The Quickstep is an upbeat ballroom dance characterized by a "slow, fast, fast" rhythm. They involve a diagonal frame and an upbeat, joyous dancing. Commonly considered one of the big five of competition ballroom (the others being the Slow Foxtrot, the Waltz, the Tango and the Viennese Waltz), the Quickstep is a perennial favorite in European ballroom competitions.
The Quickstep has a variety of progenitors. It owes its heritage to a combination of the Shag, Peadoby, One Step, Charleston and the Foxtrot. Further, the music of John Phillip Sousa, Benjamin Carr and Sid Phillips and his Band influenced the evolution of the dance from its beginnings as spectacle to the common ballroom dance that is known today.
The Quickstep can be traced to a march that became popular in the mid-19th century. Originating in the United States and then migrating to England and France, it was commonly used as military pomp and circumstance. As early as 1850, sheet music can be found for the "City Guard Quickstep" and other similar military-themed pieces. The Quickstep remained in the same vein until the early part of the 20th century.
The Quickstep evolved by incorporating aspects of the Foxtroxt and Charleston. In ballroom dance, it was initially called the "Fast Foxtrot"; however, the Fast Foxtrot eventually slowed to a slower rhythm, delineating the Quickstep as its own dance. Traditionally, it is believed to have entered the modern ballroom world when it was performed by Frank Ford and Molly Spain at the 1927 Star Dance Championship, though it is more likely that the English developed this dance as a mix between the Fast Foxtrot and the Charleston that were currently dominating the dance world.
The Quickstep has undergone some changes since its initial performance. It now has a tempo of approximately 200 beats per minute and is danced in 4/4 time. In advanced dancing, it lends itself to a wide variety of steps and combinations, making the dance both joyous and nearly limitless.