I've heard it said a few times, that in rise and fall, there's only 'fall' the rise being a returning to the 'neutral' original dancing level.
However, watching some top dancers, it is clear that there is an element 'up' as well as 'down', and i'd welcome views on it.
There is obviously a foot rise but my question is about using the legs. Locking the knees is out, but how straight should they be? I tend to look a little stiff if i straighten them, and the following movements are a little rushed. At the same time, wouldn't i be looking for as much rise and fall as possible?

Phil. I hve just been studying and practicing this based on the Push.Step Swing principle and have made I feel ,some good changes in my rise and fall. After we step and swing there is no further rise from the left(second) step except to cushion the movement as we arrive onto the left foot by straightening the left knee just enought to allow the right foot to be pulled along side. How much we use the left knee (I think) will depend on how good a swing up and drift we have,it may be possable for a few to swing all the way up onto the left foot with just perceptable straightening of the left knee . The point is we won't to allow the swing to happen and give it time to happen. It helps if we dance the timing with our body swing and not with the feet,so beat two is a body position in flight and not where the left foot is. So it follows that the gradual rise in the waltz is danced through the swing of the body. The drift( I think) is at that point in the swing when gravity slows us down and we start to lower. The timing of the closing of the right foot and shifting of weight would have to be coordinated with that change of direction of the body through gravity and not by any mechanical means of stopping the body in flight. Sounds good if I got itright. Dave

Hi dave
Thanks for this interesting insight. You say it helps if you dance beat two with your body in flight, not with the foot. Can i just expand on this a little. Do you dance beat 1 with the foot (i assume you mean you plant the right foot on beat 1)? and then let the swing create the body flight for beat 2? Would your left foot plant before or after beat 2? I must try this out tonight myself