Mention sequence dancing to a ballroom dancer, and what they imagine is a lot of people in their 70’s and 80’s at tea dances, social clubs, waddling around the dance floor.  That is true to a certain extent.  But did you know that this form of dancing is done by 5 year-olds?  And if you really want to be a better ballroom dancer, then read on.

My Dancing History
I was originally a Ballroom and Latin American dancer, and competed in Ballroom Dancing.  I gave up competition Ballroom Dancing through first hand experience of overhearing the judges at a competition fixing the results before the competition had even started.  Thankfully, I was not competing that day.  Nonetheless, I never competed again.  I had heard whispers before, and there is one judge who is suspected to be, shall I say, not exactly “straight”.  So I decided to have lessons in sequence dancing with a view to competition.  I had already done a little socially.  The only time I do any Ballroom Dancing these days is at social dances.

My Teacher
My teacher is Anne Watkins.  She runs a dance school called Danceworld, in Newport, South Wales.  She is a charming, but modest lady, and I find it difficult to prise out anything at all about her dancing past.  What I do know is that she and Glyn were a devoted couple, and what I have been told is that they were the “Torvill and Dean” of sequence dancing. Anne and Glyn had been twice consecutive British Amateur Modern Sequence and Old Time Dance Champions, then three times consecutively as professionals.  They were also three times consecutive winners of the Carl-Alan award, and retired undefeated.  They then went on to teach, and have trained over 30 British champions.  Since Glyn’s death in October 1993, Anne has continued to teach, and is still churning out British champions.  So I could not have a better teacher!  Anne is also an adjudicator of Ballroom, Latin American and Sequence Dancing.  

I have since competed in Modern Sequence and Old Time Dancing, with reasonable successes.  However, at this moment in time, I am without a partner.

What is the Difference between Modern Sequence and Old Time Dancing?    
Modern Sequence dancing is Ballroom Dancing done to a set routine.  Old Time, (now called “Classical Sequence”) is mainly made up of Ballroom dance steps, also done over a set routine, but can have Ballet steps included, such as pas de basques; pas de valses, etc..  All Modern Sequence and Old Time dances are scripted (which can be purchased); and are danced over a 16 bar (of music) routine – called a “sequence”.  The main difference between Modern Sequence and Old Time is basically this:  If you break hold at any time during the routine, then that is Old Time.  For example:  The Engagement Waltz is Modern Sequence, because the couple are always in a Ballroom hold, whether it is open promenade, over sway, - whatever; - the couple do not break hold.  The Mayfair Quickstep is Old Time, because it is started, and finishes, with the couple standing side by side.  Though there is one dance which comes to mind that is an exception to the rule:  The Square Tango.  Although couples do not break hold at any time during this dance, it is still classified as an Old Time dance.  There are also Latin American sequence dances.

Dance Introductions (in Competitions)
In competition, modern Sequence has no introduction (as per Ballroom Dancing).   All old time dances start with an introduction over the first 4 bars of music played at the beginning of the record, and usually involves the man bowing to his partner, who curtseys to him.  This is often repeated in a similar form at the end of the dance.  (Though this is not done socially.) 

Examples of Scripts of Old Time Dances
I shall not describe any of the scripts of Old Time dances, but I can tell you that the Old-time Waltz is based on the Viennese Waltz.  If you are a Sequence dancer, and can do the Old Time Waltz, then you can also do the modern Ballroom Viennese Waltz (minus the fleckers) without much difficulty, but that doesn’t work the other way around.  For a Ballroom Dancer to do this dance, he must learn how to do “rotaries”, whereas a Sequence Dancer would already know how to execute natural and reverse turns at the same tempo as the Viennese Waltz.

Examples of Scripts of Modern Sequence Dances
Two examples that any ballroom dancer who knows basic steps can do:  The Quando Quickstep, and the Glenroy Foxtrot. 

The Quando Quickstep starts with the man going off on his left foot into a reverse lock, followed by a chasse, forward lock, natural turn, back lock with running finish, spin turn, chasse, fishtail, and finishing with a natural turn with hesitation.

The Glenroy Foxtrot starts with the man going off on his left foot into a feather, followed by a telemark, curved feather, impetus turn with feather finish, open telemark, natural turn, outside swivel, side sway, contracheck, feather, steps 2 3 4 of reverse wave, hover, chair, and finishing with a slip pivot.

All of those were Ballroom steps.  However, I did leave out the necessary angles of directions of dance along the floor, and timings of both dances.

