Palatine Fox-Trot

{1920}


Prince Palatine in 1920



Introduction

The Palatine Fox-Trot is a fox trot sequence dance composed by Charles J. Daniels in 1920.

It's likely named for the champion British racehorse, Prince Palatine, who was sold in 1920 to an American breeder for the record sum of $250,000 (equivalent to $3 million today). While the sequence itself doesn't appear to have won any prizes, it's still a satisfying early foxtrot sequence.

As a dance, it's closely related to the earlier Lulu Fox Trot (1917). Compare Parts I and II of this dance to the corresponding parts of that dance, and Part III of this dance to Part IV of that dance.



The Position

Closed position, Lead facing LOD.


The Dance

Part I - Back the Follow (4 bars): Back the Follow SSQQS on first foot (1, 2, 3-and-4), then SSQQS on second foot (5, 6, 7-and-8), turning 1/4 to the right on the last step.

Part II - Four Slide (4 bars): Chassé three times along LOD (1-and, 2-and, 3-and), then turn halfway to the left on the fourth side step (4), backing the Follow across LOD to the inside lane. Repeat on the other foot (5-and, 6-and, 7-and, 8), turning 1/4 to the right on the fourth side step to regain original orientation.

Part III - Half Turns (4 bars): Back the Follow two steps (1, 2), turning 1/4 to the right on the second step, then dance half of a turning two-step (3-and-4) to back the Lead two steps (5, 6), turning 1/4 to the right on the second step, then dance half of a turning two-step to regain original orientation (7-and-8).

Part IV - Zig Zag and Two-Step (4 bars): Chassé diagonally forward to the left (1-and-2) and to the right (3-and-4), turning 1/4 to the right on the last step, then dance a full turn of turning two-step (5-and-6, 7-and-8).

Repeat from the beginning.


The Music

"Palatine Fox-Trot" by Gladys Noble is the specified tune, but it doesn't appear to have been recorded, so any square, early 20th century fox trot will do.


Sources


© 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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