Marcus & Karen Hilton Foxtrot Showdance WSS 1998

Agreed - like John Curry in ice figure skating they will probably never be equalled

Put up your video and let us see your grand up to date FoxTrot, I can't wait to see it.

I suspect the "current aesthetics" to which you're accustomed is that painting-by-numbers abortion that you call the "American Social Foxtrot", a dance so profound that it can be mastered by the average chipmunk in about thirty seconds. If it helps, let me remind you that the gorgeous Slow Foxtrot, as performed in this clip, was also an American creation, named after Harry Fox, a vaudeville entertainer. Happier now? Am I being "current"?

The Slow Foxtrot was actually a British development of the American Foxtrot. In the late 1920s, Victor Silvester, Josephine Bradley, Alex Moore and some other British dance teachers went to America, studied their ballroom dances and produced the British Slow Foxtrot, Waltz, Tango and Quickstep. These dances were adopted by the Americans in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Typically, the Americans don't like to remember all this and have re-labelled them "International Style".

I didn't know this, so thanks for this background information. The Hiltons were the greatest, even if I never quite took to Marcus's constant cheesy grins. Routines such as this one didn't lend themselves to grinning or mouths being agape but many male dancers of that erae seemed to feel compelled to show off their teeth at every opportunity.

One more practical reaon for the grinning is that it gives then an excuse for keeping their mouths open, so that they can breathe more easily, Few people realise the tremendous physical effort that goes into competitive ballroom dancing, because, unlike other sports people, dancers have to look cool and un-bothered.

You're probably right, though I couldn't see a ventriloquist getting away with the same excuse. You may be sure that if the judges started knocking off a point or two for open-mouthedness the habit would be curbed overnight.

I know I'm right - I've done it myself! I invite you to do a half-mile run and keep your mouth firmly shut.

Yes, I thought your comment was rather mediocre. I really must endeavour to be more "current", however, if only to please you.