Modern Waltz Which is the most important step and needs the most attention 1 2 or 3. My choice is the first step. Which as so happens is just about every first step of every variation. If that's not right then nothing following is going to be right.

What about prep?

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Prep step, yes, or extend to the general case of the lowering from the previous position to the position where the first step really commences. Most first step problems are evident by then, before the first step actually starts.

I recently went to a workshop given by a very well known ex-world champion. His workshop was on slow waltz and was excellent.
The beats 3& and 1& are the most important. He demonstrated why. It's hard for me to explain here in words. It's clear that 3& is important because this is the 'gathering' step on closed figures (1-2-3 natural turn for example) and it's essential thet this gathering is executed properly.

Phil. There is no such thing as a Prep Step in the book. If we do it is outside the bar of music we are entering. That's fine it can be done, on the heel, or if you wish it can be BH. and should be much smaller than the first step, if you don't do it smaller you will take away from your first step. Once we get into the dance there is no Preperation Step.And I ask again which is the most important step?? . My opinion is it has to be the first step which in Waltz is on one. I was once told . If you painted a piece of metal with the wrong primer, everything that follows is going to be a failure. If we agree the first step, usually the heel lead in any dance is the most important. Then we must study without any pre- concieved ideas how it is being demonstrated. Your Andrew Sinkerson tape for instance. My teachers regually have lessons with Andrew, and will again pretty soon before the British. If you could have a look and see if the front leg is straight just prior to the weight arriving, and how flexed is the knee just before the body arrives. And also what part of the back foot is in contact with the floor at this point.I think you will find it is the very last part of the toe. I have a tape of a couple from the last IDFS World Titles performing solo the Foxtrot . When I stopped it at the point I was looking for, I see that the man's back foot is on the last part of the toe, neither knee is bent they are truly suspended in space. At the same time the ladies rear foot is also on the very tip of her toe. Their weight at this time is split weight. These are some of the things I look for, and then I ask. Just on that one step alone there is still more to put the magnifying glass to. Somebody will say, that's just one couple. I can honestly say that on that step I can't see any couple doing it differently.

"Phil. There is no such thing as a Prep Step in the book."

Actually there is. Almost every figure ends with one.

"and should be much smaller than the first step, if you don't do it smaller you will take away from your first step."

This is ignorant. If anything, a large prep step is necessary to support a large first step - motion doesn't come form nowhere, it comes from the downswing and that occurs on the prep step. The sizes of the two must be proportionate.

"Once we get into the dance there is no Preperation Step."

The action remains, it is just a part of the preceding figure. Do note though that hesitations are followed by what is a prep step quite literally, even if you don't choose to call it one.

"And I ask again which is the most important step?? . My opinion is it has to be the first step which in Waltz is on one. I was once told . If you painted a piece of metal with the wrong primer, everything that follows is going to be a failure."

You make a perfect argument for why the preceding action is more important. The action which precedes step 1 can start from nothing as in a prep step, but step one cannot start from nothing without being very underdone or artificially muscled.

"If you could have a look and see if the front leg is straight just prior to the weight arriving"

If the dancer has sufficient body flight to support this degree of leg division, yes. If, as with most hobbyists there is insufficient body flight, fully extending the leg would be a serious mistake.

"And also what part of the back foot is in contact with the floor at this point.I think you will find it is the very last part of the toe."

Further note that the back heel stays in contact with the floor longer when moving from step 3 (or the prep step) into step 1, than it does when moving from step 1 into step 2.

I'll buy into this one. I can find no Preperation Step in my book . Please show me. But even if there is, lets say there is. So do we have a preperation step to allow us to do a preperation step. where will it start. I doubt whether you will ever see a top dancer going to the last part of his rear toe as you will on the following step, and if you don't see the very last of his back toe, the step must have been smaller with less intensity. I can't ask my teachers as they are teaching demonstrating and lecturing in Korea this week.Accually I think the argument is ridiclouse. How could you possibly think that a Preperation step has the same power as the first step. If you take Foxtrot some competitors Prepare on the last beat of the previouse bar one beat, others use two beats.and I dont see anybody', not in this century powering into it. Its simply a walk in. In your paragraph ten, the bit about the hobbyist and the body flight. We reading this are not hobbyists. It is supposed to be the value of doing the first step whether it be Waltz or Foxrot correctly. And your last paragraph seems to be contradicting what you have said before. Having said all of this . Dancing is an Art and not a Science. In Science we add a drop of this to a drop of that, and come up with the same result every time, In dancing definately no.

Guys - please read what i said. I never mentioned a preparation step.
The prep step occurs only once in a full minute-and-a -half(and everyone does it) but 1& and 3& happen every bar of music. i was quoting Andrew Sinkinson (of course) about the importance of these beats. What he was saying is concentrate on getting these moments correct, and you'll have most chance of dancing slow waltz well. You will notice that at those moments the feet are usually very close. No mention from him of long strides using the tip of the toes. that came in the fox-trot section, where the talker (NOT andrew) spoke about the long leg line that the judges look for. But that's foxtrot

Phil. I find this very interesting. I would like to swop notes. John Wood on my tape. The first step of a Natural Turn. He gets to a point where the knee is straight but not rigid. The leg travels ahead of the body. As the front knee starts to bend the back knee also flexes which brings the body over the bent knee at this point. With the body
over the front knee the rear one is still pushing, the rear foot is pointed to the toe, which he then brings into a nuetral position and turning.With the count of 1 &. Sometimes on a tape even in slow motion it is hard get a look at the part you are most interested in. On this tape there is a look from the side with the camera perfectly placed. One thing I am certain I would never be able to get as low as John. He he seems to rise forever. By low I mean the knee of the RF which is to the rear, on a Reverse Turn seems to be between 9 to 12 inches off the floor.