Feeling energetic? Ready for fun? Then you’ve come to the right place! Yep, the Quickstep is just what it sounds like. A fast-paced dance with a healthy amount of gusto, the Quickstep is not for the faint of the heart!

Light hearted and upbeat, this dance has its roots in Ragtime and borrows its style from a combination of the Foxtrot, Charleston, Peabody, and the One step. Developed in New York in the 1920’s, the Quickstep was intended to be a solo dance that was done away from your partner. But, as the Quickstep caught on in popularity, it became a dynamic partner dance that can be as complex or simple as the pair wants.

Due to its rich background of styles from other dances, it was originally given the name “Quick Time Fox Trot”. As you can imagine, that was a bit of a mouthful, so as the dance evolved into its own unique set of steps, the name was also changed to simply the Quickstep.

It was eventually standardized in 1927 to the dance we know and love today, and the basic form consists of combinations of mostly walks and chasses. However, the fun music and energetic pace of the dance mean most dancers at high levels don’t like to “reign it in,” so you’ll see top notch dancers incorporating hops, jumps, runs and a lot of syncopated steps, all carried through the momentum of the music. Though moving with tempo, dancers maintain body contact with their partners, giving the Quickstep both an elegant and glamorous style.

Whether you’re a beginner being carried by the upbeat music, or an advanced dancer mastering syncopation, the Quickstep will have you smiling… and laughing, if you can catch your breath!