Vernon and Irene Castle's Reverse Dip Step shows up as a one-step variation in two little commercial publications that feature the Castles: Victor Records for Dancing (1916?) and Three Modern Dances (1914), also published by Victor.
The Reverse Dip is a simple little hesitation sequence. The recontruction is made particularly easy because the Castle were kind enough to include in Three Modern Dances a filmstrip sequence of themselves performing the moves. I've included a scan of it at left; click to enlarge. The original is only about 8" x 2.5", so the image quality when enlarged is not going to be great.
To follow the sequence, start at top left and go down the left-hand column, then down the right-hand one. Note the product-placement victorla in the background; Three Modern Dances includes ads for eight different victrolas as well as for records.
To perform the Reverse Dip, the dancers should be in "Yale" position, right hip to right hip, with the gentleman facing line of dance. The gentleman starts with the left foot, the lady with the right. The sequence is only eight counts:
123 Three walking steps (him forward L-R-L, her back R-L-R)
4 Rock weight onto trailing foot (him back R, her forward L)
123 Three walking steps (him back L-R-L, her forward R-L-R)
4 Dip, bending the knees (him back R, her forward L)
At the end, simply rise to start off on the left foot again and repeat or move on to return to a basic one-step or other variation.
The dip is not a simple rock backward; the dancers keep an upright posture and bend their knees, as can be seen clearly in the slide "D".
The Reverse Dip breaks down on the filmstrip as three walks (A to B), rock and three more walks (B to C), dip (D), and repeat starting with the three walking steps (D to E). Though the film shows a turn, that is a function of trying to keep the performance in camera range, not an actual part of the move.
Note that this is what I call an anti-social variation: it not only hesitates, it goes directly against line of dance and thus creates a significant danger of a collision with other dancers. So it's a poor choice for a crowded room, but a nice move to do on a big floor with few couples dancing, or in the center of the room, a corner, or some other out-of-the-way location.
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