| I am a beginner of standard ballroom and encountered some problems when dancing "telespin" in Waltz and Tango, which is I often lose my balance or over-rotate. So I would like to have the expertise from you. 1) How can I keep balance and prevent from over-rotating? 2) Spin on left heel or toe? 3) How should the lady do in this figure? Many thanks |
| Jason, Not sure I understand your description. Your weight is on your left foot and then you move it leftward... that doesn't seem to make sense. How and where does the weight get to the right foot? Also, you mention "letting your partner go", which suggests that possibly this is a Latin-style T-mark? Is this in a Latin dance like Paso or Rumba? If it is, then the technique is different than how I described it in the post below. Sincerely,
Jonathan Atkinson |
| Of course the best solution would be to have it as a dance step on ballroomdancers.com, complete with video clip and step-by-step instruction. Our goal is to become a complete database of dance steps, so no doubt it's in our future. The question is when? Since I don't know the answer to that at the moment, I'll stick with trying to describe it for you here. As you guessed, steps 1 and 2 are basically the same as an Open T-mark. Steps 3 and 4 resemble more of what in American Style we'd call a Cross-Body Lead: Lady moves forward and across towards man's left side - RF, LF. Man actually doesn't have a step on 3,4 so much as he dances a toe pivot (or even a sort of heel pivot) on the RF. The problem is that most men dance step 3 too much like an Open T-mark, and dance their base far too wide. Optimally, you want to point your LF back and almost across in CBMP on 3, allowing the lady to slip across to left-side position. You should be facing almost against LOD, with foot pointing back down LOD. The point should be small, with left leg bent and no turnout of the foot. Here's the next thing to watch out for as the man: It's very tempting to rotate too early and too much on 3,4 causing the lady to rotate with you. If she rotates, she can't run forward forward, and she'll end up staying on your right front and doing more of a side-cross action... in other words, just a Double Reverse Spin. So in order to cause a Telespin, you have to lead her to step forward forward by keeping your left side very well forward and slipping her across to your left front. At the end of 3,4 you complete the rotation, slip back to normal closed position (R front to R front) as she pivots on her LF. Follow with another heel turn figure. The resulting rhythm is usually SQQ& for Foxtrot or 123& for Waltz. It's nice continue the speed left over at the end of the T-Spin and dance the following heel turn figure highly syncopated, such as 1&23&. But you don't have to. Give it a try! Jonathan |
| Well, thanks for all your advice. Maybe I got confused about Telemark and Telespin. My teacher discribed "Telespin" as: first, weight on RF, then move left and transfer weight to LF to let your partner to go, move your weight straight leftward, spin on RF. The next figure is "Fallaway". It will be a great help to me if any advice available. Thanks Jason |
| Are you sure this is a Telespin you're talking about, and not a Telemark? There's a big difference, and as a beginner I'd be surprised if you were being taught a telespin. The other reason I ask is because you were asking about spin on the man's left foot, and there is no spin on the man's left foot (heel or toe) in a Telespin. In fact this misconception may be the cause of your over-rotation, no matter what kind of tele-pattern you're dancing. For now I'll go with T-mark, since it's a bit easier to describe in text. Also, there is a brief moment of standing (non-progressive) rotation for the man in a T-mark, so this may address your question. Man's first step is forward left, heel first, then rolling to the toe after his weight passes the foot. The direction of the first step should curve slightly to the left with CBM. Other than that, there is no rotation of the left foot... certainly not a pivoting action of any kind. The next step is what I refer to as a "split presonality" step, because *how* you describe it depends on *when* you decribe it. At the moment you first place it, it should basically be a forward step starting with the right toe. That means that you really shouldn't have very much rotation through the feet between step 1 and 2. As you weight continues through the right foot, you will rotate, causing the step to become more of a side step (still a toe). Just before the left foot brushes to the right foot, it is more or less back. Then the left foot brushes to right, both toes, and you are facing somewhere around wall. So in the end, step 2 was forward, side, and back all in one. The spin, therefore, is on the man's right foot, not his left. This brings up a very imporant concept, which is: The left side is rotating *backwards* around the right side. You must be careful not to try to rotate the right side *forward* around the left. Doing so would require you to either (1) rotate on your left foot, which is not going to cause the lady to dance a heel turn action, or (2) fall off balance if you're trying to hold your weight over your right foot. So here's what I want you to do: Try to think "forward LF, forward RF, THEN turn", and remember to rotate your left side back, not your right side forward. This will ultimately generate the results you want, both in your lead and in your balance. And be sure to work on these concepts with a teacher, because you need the aid of real-time demonstration, as well as some pulling and prodding to give you the right feeling in your own body. Good luck, and enjoy your dancing. Sincerely,
Jonathan Atkinson |
| I thought about replying before, but decided to wait figuring someone who knows more would answer the questions if I waited a bit. Thanks for the tips regarding the Telemark, the extra details regarding the turn on the second step should be helpful. I looked in my Popular Variations book to find the Telespin and since I'm just starting to touch on open stuff in my advanced class, I haven't learned it yet. You said there was no spin on the man's LF in the Telespin. I'm sure you know, but in the book it looks like there is some turn made on the man's B of LF after the Open Telemark opening and before the following steps. Am I reading it wrong or just missing something again? I was trying to figure out what some of the open steps in the book are kind of like so I'd recognize them when I see them. This could branch off to a separate topic if desired, but here let's just stick to the Telespin. By the various combinations in the book, it's clear that the Telespin starts with an Open Telemark. I'm not sure how to identify the second half since it seems to vary depending on the follow. In the basic form shown in waltz, it looks something like a modified Closed Telemark for the second half. Is that a fair guess at the basic form of the figure or would you describe it differently? I'm sure a simple description won't cover all the details, so it will be at least a little inaccurate. But if it gives me a general idea on how the figure works and looks, that's about what I'm looking for right now. I can get real details later when/if I learn it.
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James Marshall
marshall@astro.umd.edu
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~marshall |
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