Without Weight

[beginnerdancer29]

I was wondering if anyone could give me the definition of 'without weight' in steps such as Hesitation change and why we use it? I understand it may be about using sway and it is only one heel off the floor not two, is this correct?

 

[Dancing Irishman]

Closing the foot without weight means exactly what it sounds like - you don't transfer your weight to the foot that's closing. For example, the third step of the natural hesitation in international waltz or quickstep closes without weight to leave the left foot free to move for the next step (same idea in the American tango basic).

Hope this helps!

 

[ajiboyet]

If you close one foot to the other without weight then that same foot is still free for the next step. If you transfer your weight then it wouldn't be free anymore.

 

[cornutt]

BTW, that action of moving the foot but not transferring weight to it is often referred to as a "tap", whether the foot is actually tapped or not.