The ftwk and the rise might culiminate in a different swinging action cf to a reverse turn. But I can't think why any inherent reason why this figure should require a different swing.

Found this document: Description of Drag Hesitation

Scroll down under the "Drag Hesitation and Back Lock" heading to "General Notes." You'll find the following explanation.

"It should be noted that the man rises at the end of 2 in the Drag Hesitation. If the man remembers to keep this step fairly wide and with no rise (although it is taken on the ball of the foot) and also to drag the LF slowly to RF, the lady will not mistake the lead for that of a Reverse turn."



jj

I think that the Drag Hesitation has largely fallen out of fashion. It is still used in medal test routines at around Silver/Gold level, but I don't see it used very often on the Social floor.

That's a shame, because danced with a bit of style, it is one of those useful figures that varies the basic 123 waltz timing. My favourite amalgamation is to dance the Drag Hesitation, a Back Lock, 456 of a Hesitation Change, a Progressive Chasse to R, Back Whisk, Wing & Telemark. Dancing one side of a ballroom with very little rotation in the figures selected, and then returning up the other side with lots and lots of rotation, makes for variety and interest.

SQ, this person agrees with you: Drag Hesitation .

Interesting that he says that he decided to become a dance teacher because of an unhappy love life.



jj

interesting ! i had always wondered about this one. but never really considered such an obvious thing sich as lead and follow before as a likely factor.

can anyone think of any other examples where the specifics of the technique arise solely or mainly out of the need
for a clear lead signal ?

re: anymouse. the question is more to do with the rise than ftwk - and given the ftwk the rise seems all the more odd.

I don't think the rise & fall IS at odds with the footwork. 2 ends on T becasue of the rise, but the step isn't taken on the toe, because the R&F is down on 1 & 2 (rise e/o 2).

It's a nice figure.

"I don't think the rise & fall IS at odds with the footwork. 2 ends on T becasue of the rise, but the step isn't taken on the toe, because the R&F is down on 1 & 2 (rise e/o 2)."

On the contrary, as documented step 2 is taken onto the toe, but it is a low toe.

Toe footwork does not necessarily mean rise. See for example the lady's action on the first step of either turning lock - it's a toe, but the rise commences only from the end of the toe step, not from the preceding step as is the more typical case when we encounter toe-only footwork.

I've never seen the figure danced with a Toe 2. "As documented", the usage is just to use T & H, but we all know that a wider range of parts of the foot are in use, and T often means BoF, as seems consistent with the descriptino of the figure from Moore's 10th Ed. Ballroom Dancing.

It's an old-fashioned figure - I'm happy with his take.

Can't type tonight - sorry. I'm posting as a guest, so can't correct.