Sequence Dancing Technique in Competition
In order to do any Sequence dance at competition level, a person needs to know the technique involved to execute the moves correctly. 

Every move is done with precise angles along the dance floor, with all the moves involved adjusting to those angles.  There can be no shuffling of feet.  The footwork has to be exact: every heel has to be a heel; every toe-flat has to be a toe-flat.  The man’s back lock has to be done as it should be done with the left foot coming through the heel onto the ball of the left foot to form the lock, - not just straight up onto the ball of the foot.

You also have to learn the differences between modern Ballroom Tango techniques and old time Tango techniques; - they do exist. 

In the foxtrots (and saunters – the old time equivalent of foxtrot), the feet never leave the floor.  There can be no “air steps” as a lot of Ballroom dancers do for example on the last step (right foot) of the feather, or the last step (left foot) of the three-step. 

Striding has to be done precisely; the leg must be straight, not bent, on landing.  If you are supposed to be facing down/up line of dance, then that too has to be exact, and not just: “well, thereabouts”.  “Well, thereabouts” is just not good enough.  Then add the correct timing, keeping your shape, body angle, head position, remembering where the swings and sways come in, - and anything else the dance teacher can think of.  (This is usually a bit of style, and demonstrating how to adjust the dance on the corners of the dance floor.)  Master all that, and you have learned a dance ready for competition.

Timing in Competition 
The most important thing in competition is timing.  Timing of everything you do during the dance is all-important, whether it is a step, a turn, over sway, contracheck, or a ‘point’, - anything.  If your timing is out, you can kiss goodbye to any chance you may have of winning, - because you will not be marked, and placed last.  From there your only hope of coming anywhere is if other competitors too have trouble with their timing.  Don’t think you can get away with bad timing (or bad footwork, which is second to timing) in this game.  You have to remember that every judge knows what you are going to do before you do it.  They know all the modern sequence and old time dances (to be done that day) inside out.  They know every step, every move, every dance alignment, every body alignment - EVERYTHING.  Get one of those wrong, and you can be sure that at least one of the judges has seen it.  Why will they have seen it?  Because Sequence Dancing is done around the perimeter of the dance floor, a judge can positition himself on the outside, or as in many cases, the centre of the dance floor.  As all couples will (should) be doing the same steps at the same time, then it will be easy for a judge to see if any of the couples are out of time, or make a mistake of any kind.  And just to make sure it wasn’t his imagination that a couple made a mistake, as each competition dance is usually danced over 3 sequences, the judge can merely turn his head around to watch again at the same point in the sequence, just to make sure.  So if you want to win, you just can’t get away with having a good top (which is all that matters to a lot of competition ballroom dancers), - you have to be precise in all and whatever you do.  Competitive Sequence Dancing is a very strict discipline.  So you competition ballroom dancers, do you have what it takes?  Are you good enough for Sequence Dancing competition?

How Old do you have to be for Sequence Dancing Competition?
It’s exactly the same as for ballroom dancing.  All the way from juvenile, juniors, to seniors.

What Levels are There?
Again, the same as ballroom dancing.  From social starters, to novice, to prechampionship, right through to Amateurs.
 
Sequence Dancing Socially
Keep in mind, that what I have described immediately above is for competition dancers only.  If you want to take up sequence dancing for social purposes only, then don’t let all that put you off; you don’t have to worry about all that.  You will not need to be anywhere near 100% at anything; - all you will need is a partner, and just enjoy it!  There are lots of sequence dances to do. 

Learning to Sequence Dance
For just social dancing, you can learn to sequence dance by turning up at social dances (where it is usually done alongside Ballroom and Latin American dancing), or tea dances, and joining in.  There will always be couples in attendance that will show you how they are done.  (Sequence dancers are a friendly lot.)  To get more into Sequence Dancing, with a view to competition, then there are plenty of dance schools around that teach Sequence Dancing.  There are also videos made by Glyn and Anne which give instructions on several of the popular sequence dances.  These can be purchased via the Internet.  Using the Altavista search engine, just type in “Glyn and Anne Watkins”.  That will give you ‘links’ to enable you to purchase, or just browse to see what’s on them.

Do you want to be a Good Ballroom Dancer? 
Then learn Sequence Dancing first.  All these dancers did:  Richard Gleave, Lindsey Tate, Steven Powell, Anne-Marie Powell, and Jonathan Crossley.  They all went on to great things in ballroom dancing. 

Don’t let anyone tell you that Sequence Dancing will spoil your Ballroom Dancing.  It’s just not true!  (And you can prove it.)