Footwork and Swing, forward vs back

When moving forwards, there is a substantial difference between the toe-heel footwork of a down swing action, and the heel-toe footwork of the upswing (for example, step 3 vs step 1 in continuity foxtrot figures)

But the backwards complement to both steps is given as toe-heel (and almost always with 'no foot rise' for the rising step). Is there a difference in the way this footwork is executed for the two situations?

That depends on how much of the footwork you want to examine or where you consider footwork to end. In the sense that they are both toe-heels with no foot rise, they are the same. However, there is body rise, so the steps are distinctly different. As an acceleration upward or downward requires a difference in the force between the foot and the floor, the use of the foot cannot be exactly the same.

No time for more detail. Hope that didn't confuse things.

Christopher

True, there are many areas in which to be specific.

How about the timing of the sequence of actions in the foot (toe, flat, heel with toe released) relative to the progress of the body across the foot. Does that differ? (for simplicity, lets assume there is little enough turn on the preceding and following figure that we can ignore it)

Don't see any difference in the footwork or body travel (speed) from foot to foot in the backwards movement in this situation.

The difference I see (as callen pointed out) is in the body rise (knee flex).

madmaximus

Let me turn this around then.

Do you feel there is any difference in the foot action going forwards, between the "flat" first heel lead of a three step, and the rising second heel lead? (technically, step 4 of feather and step 1 of three step in the ISTD book)

Depends on the level of dancing.

For me, there is a difference. But it is quite nominal--and part (or should I say a result) of the overall package of how I attack the movement.

For brevity let's say (A) is heel-to-heel and (B) is heel-to-toe.

I find that in (A) my heel rise is nominally faster than in (B). This is simply because most of my (A) type movements tend to be power movements and hence require congruency (with the knee) in pushing the body forward. My (B) type movements tend to be gentler because some of the rise is compensated for by the knee action (if that makes sense).

madmaximus