Master Your Footwork and Foot Positions in Ballroom Dancing

The short answer: footwork is the part of your foot in contact with the floor, such as heel, ball, toe or whole foot. Foot positions describe where one foot goes in relation to the other, such as forward, back, side, or side and slightly forward. Right foot forward is a foot position; heel toe is footwork. Master both and you have the foundation for balance, control and timing.

What is footwork in Ballroom dancing?

Footwork is what part of your foot is in contact with the floor. Is it a heel, a ball or a toe? Is it a heel lead going forward, or heel to toe? Your foot has more parts than you think: heel, ball, toe, whole foot, inside edge of toe and inside edge of whole foot. The floor is your friend, so get to know how you use it.

What are foot positions in Ballroom dancing?

Foot positions are one of the first chart headings in the technique book, and one of the most important. They tell you where one foot goes in relation to the other: forward, back, side, side and slightly forward, side and slightly back, and positions such as promenade, CBMP, outside partner and side leading. Think of them as your GPS. And remember: where your feet go, your body follows.

Why does technique matter if you just want to dance?

Because if you don't master your feet, nothing else works. Technique gives you form, and form gives you freedom. Learning it is like learning a language: confusing at first, then one day it clicks and your body starts responding. I call that becoming an activated dancer, and it can happen at any age. Ballroom has developed over the years, but the core principles haven't changed. They're the foundations of the house.

How do you master your footwork and foot positions?

In the video I show you the exercise I give my students:

1. Get a notebook: write out your routine using the exact figure names. Write Natural Spin Turn, not just spin turn.
2. Know how each figure is built: a Natural Spin Turn is the first three steps of a Natural Turn, then on 4, 5, 6 you add a pivot and spin instead of going back, side and close.
3. Add a timing column: always write your timing down.
4. Add a footwork column: number each step and write its footwork. For the man, the first three steps of a Natural Spin Turn are heel toe, toe, toe heel.
5. Check your foot positions: picture yourself at the centre of a cross. Forward means straight forward and back means straight back, not on an angle.
6. Put the two together: right foot forward is the foot position, heel toe is the footwork. Get this right before you worry about your partner, your stamina or anything else.

Common mistakes

• Knowing the basics but not doing them. Common sense is not common practice.
• Spending your time on choreography, stamina and routine preparation, and none on technique.
• Writing vague figure names, like spin turn instead of Natural Spin Turn.
• Stepping on an angle when the foot position says forward or back. That's where lost balance, control and timing start.
• Not rising high enough onto the toes, or not lowering effectively, because your brain is trying to protect your balance.

Try this in your next practice

Take one figure from your routine and write it out with its exact name, its timing and the footwork for every step. Then dance it slowly, checking that each foot goes exactly where the foot position says, before you think about anything else.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between footwork and foot positions?

Footwork is the part of the foot in contact with the floor. Foot positions are where one foot goes in relation to the other. Right foot forward is a foot position; heel toe is footwork.

What parts of the foot are used in footwork?

Heel, ball, toe and whole foot, plus inside edge of toe and inside edge of whole foot. The outside edge of the foot is used more in Latin than in Ballroom.

What is the man's footwork on the first three steps of a Natural Spin Turn?

Heel toe, toe, toe heel, the same as the first three steps of a Natural Turn.

Do I need to study the Ballroom technique book?

You don't have to know every ounce of it, but it won't hurt. If you want to become a teacher or a professional, you must know it. I still use mine every day.

Is it too late to learn technique?

No. Becoming an activated dancer can happen at any age. What it takes is commitment.

Related lessons

• How to use your feet in Ballroom dancing
• Perfect balance for Ballroom and Latin dancers
• How to have world-class posture
• How to use your feet for Latin American dancing

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.