Turning into step 1

[Chris Stratton]

A teacher of mine, who is unfortunatley based 4 hours away, often made a point of saying that you musn't turn into step 1 of a measure in standard. The idea seemed to be that the direction for the initial step of a figure was set by what came before, and that you can't change that until the 2nd step at the earliest. Generally, this makes sense.

But I've received some contradictory advice from others for some situations. Particularly an outside spin, where it was suggested to pretty much nullify the last step of the preceding figure and the first step of the outside spin itself, in favor of a strong and immediate turning action. This is critical to people trying the figure for the first time, but frankly as someone who can lead a decent outside spin I find it almost challenging not to overturn the figure with this approach. I let someone in a class rotation talk me into traveling a bit on the final step of the preceding figure before initiating the spin, and that actually seemed to give the whole group a bit more purpose - the spin wasn't difficult, but it did require a collection and release of energy that wasn't needed in the more spot-turn approach taken by the teachers.

Any thoughts?

[Angelo]

In my own waltz coreography I have to lead an outside spin from a cross hesitation (?) and so there is not a great deal of movement to continue. My coaches have told me that the first step back with the left foot is initiated in the direction directly opposite of where I am facing but the step actually lands with about an eighth rotation to the right of where it was originally.

I'm not sure I explained that very well, but the gist of it is that I start to push off the right foot with no rotation of the hips until I feel my partner has committed sufficient weight to her forward motion which likely begins on the latter part of the preceeding 3. When I feel sufficent weight is committed forward, I initiate the turn by rotation of the hips so the left foot lands rotated about an eighth to the right of where it was initially facing.

Keep in mind that I 'll never be mistaken for John Wood or Marcus Hilton

[Warren J. Dew]

In general, you don't turn on step one of a figure in Standard, no. That's why the amounts of turn are generally listed as between the steps, e.g., "1/4 to the R between 1 and 2".

The outside spin is unusual, however, in that the gentleman actually turns on step 1, not between 1 and 2. That's why the step is taken with the toe turned in. In fact, I feel that I commence this rotation on the lowering out of the previous figure.

The trick to not overturning it is to use step 3 of the outside spin to absorb and convert the rotational energy of the movement into linear movement for the following figure. It's the interplay between rotation, rise, and the following linear movement that makes this figure so magical when perfectly executed.

If the couple has net linear momentum going into the figure, I feel the purity of the rotational movement is lost. This is why the standard precedes to a full turn outside spin - back corte and cross hesitation - don't actually have the gentleman taking a step on the beat 3 preceding the outside spin.

[spatten]

I agree with what Warren has said. No turning in the first step of a figure, this is especially important in steps where the man goes backwards - ie 456 of reverse turn. This would hold true for Natural Turns, Reverse Turns, Telemarks and most of the syllabus steps.

Two notable exceptions I can think of are Contra Check and Outside Spin as you have pointed out.

It is the difference between a strong pivoting action and forward travel.
I don't think there is in the end a contradiction.

Take care,
Scott

[robin]

Oh well, if you all agree, i'll be controversial ;). (Disclaimer, not a dance pro, only my personal opinion, etc. etc.)

In terms of the "1" of a natural turn, there is a strong body rotation. If you simply take a straight step forward without rotation in the body it's just about impossible to create any swing. If by "turn" you mean only the position of the feet i agree that there is no turn...

BUT

on the 4 of an impetus turn say, there is turn, roughly 1/8. If you start a natural turn facing diagonal wall, you end up backing diagonal centre after the 123. The 4 goes backwards down (or rather just across) the line of dance both in terms of direction of travel and alignment.

I'm aware that's probably not what the technique book says, but I think just about every high level dancer does it, whether they know about it or not. The same goes for the viennese waltz, where each 3 ends up being just short of backing line of dance so that rotation can continue on the one...

Robin

[Warren J. Dew]

In terms of the "1" of a natural turn, there is a strong body rotation. If you simply take a straight step forward without rotation in the body it's just about impossible to create any swing. If by "turn" you mean only the position of the feet i agree that there is no turn...
Agreed - body rotation but no foot turn. In other words, contra body movement (CBM).
on the 4 of an impetus turn say, there is turn, roughly 1/8. If you start a natural turn facing diagonal wall, you end up backing diagonal centre after the 123.
I think this is again a body/foot thing. By the time the rise is completed on 3, I feel the man's feet should have rotated to backing line of dance, but I agree the body is still underturned - backing diagonal center, as you say, is good - and doesn't complete the turn until the lowering is completed.

In general, the alignments in the technique book are foot alignments, not body alignments.

[Joe]

There's a difference between (foot) turn and body turn (CBM).

[Chris Stratton]

Let me see if I can restate the idea with more accuracy:

In general, the foot track on the first two steps of a figure is consistent with a direction established by the last step of the previous figure, especially for the person moving forwards. There may be a lot of body rotation, and even a little rotation of the foot relative to to the floor track, but the actual floor track doesn't deviate much from the pre-established line.

Someting like an oustide spin breaks from that.

Edit (July 2005).... Now that I can do an outside spin with outside partner position, it doesn't break the rule of continuing the commencing direction either...