Log In

Username:

Password:

   Stay logged in?

Forgot Password?

User Status

 

Attention

 

Recover Password

Username or Email:

Loading...
Change Image
Enter the code in the photo at left:

Before We Continue...

Are you absolutely sure you want
to delete this message?

Premium Membership

Upgrade to
Premium Membership!

Renew Your
Premium Membership!

$99
PER YEAR
$79
PER YEAR
$79
PER YEAR

Premium Membership includes the following benefits:

Don't let your Premium Membership expire, or you'll miss out on:

  • Exclusive access to over 1,620 video demonstrations of patterns in the full bronze, silver and gold levels.
  • Access to all previous variations of the week, including full video instruction of man's and lady's parts.
  • Over twice as many videos as basic membership.
  • A completely ad-free experience!

 

Sponsored Ad

Loading...

7. Crossover Turns
Fact Sheet
Official Name:Crossover Turns
Dance / Level:Intermediate Bronze American Style Cha Cha
Aliases:Walkaround Turns, Spot Turns, Switch Turns
Suggested
Prerequisites:
None

Also commonly known as Walkaround Turns, the Crossover Turn begins like a Crossover Break, but man and lady briefly separate completely as they dance a full turn in opposite directions to end facing each other at the completion of the turn.

Crossover Turns can be taken to the left or to the right, and are frequently taken in pairs (once to each side), and each pair can be repeated as desired. Crossover Turns can even be taken in various combinations with Crossovers forward and backward.

A Crossover Turn to Right is danced after a chasse to right (4&1) in open facing position. 1/4 to right is then made to step forward on the left foot in side-by-side position. This is followed by an additional half turn to right on the left foot. Weight is then transferred once again to the right foot, with a final quarter turn to right to face partner, and follow with a chasse to left (4&1).

A Crossover Turn to Left is the mirror image, taken after a chasse to left (4&1) in open facing position, and turning to the left (2,3) to end once again in open facing position with a chasse to right (4&1).

The lady's part mirrors the man's. When he dances a Crossover Turn to right, her counterpart is a Crossover Turn to her left, and vice versa.

Methods of Leading

There are two hand holds commonly used for leading Crossover Turns:

Method 1:
The man leads the lady initially to side-by-side position using the same hand hold as he uses to lead a Crossover Break Forward, e.g. a LH-RH hold on the Crossover Turn to right. Once weight is transferred to the forward step, he increases tone in the left arm, extending the left arm forward and outward just before releasing the hand hold, in order to lead the lady to turn away from him. Arms generally remain at waist level throughout.

Method 2:
As shown in the man's and lady's charts, as well as the video demonstrations, method 2 makes use of the opposite hand hold as method 1. For example, on the Crossover Turn to right, the man will release the LH-RH hold on the preceding chasse to right. The RH-LH hold is instead used for the lead, with a slightly different hand position: On the preceding chasse, the man and lady raise the hands to chest level with a flat palm-to-palm connection. The elbow is raised slightly with the hand turned inward, with a slight forward pressure. The hold is then released naturally as the hands naturally "roll" away as the man and lady turn away from each other.

 

Copyright  ©  1997-2024 BallroomDancers.com