Thanks for the responses. Like you said, Jonathan, I am trying to get my brain around it at this point, then get my body to do it.

The explanation of turning and reminders of those dynamics helped my thinking on the continuous pivots. I think part of the problem is that when I have received instruction, it has been the instructor showing me the footwork without a partner. While I'm very analytical and literal, I think I'm figuring out that when some instructors show me footwork without a partner, the steps are not always "to scale." So, while it sounds like I shouldn't keep my right foot planted on the floor for a full revolution, neither will I be able to take a "full" step with my right foot during rotation simply because of the dynamics of turning with a partner.

I will have to work through this with an instructor to get it right, but until I have the opportunity to do that, it was really bugging me. So I figured this list could help me get a head start in understanding how it's done.

"I think part of the problem is that when I have received instruction, it has been the instructor showing me the footwork without a partner. While I'm very analytical and literal, I think I'm figuring out that when some instructors show me footwork without a partner, the steps are not always "to scale.""

Can't you ask your teacher to dance with you? We take lessons with a pro couple alternating. Whether it is our male or female coach, both he and she dances with each of us doing a man's and woman's part. They also make us do both man's and woman's part to teach us how it should feel.

I worked on pivots tonight with a partner and had a breakthrough. Sure enough, what I was instructed to do is correct even though I couldn't wrap my brain around how it worked for a while. In case this helps anyone else, I think part of my problem was thinking of the pivot as being primarily two people pivoting around a fixed point on the floor. While there is that factor, the "driving through" the pivot with the thigh, torso, and frame connection seem to be essentials that I was missing. I executed two consecutive pivots successfully tonight -- not gracefully, mind you, but successfully. It's a strange feel at first, which will take getting used to, but at least now I'll be practicing the correct method.

Thanks for everybody's input.

So Waltz123, let me see if I understand you correctly about the 'inside and outside' of turn. This is similar to a marching band marching down the street and having to turn around a corner. The guy closest to the inside of the turning circle takes the smallest steps and the guy on the outside of the turning circle takes the biggest steps so they don't break rank. It seems like the guy on the outside also puts out the most energy or effort. So, in a pivot turn, the person rotating forward is on the outside and the person rotating backward is on the inside. Therefore, when you're rotating forward you have to take a bigger step to get around and vice versa when you're rotating backward, correct?

Guest,

We have been studying continuous pivot turns for a while. Here are couple points that helped us.

1. As you said, the person who goes forward should be very active and the person who goes backward should be passive. Both should not be active at the same time, never. Also remember it is always going forward or going backward. It never is sideways.
2. You mentioned the importance of connecting with each other. We always think about keeping our thighs together more than anything. This is related with the first point I pointed out above. This means that the person going backward should not reach back. If he does, he will lose the contact from his partner's thigh. Once they lose this contact, it will be very hard to recover.
3. Another thing to remember is the biggest amount of the turn happens when you transfer weight from heel to toe when you go forward and from toe to heel when you go backward.
4. Do not move you legs and body at the same time. It always has to be legs (feet) and then body follows.

This is all I can remember for now. If I remember anything else, I will write more later.

(We have CPT's in our waltz, tango and FT. So we really needed to work this out. What a fun!)

"4. Do not move you legs and body at the same time. It always has to be legs (feet) and then body follows."

You've got it exactly backwards!!!

Anonymous. here you go again with your ridiculace assumsions.
Another Guest is exactly right when he wrote that the leg moves first.
How can you possibly think that the body moves first. There is a movement of the body as in all steps but it is so small. Its sending a message to the legs to get going. They go first. anybody watching will not even see it that the step is instigated by the body. Somewhere along the line you have been misled or you misunderstood. Don't try to lead other people along the wrong path. "Another Guest" has more than likely had a lesson on the Pivots and which part of the body to move first. You come along and say what they have been taught is wrong.
Try to understand this. The leg with the foot on the end of it moves ahead of the body. Go to the Learning Centre and find Forward Walks. Look at the moving computer images and tell me what do you see. Pivots are slightly different because at the end of the step we are not in a neutral position.
Personaly I don't like more than a couple of Pivots. But even then there has to be a reason why we are Pivoting and not just Pivots for the sake of Pivoting. Does that make sense.
"Another Guest". Body position . I would check. It can be seen on some pictures as well as DVD's of a major competition where the contact point is. I wouldn't take my word for it, but I think you will find it is much, much higher than in yesteryears. But as always look are ask for yourself. Do you think with thigh contact there might be a tendency to be leaning slightly back.

Don, once again you ignore the obvious reality of the world in which you live.

"Another Guest is exactly right when he wrote that the leg moves first.
How can you possibly think that the body moves first."

Because it is quite obvious that it does.

"There is a movement of the body as in all steps but it is so small. Its sending a message to the legs to get going. They go first."

Nope, the body gets going first. And then the leg catches up, possibly swinging a little bit beyond depending on the nature of the step. But except in tango, the body always moves first.

"Try to understand this. The leg with the foot on the end of it moves ahead of the body.

Nope. The body moves, and as a result of that the free leg swings. In the case of multiple pivots, the body keeps moving throughout, while the legs start and stop. Yes, the body changes speed, but it never stops moving until you check or rise to a stop.

"Do you think with thigh contact there might be a tendency to be leaning slightly back."

You totally misunderstand the idea of thigh contact, Don. This contact, of right thigh to right thigh, is as a result of holding a side lead position, and has nothing to do with poise. I'm not sure I'd recommend it as it's a bit too rigid to be an ultimate goal - but it has absolutely nothing to do with poise or if someone is neutral or leaning one way or another.

Anonymous. Can the lady stand up straight with thigh contact. If she did she would be in a very restricted position.Just incase your teacher has been left behind, look for yourself. Below the waist is now completely free. If you put your hand down the front of the waist you should be able to swing it from side to side without touching anything. In the Quickstepn the poise is even higher.

"Anonymous. Can the lady stand up straight with thigh contact."

Yes. You still don't understand that the contact that was being recommended is between the INSIDES of the right thighs.

I'm not sure I recommend it, but unlike you at least I UNDERSTAND it.

"If she did she would be in a very restricted position."

No, she would be in a quite common and ordinary position for pivots.