The feather or feather step is a dance figure in the International Style foxtrot. Depending on a syllabus, it consists of three or four steps (man stepping basically forward), with the third step (right foot) done outside the lady (lady on the right side) with a slight turn in the body position to the right.

The step was first introduced in 1920 by G. K. Anderson.[citation needed]

The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) syllabus considers the fourth step that aligns the man with the lady into a normal dance position to be part of the feather step variation, while the International Dance Teachers Association (IDTA) syllabus does not.

The pattern and especially its distinctive part (steps 2 and 3) gave rise to several variations:

  • Curved feather
  • Overturned feather
  • Back feather
  • Hover feather
  • Endings of more complex variations: Feather finish (the first step is taken back; called continuity finish in American Style) Feather ending (the first step is taken in promenade position)

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