Dear Readers:

I received the Quarterly Newsletter for members of the USISTD and read the following article, written by Judi Hatton, FISTD.  Judi is the editor of the Newsletter and is a Fellow of ISTD which is the highest ranking certification possible.  Her article was entitled “Dance is the Poetry of the Foot,” and I have secured her permission to reprint the article in its entirety for this column.  This article is written very eloquently and stresses the importance of footwork and substantiates what I have tried to relay to the readers in many of my columns.  It reads as follows :

“Dance is the Poetry of the Foot”

The headline for this article was written by English poet John Dryden who lived from 1631-1700, and it is as true today as it was centuries ago in restoration England.  Unfortunately many dancers today don’t seem to have received the memo!

As I travel around the country coaching and judging I am continually amazed at how little attention is paid to what is, without doubt, one of the fundamental building blocks for any dancer - the feet.  They are after all the part of the anatomy that is in contact with terra firma, and as such should be the first line of attack.  Yes, I know that there are those among us who descry the need for good technique, or even technique at all.  How often have we heard “Don’t worry about the small stuff, just do it, just go!”?  Would any of us, living in a building, say to the bricklayer, “Don’t bother with the foundation, just make the walls look pretty.”?  Despite the fact that we know little or nothing about bricklaying, we are all too practical to believe that the pretty walk will remain standing when subjected to even the slightest stress.

The most fundamental element in the construction of any dance is the use of the feet and legs, the footwork.  Clearly, in order for a dancer to progress from journeyman to artist, it must be correct, so why do so many dancers and teachers ignore this most basic and important element?  Fundamental footwork is the easiest element to correct, the information is readily available in any one of several books, all the dancer or teacher needs to do is look it up!  Although the information found in technique books may be overly simple, it certainly is a very good place to start.  There are simply no excuses for incorrect footwork.

The consequences of poor and incorrect use of the feet can be devastating - loss of rhythm at best, off time at worst.  Lack of speed, breakdown in partnership, inability to stay together or connected, loss of topline/style in the standard dances, all of the are common faults.  The prescription that will help cure all of these symptoms is the good use of feet and legs, why then are so many dancers willing to believe the Philistines?  Is it the promise of a quick fix?  Are we so conditioned by our ‘instant’ society to expect instant success?  Success never comes by accident; it is the product of intelligent thought and planning, lots of hard work and a generous pinch of luck.

When we look intelligently at what the feet and legs are used for, what they create and what they effect, it becomes astounding even to the neophyte that this facet of the dance, our very wheels, can be so flagrantly ignored.  Consider the action of movement as it relates to dance.  We move in eight fundamental directions, and must be prepared to go in any one of them in a split second.  Add to this the production of speed, rotation and swing, not to mention sway and shape, all qualities required for a dancer to produce a three dimensional picture while moving across the floor.  Imagine zipping down the Interstate when suddenly, without warning, one of your wheels became square.  Despite the fact that your three remaining wheels were in good shape, the fourth square wheel would dramatically impede your progress and make for a very bumpy ride.  The driver would be forced to slow down and would experience a severe loss of maneuverability.  If your students/pupils/couples footwork is incorrect they are in the same situation, and as competitors or medalists, are giving the judge/examiner a clear and dramatic reason NOT to mark them or mark them poorly.  Everything the dancer does, choreography, position, action, rise and fall, sway, swing, speed and slowness, all are attributed in some way to the use of the foot, not just the toes and heels, but to the use of specific parts.  Just like the skater’s blade, the foot must be employed with knowledge and finesse, for it is only by using the feet specifically, inside edges, outside edges and ‘corners’, as well as ankles, that the dancer can truly produce a bravura performance.

Champions are not ‘born’, they are ‘made’, by application, perseverance, desire and vision, and a lot of luck.  Change your luck and that of your students today.  Work to eliminate foot faults in your pupils and give them a solid base to be as good as they can be.  They will be surprised at how easy it is when it is done right and thrilled at the results they achieve whether they are social dancers or competitors.

Judi Hatton, FISTD

Although this article was written for instructors it is applicable to all students of dance, which I remain today!