| facing | A description of the alignment of the body, when it is the same as the feet. |
| fake | Changing from the usual foot by either skipping or adding a step to the normal step pattern. |
| fallaway position | A V-shaped dance position similar to Promenade Position, but with man and lady moving backward. |
| Fan | A basic figure used in the International Style Rumba and Cha Cha, incorporating the Fan Position. |
| fan position | Dance position where man and lady stand at right-angles, lady on man's left side. Man holds lady's right hand in his left. |
| Feather | A Foxtrot movement involving 3 progressive steps, the third step usually taken with lady in Right Outside Partner Position. Types of Feather movements: Feather Step, Feather Finish, Feather Finish from PP, Hover Feather, Curved Feather, Back Feather. |
| Fellow | The fourth complete level of the International system, representing the highest level of achievement of syllabus patterns and concepts. |
| figure | A standardized step pattern which, together with other patterns, constitute the basis of a dance. |
| flat | A type of footwork, abbreviated "F", or "WF" (for whole foot). |
| flex | To incline the foot in such a way that it is placed at an angle nearly perpendicular to the leg. |
| flick | An extension of the lower leg taken in a sharp or staccato manner. |
| flirtation position | A variation of the Shadow Position where the man and lady are in very close contact. Usually, the hands are connected in the following way: Man's LH to Lady's RH, and Man's RH to Lady's LH. Also known as Cuddle Position. |
| floor craft | The ability to maneuver around the dance floor in a skilled, controlled, and courteous manner. |
| following | Correctly reacting to the movements and signals given by the leader, through one or more connections (visual and/or physical). |
| follow through | The passing of the moving foot underneath the body between steps. |
| foot positions | Indication of the placement of the feet relative to each other.
Examples: LF Forward, RF Side, LF Diagonally Back. |
| foot pressure | Pressure applied to the floor through the free foot, often a result of having partial body weight on it. |
| foot rise | Elevation of the body through the use of the ankles, by pushing up onto the balls of the feet. |
| footwork | The part of the foot in contact with the floor at a specific point in time. Examples: Ball, Heel, Inside Edge of Whole Foot. |
| formation team | A group of three or more dancers who perform ballroom-style routines. |
| Foxtrot | A smooth dance introduced to the public in 1913 by Harry Fox, noted for being the first dance to incorporate into the rhythm a combination of Slows and Quicks. Foxtrot is characterized by smooth, walking-style movements, but can be adapted to fit a variety of musical tempi and style, or to fit onto small, crowded nightclub dance floors. |
| frame | The position of the arms and top line while in dance position. |
| free leg | The leg that does not have the majority of body weight, being free enough to move. |
| freestyle dancing | Any style of dancing that does not involve the dancing of pre-conceived steps, figures or choreography. Often associated with solo (non-partner) dancing. |
| freestyle division | A division of competition whereby the man leads the lady through an improvised set of figures, without relying on pre-determined choreography or dance routines. |
| fan | A swivel taken on one foot, ended with the free foot pointing to the side. |
| foot positions | The five positions of the feet as defined in Ballet, which are:First Position (together)
Second Position (apart, side by side)
Third Position (heel to instep)
Fourth Position (apart, one foot forward)
Fifth Position (toe to heel) |
| free foot | The foot that does not have the majority of body weight, being free enough to move. |
| flex | An inclined position of the foot which is achieved when the heel is still in contact with the floor, but the ball is not.
 Figure (1) and (2): Flexed Foot |
