The Foxtrot: A Dance History
In the world of ballroom dancing, there is no dance more classically American than the Foxtrot. While ballroom dancing in general originated in Europe, the Foxtrot began as part a unique vaudeville act. Although it is generally considered “the most popular social dance,” in fact, it wasnt originally a partner dance at all! We owe the Foxtrot to its creator, an American entertainer named Harry Fox. Harry (whose real name was Arthur Carringford) didnt exactly have an ideal childhood. He was out on his own by the age of 15. He began his entertainment career in a short run with the circus and was briefly a professional baseball player. He got into vaudeville when a music publisher liked the way he sang and he performed in theatre in San Francisco.
After the big earthquake in San Fran, however (and the fire of 1906), Harry decided to head for firmer ground on the opposite coast. Ending up in New York, Harry Fox made quite a name for himself performing in various vaudeville shows. In April, he started working with the Dolly Sisters, a gorgeous pair of blonde Hungarian twin dancers. There was even a movie about them starring Betty Grable and June Haver. Such an act had to get noticed, and it did.
In the summer on 1914, one of the largest live theatres in the world, the New York Theatre, was converted into a movie house. Perhaps to hedge his bets on whether the newfangled movie industry would actually turn a profit, the owner decided to add popular live entertainment into the mix. The roof was turned into a dance floor and vaudeville acts performed in the theatre between movie showings. Harry Fox and his American Beauties were hired as a dancing act. The booking made headline news, with Variety Magazine announcing, Harry Fox will appear for a month or longer at a large salary with billing that will occupy the front of the theatre in electrics. Opening night brought this review from Variety, The debut of Harry Fox as a lone star and act amidst the films of the daily change at the New York Theatre started off with every mark of success. The Dolly Sisters are dancing nightly on the New York Roof. ”
While the beauties were dancing on the roof, Harry was knocking them dead in the theatre with a little dance of his own, trotting around the floor to ragtime music. The audience called this Fox’s Trot and soon, everyone was doing the Foxtrot. Competitions sprang up and professional dancers copied the style. When American dancer G.K. Anderson travelled to London and partnered with Josephine Bradley in dance competitions, they not only won the trophies but the hearts of all England as well. The Foxtrot took Times Square by storm.
Its not hard to understand why the Foxtrot caught on. As one of the most versatile dances, you can dance to almost any kind of music, from slow ballads to quick ragtime. You can dance the Travelling Foxtrot around the floor or remain on the spot, allowing dancers to use as much ” or as little ” floor space as is available. It fits in as well with Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett songs as it does with country music or even a tango. The Country Two-step is in fact a variation on the Foxtrot. So the next time you feel like dancing, hats off to Harry!
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