And so it goes on.

"You have not got that right.Your body is over the right foot as the heel lowers. Without body flight I would be still on my supporting foot."

Position yes, but you have ignored the velocity which must coincide with that position. You are over the foot, but should have too much momentum to stop using that foot alone - you must take another step in the process of stopping, or throw a real monkey wrench into the motion to stop without doing so.

If you can stop you are dancing without flight, taking only one step at at time. Save that for the tango, and the latin.