How to Perform a Box Step

When you are trying to learn how to perform a dance, the footwork can be complicated and difficult to remember. Luckily, many common partner dances only require the moves of the box step. The box step gets its name from the pattern your feet and your partner's feet will make when you perform the dance. Learning the basics of the box step is crucial to being on the dance floor. If you get it wrong, or don't know the steps well enough, you may bump into your partner--or worse, into others on the dance floor.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Instructor or series of steps
• Partner
• Music with a six count rhythm
• Dance floor
• Dancing shoes

Perform a Box Step

1. Stand upright with your weight centered over your feet. You can hold your partner and look down at your feet in the beginning. Once you have a basic level of understanding, you should always face forward to maintain balance.

2. Place your right arm beneath your partner's left shoulder blade and slightly raise your left arm for hand holding (men). Rest your left hand on or near your partner's right shoulder and look over their shoulder for balance (women).

3. Count "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6" to a rhythm. As you count each number, you will place a foot into position.

4. Begin with counts one and two. On one, place your left foot forward and on two, place your right foot to the side (men). On one, put your right foot back and on two, put your left foot to the side (women).

5. Continue with counts three and four. On three, place your left foot close and on four, place your right foot back (men). On three, put your right foot close and on four, put your left foot forward (women).

6. End on counts five and six. On five, place your left foot to the side and on six, place your right foot close (men). On five, put your right foot to the side and on six, put your left foot close (women).

Tips & Warnings

• The basic box step can be broken down into 2 half boxes.
• Partners perform natural opposites.
• Start out very slowly in the beginning, using no music at all and just counting.
• You can practice these steps on your own at home without a partner.
• Avoid looking down once you have gotten comfortable with the step. If you look down too much you may lose your balance or bump your partner in the face.

Resources

• Box step lesson at Danceace.com