Quickstep

The spirited Quickstep has been called the "dance of joy." The basic steps are easy to learn for the beginner, but variations on those steps ensures this dance will continue to evolve for the advanced dancer.
 
Beginning in 1925, the Charleston was all the rage and many bands played the Foxtrot at a quick tempo. The English decided to combine them, mixing the "fast Foxtrot" with a version of the Charleston--the basic steps, minus the knee action. They called it "the QuickTime Foxtrot and Charleston," which was eventually shortened to the Quickstep. 
At the "Star" Championships of 1927, Frank Ford and Molly Spain were the first to dance the Quickstep as a couple.
 
Since the Quickstep sprung from the Foxtrot, it is influenced by the smooth, walking dances--including the one-step and two-step. The Charleston added the influence of swing. And once the Quickstep hit the dance floors of America, it was influenced by jazz and the rhythms of Africa and Latin-American tangos and rumbas.
 
The Quickstep is at once elegant and vivacious. Done in 4/4 time, it is usually danced to jazz, ragtime or swing. Though it maintains smooth, gliding steps, it is also fast--characterized by runs, hops, jumps and kicks. Originally, the Quickstep was counted with quick (one beat) and slow (two beats) steps. Today, the dance may be counted with split beats, such as quick-and-quick-and-quick, quick, slow. When performed well, it looks as though the dancers' feet barely touch the ground.
 
The Quickstep made the "fast Foxtrot" acceptable. It also managed to maintain a sense of decorum when dances such as the jitterbug and Lindy Hop hit the scene. For dancers, it offers a strong foundation. Master the fundamentals of the Quickstep and you have a wide range of dances beneath your feet.

Misconceptions
In the 19th century there was a dance termed the quickstep -but it has no relation to the ballroom dance of today. More of a march, it was performed to patriotic or propaganda music, and used to commemorate presidents or military.