fancy footwork
Deft stepping display
Fancy footwork is quick, nimble movement of the feet—originally in dancing or boxing, where agility matters.
The phrase now usually appears figuratively for clever maneuvering to avoid difficulty or criticism: It took some fancy footwork to explain why the budget doubled.
The implication is skillful evasion rather than direct confrontation.
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- strategyPlanned approach to goals
- danceRhythmic bodily movement
- choreographyDesigning performance movement sequences
- dodgingAvoiding by moving aside
coordination · improvisation · ballet · finesse · flamenco · cleverness · dexterity · nimble fingers · resourcefulness · tact · reflexes · diplomacy · quickness · stepping · rhythm · pivoting · bob and weave · side step
- danceballet, breaking, folk dances, b-boying, folk dance
fancy footworkclumsiness
Lack of physical grace
plodding · stumbling · flat-footed · awkwardness · two left feet
fancy footworkbrute force
Power over technique
bluntness · directness · straightforwardness · transparency · plain dealing
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