juat a quick question related to a recent thread on fwd walk tng:

is step 3 of a spot turn in cha-cha (ie step 1 of the chasse) a fwd walk tng ?

Anonymous 56. A Forward Walk Turning is a Spot Turn. The weight must be fully over the foot you are turning on. That is why it is called a Spot Turn because it is on the spot. It is suprising how many try to turn over the wrong foot.
A Basic is a Walk either Forward or Backward. It is a Checked Walk. The New York is a Checked Forward Walk. Just about everything we do in the Rumba is based on a Forward or Backward Walk.This is why experienced dancers spend hours doing Rumba Walks around the floor. As Ray Rivers once said. a Latin dancer should spend as much time with their Rumba Walks as a Marathon runner does on the road in training. Start Walking and good luck.

well a fwd walk turning occurs in all kinds of other places too eg ladys step 5 of hockey stick in rumba.

so what about step 3 of the spot turn in cha-cha ie the first step of the chasse

Step 3 of a spot turn is a side step.

Here is how I dance a spot turn for turning right:
1. Bring the left foot close to the right with no weight and swivel 1/4 turn to the right on the ball of right foot, and step forward on left foot.
2. Swivel right a half turn with weight on left foot. Right foot doesn't move position.
Replace weight to the right foot as body moves over that foot. Bring left foot close to the right with no weight and continue the right turn, swiveling another 1/4 turn on the right foot. You should now be facing your partner.
3. Side step on left foot for first step of a chassé as normal.

There is a lot going on in that second step. Done this way it is a lot cleaner than trying to turn in the third step (which you shouldn't really be doing).

SmoothGeezer. Done any other way is an adaption of the correct Spot Turn in the Rumba which is.
Step 1 Foot Position
LF fwd and across body to finish LF back and slightly to side.Action used Fwd Walk turning. Body Turn . One comlete turn to Right.
Step 2. Foot Position
RF in place.
ACTION USED .Weight transfer in place
Step 3 Foot Position
LF to side. Action Used Fwd Walk Turning.
No swivelling is mentioned. The way you have described your first step is with you already turned instead of towards your partner. If you did that and stepped LF fwd and across your body you would be going out side ways wouldn't you. In front of a judge you might get away with it once. Do it a second time and your gone.
The only difference with a Cha is
Step 4 RF half closes to LF.
Step 5 LF to the side
Still no swivelling.
A look at a Spot Turn in the Rumba in the Learn The Dances wouldn't go astray.

Serendipidy
Sorry, I gave you an American version of a spot turn which is the same as the International switch turn. However the spot turn is the same as I described except that the right foot doesn't stay in place on step two. Maybe your definition of a swivel is different from what I am calling a swivel. American style has several different kinds of swivels.

Sorry but I couldn't follow your description at all. I think it has some errors. Also when you look at the description on this website for the spot turn, it is actually describing a switch turn. There doesn't seem to be a description of a spot turn. Also that description has the second column offset one line too low. Move the second column up by one line and it will read OK.

Serendipidy said "The way you have described your first step is with you already turned instead of towards your partner. If you did that and stepped LF fwd and across your body you would be going out side ways wouldn't you."....

No, I started facing partner, turned 1/4 turn to the right and stepped forward, same as the video clip (both of them).

SmoothGeezer.. The description of the Spot Turn to the right is from Wally Lairds book page 136. Reading across the page
Foot Position. Action Used. Body Turn

The one to pay attention to is the first step. If it is not taken across the body. After you have turned your feet will be in a crossed up position.
If you were to step back instead of forward you would have to move your moving foot around your standing foot.
This is also for the lady on a cross body lead to go to the Fan Position. Beat three must be across the body this is after the Closed Hip Twist or any simular step. This is one of the first things that should have been learnt right at the beginning and is covered on Richard Hearne's Letter Service on video demonstrated by Paul Richardson and Lorna.