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Created by Dance Master Mr.
Uriel Davis (also Fish Walk and Grape Juice Wallow).
The Horse trot was a 'running walk' dance and was somewhat
different than the Turkey Trot, Grizzly Bear and Bunny Hug
of the time. Most of these Popular Ragtime dances were based
on the One Step. It was popular in the early 1910s but was
losing favor with the public around 1914. Mainly due to the
high kicking involved as the ladies garments of the time made
it difficult to do as well as many seeing the dance as vulgar.
The music was 2/4 (Ragtime), and very lively. The dance was
first introduced at Copley-Plaza in Boston, Ma. at a ball
given by Hamilton Fish Jr. in 1912/13.
The Basic
step for the HorseTrot resembles closely the
step of the Cake Walk,
raising the foot quite high with rather a jumpy style. It
consists of a forward and backward movement, turning to the
right and to the left. Taking the Yale or American Ballroom
position and dancing around after each other. A stationary
step, cutting the foot to the side, a series of dips with
the right foot back are often taken.
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The Canter movement
in the Horse Trot would be done with the Gentleman springing
to his left foot (1), dips back with the right foot (2), takes
two trots back ward, left foot (3) and right foot (4). This
movement when repeated several times closely resembles a canter.
By 1914 the Dance Masters of America refined the Horsetrot
and called the Canter
The Picket
Fence Movement: This consists of four trots
directly to the left rear oblique, then the same number of
steps forward left oblique; in this forward movement have
the lady to the right side in Yale position. This backward
and forward movement is in a 'V formation', or 'zigzag', which
is repeated several times and which is to represent, in design,
the top of a picket fence, hence its name. Then the turns
may be inserted again, followed by the original 'Grape Vine
Step'.
The Kangaroo
Dip: is another step often used in the Horse
Trot. It is a succession of dips backward for the gentleman
and forward for the lady, making it resemble the kangaroo.
The Chicken
Scratch: This, another oddity, is very similar
to the pivot used in Ballet work
(using the one foot as a pivot and moving the other around
it by taking small steps). The only difference is that
the foot that is doing the actual stepping scrapes or scratches
the floor, imitating a chicken. The turns may be complete
or just half-way around, then back again.
Most writers of the day expressed that "The
Horse-Trot", "Kangaroo Dip" and the "Chicken
Scratch" are by no means graceful, and really should
have no place in the ballroom. In Germany they called it (trots)
the "Truthahn Tanz," and in France it was the 'Pas
fiu Dindon. |
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