High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Peabody was a foxtrot type ballroom dance in the United States of the beginning of the 20th century. It was essentially a fast One-Step danced under lively ragtime music. It was named after a police lieutenant, a William Frank Peabody, an active dancer. The dance was characteristic of its prevalent use of the Right Outside Partner position. This peculiarity is explained by the fact that Lt. Peabody was a man of considerable girth, so that for the freedom of movement he had to keep the lady to the side, rather than in front. The dance used to be included into the American Smooth competitive dance category.