Latin bod. Looking at the IDTA and knowing Wally Laird was a very clever man it still has something to do with the turn by the lady. There is an 1/8 of a turn by the lady on step four.
On a tape by Donnie Burns and Gaynor on step four she is still facing her front with her right arm and hand across her left shoulder, in that position still backing partner she places the RF and turns. So there it is, your guess is as good as mine. Its a bit the same in Foxtrot Feather Step. In the manual it has four steps. The fourth step becoming the first of the Reverse Turn. Who can make any sense out of that one.

Don, don't you ever read a message correctly. I'm not referring to STEP 5 but STEP 4, I'll say again STEP 4. The lady makes an 1/8 to the L. Why is it not called a forward walk TURNING? What the feather step has got to do with it I don't know.

Latin Bob. Where step 5 is placed infuences step 4. The bit about the Feather was to show how not all that is written is easily understood. If you did not understand I'm sorry it went over your head. An 1/8th of a turn is not classed as turn I would say.. The body is not turning but is moving in a dirction. If the correct hip movement is used on 3 which is four hip, then step four must have a new alignment.1/8th in the new direction from the 4 1. To go through the whole box and dice the foot position on 5 will tell that a turn has been made followed by a Backward Walk on step 6.

Well, you have lost me on that explanation.

Quickstep. Its easy if you can think of 1/8 of a turn as just veering into a slightly new direction. If this is followed by a 1/2 a turn, that is a turn.
Another way to put it in everyday language. If you were driving a car and your passanger said bare left here and turn at the end of the street. There it is. When writting the book they probably did not think it necessary to write more on what is common sense.

Don,
So why is step 4 not written as a fwd walk turning? By the way. Your earlier message started of giving the rhythm in half beats (2.&.)then moved onto a full beat (4) then a teaching cue (Hip.) Weird! Who are you trying to impress!?

Latinbod
I understand what you are saying. But what you don't understand is the term of a forward walk turning and it is this: /* It's a normal forward walk and when the majority of the body weight is transferred to the new supporting foot a turn is then made.*/ If you look at step 4 of the lady's Hockey Stick you will see she makes an 1/8th turn as she is stepping forward. So when the body weight is received on to the left foot the turn has already been made. You will find a similar turn on steps 5 and 6 of the lady's Alemana.

Thanks a lot, iluv.

Latinbod. The reason for using 4 Hip is because this is where ladies make a mistake by not using the hip on that step. If it is done correctly the lady will automaticly turn an 1/8 without even trying. They did not call it a Hockey Stick for no reason. It goes in the shape of a Hockey Stick. When counting I use 4 beats and 4 ands. Although some prefer to leave out the and count between 4 1. Making the count 2 and 3 and 4 1 and. We are taught to use the 1/2 beat count between 4 and 1.

Don,
If they leave off the count of 'and' between 4 - 1 it also seems, to me, that they are leaving the 'and' off after count 1. The full rhythm count is: 2.&.3.&.4.&.1.&. When defining the amounts of turn we give it from the alignment of the foot. The body is usually mentioned if it turns 'less' or 'more'. A definition of that is: /* The specified spacing of the feet in relation to the alignment of the room */ You will only find that definition in one book and that's the UKA Latin Book, by Ken Akrill (F&E,UKA.) All other books just state that amounts of turn are measured in the feet. Which is not a definition. For those who are interested in some of the history of Latin then the name given to the Hockey Stick came from Monsieur Pierre. Also not commonly known is step 1 of the Hockey Stick for lady had an alternative foot closure by crossing right foot behind the left foot instead of closing.