Field Guide to Figure Skating
UK

Tea-Time Foxtrot

A smooth, travelling slow foxtrot with unbroken holds, toe-pick hops, inside Ina Bauers, twizzles, a bracket and a closing run of walk-around threes.

dance

Not checked yet. The mechanics on this page are a first draft by a non-expert, and no coach has seen them yet. Read them as a starting point and check them with a coach. Corrections are very welcome.

The dance

Foxtrot in 4/4, 108 beats a minute. The hold is foxtrot and Kilian for most of the dance, with open holds from step 5, reverse Kilian on step 44 and closed from step 52. The partners skate different steps. 60 steps and 104 beats to one pattern.

Steps for
Step 1Step 2Step 3Step 4, LToe Pick HopStep 5Step 6Step 7Step 8Step 9Step 10Step 11Step 12Step 13Step 14Step 15Step 15aStep 15bStep 16Step 17Step 17aStep 18Step 19Step 20Step 21Step 22aStep 22bStep 23Step 24Step 25Step 26Step 27Step 28Step 29Step 30Step 31Step 32Step 33Step 34Step 35, LToe Pick HopStep 36Step 37Step 38Step 39Step 40Step 41Step 42, RToe HopStep 43Step 44Step 45Step 46Step 47Step 48Step 49, LToe Pick HopStep 50Step 51Step 52Step 52aStep 53Step 54Step 54a12345678910111213141515a15b161717a1819202122a22b23242526272829303132333435363738394041424344454647484950515252a535454aStep 1Step 2Step 3Step 4, LToe Pick HopStep 5Step 6Step 7Step 8Step 9Step 10Step 11Step 12Step 13Step 14Step 15Step 16Step 17Step 18Step 19Step 20Step 21Step 22aStep 23Step 24Step 25Step 26Step 27Step 28Step 29Step 30Step 31Step 32Step 33Step 34Step 35, LToe Pick HopStep 36Step 37Step 38Step 39Step 40Step 41Step 42, RToe Hop andStep 43Step 44Step 45Step 46Step 47Step 48Step 49, LToe Pick HopStep 50Step 51Step 52Step 53Step 5412345678910111213141516171819202122a2324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354
One sequence on a 60 x 30 metre rink, drawn upright as the rulebooks draw it, starting at the dot and travelling anticlockwise. The two partners skate side by side on one track; the switch shows where each one's steps fall and on which edge. A ring marks a hop or a toe pick, which leaves no tracing of its own. Rinks vary, and on a smaller one the pattern shrinks to fit. Measured from the diagram in U.S. Figure Skating 2026-27 Rulebook, page Dance-117, the lead's diagram, and the follow's from page Dance-118, the follow's diagram.
StepHoldLeadFollowBeats
1Foxtrot to KilianRFI3-RBORFI3-RBO1 + 3
2CR-LBOCR-LBO1
3Foxtrot or variation of Foxtrot and KilianXF-RBI3-RFO3-RFO3XF-RBI3-RFO31 + 1 + 1
4LToe Pick Hop LToe Pick HopLToe Pick Hop LToe Pick Hop1 + 1
5OpenRFI-InBa 3RFI-InBa 32
6OpenXF-LBIXF-LBI1
7XF-RBIXF-RBI1
8LBOLBO1
9XF-RBIO WdSStXF-RBIO WdSSt1 + 3
10LFILFI1
11FoxtrotRFIRFI Tw22
12Foxtrot or variation of Foxtrot and KilianLFOLFO1
13RFI PrRFI Pr1
14KilianLFOLFO1
15KilianRFI Pr-crossed slide-RFIO3 (skidded)-RBI Tw1-RBIRFI Pr-crossed slide-RFIO3 (skidded)-RBI Tw1-RBI2 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1
15aOpen KilianLBO1
15bXF-RBI1
16KilianLBOLBO1
17XF-RBIXF-RBI1
17aLB (Flat)1
18RB HopLB Hop1
19LBO-XF-LB HopRBO-XF-RB Hop0.5 + 0.5
20KilianLBI3-LFOLBI3-LFO2 + 1
21RFI3RFI31 + 1
22aLFO (jump)RBO1
22bFoxtrot or variation of Foxtrot and KilianRBO1
23LFO-RFI ChLFO-RFI Ch0.5 + 0.5
24LFOLFO1
25RFI PrRFI Pr1
26LFOLFO1
27Cr-RFO-SwRkCr-RFO-SwRk2 + 2
28XB-LBOXB-LBO0
29XF-RBIXF-RBI2
30XF-LBOXF-LBO1
31XF-RBO SwXF-RBO Sw3
32LFOLFO1
33XB-RFI-InBa-RkXB-RFI-InBa-Rk3
34XF-RBIXF-RBI2
35LToe Pick Hop LToe Pick HopLToe Pick Hop LToe Pick Hop1
36RFIRFI1
37KilianLFOLFO1
38RFI ChRFI Ch1
39LFOLFO1
40Foxtrot or variation of Foxtrot and KilianRFI-Pr3-ClCStRFI-Pr3-ClCSt1 + 2
41LFOLFO2
42RToe HopRToe Hop0
43LFILFI1
44Variation of reverse KilianRFO-BrRFO-Br3 + 2
45KilianLBOLBO0
46XF-RBIO-Tw2XF-RBI-RBO1 + 1 + 2
47Variation of KilianLFOLFO1
48RFI PrRFI Pr1
49LToe Pick HopLToe Pick Hop1
50RFIRFI1
51LFO3-LBILFO2 + 2
52ClosedRBICR-RFO30
52aLBO2
53Closed to KilianRFO3-LBILBO1 + 1
54KilianLBORFO3-RBI1
54aRFO3-RBI2 + 3

The steps are in the rulebook's own notation: foot, direction and edge, with Pr for a progressive, Ch for a chassé, SwR for a swing roll, XB and XF for a cross step behind or in front, 3 for a three turn, CSt and SSt for C and S steps, Op for open and Cl for closed. From the step chart in US Figure Skating's 2026-27 rulebook.

The Tea-Time Foxtrot is a smooth, travelling slow foxtrot, and US Figure Skating’s picture of it is a full cup of tea balanced on the follow partner’s head with not a drop spilled. It asks for an upright frame with no leaning, light contact in closed hold, slow-quick-quick timing and no break of hold, even through the twizzles.

Most of it is skated in foxtrot hold or a blend of foxtrot and Kilian. The rulebook singles out the toe-pick hops, two inside Ina Bauers (the second turning with a rocker-like motion), a crossed slide into a skidded three-turn, the lead partner’s half-rotation jump, a five-beat outside bracket in reverse Kilian, and a closing set of walk-around threes in waltz hold.

Tea-Time Foxtrot is not on the British Ice Skating pattern dance lists. US Figure Skating tests it at International level.

Appears in

In the UK's grades

None of the British level lists in this guide name it outside the Skills tests below.

No test syllabus recorded yet.