Help with Open Natural?

[Chris Stratton]

In another thread,

1) The problem could come from the end of the open natural. An odd ending there will make the outside spin difficult.

So how does one really do an open natural?

I've heard such things as "just swing from the step through in promenade up like you were doing a closed natural, but pass your feet" I do think I could benefit from having more swing there, however, I also think that the pronounced rise in a closed natural exists to close the feet, so an open natural should have much less rise, which seems like it requires a different sort of swing.

And what is the lady supposed to do?

Finally, to fully exhaust my question quota, what are the key differences between an open natural and a natural weave from PP/running weave action?

 

[callen]

In another thread,
So how does one really do an open natural?

I've heard such things as "just swing from the step through in promenade up like you were doing a closed natural, but pass your feet" I do think I could benefit from having more swing there, however, I also think that the pronounced rise in a closed natural exists to close the feet, so an open natural should have much less rise, which seems like it requires a different sort of swing.

Without a lot of time, I'll just handle the guy's issues. First, are you asking specifically when starting in promenade? I'll assume so and go from there. It is helpful to maintain the feeling of promenade as long as possible (into 2); this helps prevent over-rotating. As you rise your foot should be drawn in as mentioned above, but make sure you leave room in your standing leg to give yourself enough drive to make the back step onto your right leg. When stepping back onto the right leg, in addition to all the normal warnings about back steps, make sure the right leg is not hooking behind the left leg. That and losing the right-side-forward position are the two biggest problematic results of over-rotation.

Christopher

 

[Laura]

As far as the lady goes, I was taught that it's really just "three steps forward." But that, of course, assumes that the leader does what is needed so those three steps forward turn into the actual figure and not something else.

 

[madmaximus]

Depends on the intention, type of dance, and timing. Are you dancing Waltz or Foxtrot. Are you trying to show linear travel, or convey the impression of circular movement? What timing are you using?

And to the second question--the key difference would depend on the figure following the open nat.

madmaximus.