The Magnet

{1908}

Introduction

The Magnet is an easy two-step sequence dance composed by James Follit in 1908.

The Position

Facing partner, holding trailing hands.

The Dance

Part I - Side Steps and Rollaway (4 bars): Side (1), close (2), side (3), close (4) along LOD. Then, with no hands, an inward two-step rollaway, Lead turning right, Follow turning left (5-and-6, 7-and-8).

Part II - Repeat (4 bars): Repeat (1, 2, 3, 4, 5-and-6, 7-and-8).*

* As a creative variation, to make things more interesting, you could do the first rollaway inward as described, and then the second rollaway outward (Lead turning left, Follow turning right).

Part III - Chassé and Two-Step (4 bars): Side (1), close (2), half two-step to the right (3-and-4). Then repeat opposite to complete the turn (5, 6, 7-and-8).

Part III - Two-Step (4 bars): Two full turns of turning two-step (1-and-2, 3-and-4, 5-and-6, 7-and-8).

Repeat from the beginning.

The Music

"The Magnet" by James Follit is the specified tune, but it doesn't appear to have been recorded, so any early 20th century two-step will do.

Sources

• James Follit. (1908). The Magnet, A New and Attractive Dance for the Ball-Room. London.

     See Original Description



• Francis & Day (pub.). (c. 1908). Francis & Day's New and Original Ball-Room Dances, Containing Full Descriptions of All Their Latest Prize Dances (Enlarged Edition). London.

     See Original Description

© 2018, 2019 Nick Enge

For more dance descriptions, see our three books on dancing:
The Book of Mixers: 100 Easy-Teach Dances for Getting Acquainted (2022) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge,
Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide (2019) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge, and
Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living (2013) by Richard Powers and Nick Enge.

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