History Of The Foxtrot Dance

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.