Quickstep

As the name implies, the Quickstep is a very quick and lively dance comprised of hops, skips, and kicks. The dance originated in the 1920s as a quick version of the Slow Foxtrot mixed with the Charleston and musical influences from Jazz. Many bands at the time played the Slow Foxtrot too fast, at 50 bars/min, and the large open steps from the original dance could not be danced at this speed, and so the British eventually developed a dance that was a result of the original Charleston, a progressive dance without kicks, mixed with the above mentioned fast Foxtrot and called this dance the Quicktime Foxtrot and Charleston. The English couple Frank Ford and Molly Spain danced at the Star Championships in 1927 a version of this Quicktime Foxtrot and Charleston without the characteristic Charleston knee actions and made it a dance for two instead of solo. In 1928-1929 the Quickstep was definitely born with the characteristic Chassé and Lock steps.