How to Count Slow Foxtrot Music: Base Time and Phrasing

The short answer: Slow Foxtrot has four beats in every bar. You count it in slows and quicks: a slow is worth two beats and a quick is worth one, so a slow, quick, quick fills one bar. Once you have that, count the bars too (1 2 3 4, 2 2 3 4, 3 2 3 4, up to 8 2 3 4) so you always know where you are in the phrase. Then start your choreography on a specific bar, such as bar 1, 3 or 5, and save your big moments for bar 8.

How do you count slows and quicks in Slow Foxtrot?

A slow is worth two beats of music and a quick is worth one. So slow, quick, quick is counted 1 2, 3, 4: the slow takes beats 1 and 2, the first quick takes beat 3 and the second quick takes beat 4. That's the basic count, your base time, and it's the first skill to get right. Use the full two beats for every slow and one beat for every quick.

It sounds easy until you start dancing a routine to real music. That's why the next step is knowing which beat of which bar you're on.

How do you count beats and bars in Slow Foxtrot music?

Count the number of the bar on the first beat, then beats 2, 3 and 4: 1 2 3 4, 2 2 3 4, 3 2 3 4, 4 2 3 4, and so on up to 8 2 3 4. Then the music goes back to bar 1. This is the key to the whole lesson.

• Four beats in a bar: every bar of Slow Foxtrot music has four beats.
• Phrases: choreography is built in phrases of 1, 2, 4 and 8 bars, and most strict tempo Foxtrot music runs in phrases of 8 bars before it goes back to 1.
• Listen for the crescendo: as you count beats and bars, you'll start to hear the music build towards the end of each phrase. I love old-school Foxtrots, because you hear it best in them.

Counting beats and bars feels strange at first. It's fine to count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 up to 8 if that's easier for now, but I think the effort of learning beats and bars is worth it, because it makes you more musical.

How do you write your Slow Foxtrot routine to the music?

Write your routine down the left-hand side of the page, write the slows and quicks next to each figure, then add the beats and bars. I separate the counts with commas so I can see where each slow and quick sits. Here's the start of a routine:

1. Feather Step: slow, quick, quick. Bar 1: 1 2, 3, 4.
2. Reverse Turn: slow, quick, quick. Bar 2: 2 2, 3, 4.
3. Finish of the Reverse Turn: slow, quick, quick. Bar 3: 3 2, 3, 4.

I struggled with this myself, and this is exactly what I did. It shows you when each figure starts and stops, and where in the bar you are, so you're no longer just counting slow, quick, quick. There are four skills to build, in this order:

1. Count slows and quicks.
2. Know your routine timing.
3. Map your routine out in beats and bars in your notebook.
4. Start on specific bars of the music.

Which bar should you start your Slow Foxtrot routine on?

Start the first step of your actual choreography on bar 1, bar 3 or bar 5. That means your Feather Step (on the right foot for the man and the left foot for the lady), not your preparation step. The bars to know are 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8.

When you build your choreography, aim to hit the highlight on bar 8 and start the new section of choreography on bar 1. In strict tempo Foxtrot music, every bar is equal and most phrases are 8 bars long, so when you dance this way your routine starts to look as if it was choreographed to the song.

You can see this in the Slow Foxtrot of Luca Baricchi and Loraine Barry that I count through in the video. They finish on the crescendos: they hit 8 2 3 4, finish a line figure, and come out on bar 1 for the next section of choreography. The music is an advanced jazz classic that sits almost behind the beat. That's what happens when you phrase your choreography and dance in phrases, rather than trying to hit every beat. If you're going into a line figure like an Oversway, a Hinge or a Lunge, show it at the right moment in the music, not just because you can count slow and quick.

Where does the preparation step fit in the music?

Take your preparation step in bar 4 so your Feather Step starts on bar 5. The preparation step, or wind-up, is where you brush your feet and then step out, at the beginning of the music. As the introduction plays, I count 1 2 3 4, 2 2 3 4, 3 2 3 4, and I'm always listening for bar 4 so I can prepare and start on time.

• Bar 4: your preparation step.
• Bar 5: Feather Step, slow (5 2), quick (3), quick (4).
• Bars 6 to 8: carry on through your routine, 6 2 3 4, 7 2 3 4, 8 2 3 4.

You can use beats 3 and 4 for the preparation (a slow), or just beat 4 (a quick). I prefer a single beat, because it gives a bit of swing into the Feather Step. Using a slow can feel heavy. The preparation step isn't talked about much, but it matters.

Common mistakes

• Hearing a beat and just going, without knowing which beat of which bar you're on.
• Counting slows and quicks but not knowing where each figure starts and stops in the bar.
• Cutting the slows short instead of using the full two beats.
• Starting your choreography on any bar, instead of on bar 1, 3 or 5.
• Treating the preparation step as the start of the routine. The routine starts with your first Feather Step.
• Dancing line figures wherever the slows and quicks allow, rather than at a moment in the music.

Try this in your next practice

Write your routine out with its slows and quicks, then map the beats and bars over the top. Put on a strict tempo Slow Foxtrot, ideally a classic, and count the introduction out loud: 1 2 3 4, 2 2 3 4, 3 2 3 4. Take your preparation step in bar 4 and start your Feather Step on bar 5. Keep counting the bars as you dance and check where each figure lands. Aim for your line figures on bar 8 and your new sections on bar 1. It will feel weird at first, so keep experimenting.

Frequently asked questions

How many beats are in a bar of Slow Foxtrot?

Four. A slow takes two beats and a quick takes one, so slow, quick, quick fills one bar.

How fast is Slow Foxtrot music?

WDSF competition rules set Slow Foxtrot at 28 to 30 bars a minute.

How many bars is a Feather Step?

One. The Feather Step is slow, quick, quick, which is four beats, or one bar of music.

Can I just count 1 to 8 instead of beats and bars?

You can, and a lot of dancers do. It's an elementary way of counting. Counting beats and bars takes more work, but it shows you exactly where you are in the phrase and makes you more musical.

Does counting beats and bars work for Waltz too?

Yes. Waltz works the same way, with three beats in each bar instead of four.

Related lessons

• How to count Waltz music: base time and phrasing
• How to dance the Slow Foxtrot Feather Step
• Slow Foxtrot basic and advanced routine
• 3 tips to master timing and music in Ballroom and Latin

Vaughan Liddicoat is a 4 time World Professional 10 Dance representative for Australia, an accredited coach and the founder of Ballroom Mastery. He has a passion for dance and wants to help you become the best dancer you can be and have an amazing time doing it.