It's no step in particular. Actually, to be totally honest, we were just posing. We shot about 600 photos that evening, most of which were static positions because the light was low and too much movement would throw the picture out of focus. So we weren't really "in the middle" of any particular movement or pattern... we were just striking a cool pose.
As to what it could be, the answer is almost anything. I frequently find myself in side by side position in American style, and, like shadow position, the possibilities are endless. You can do almost any basic movement in shadow or side by side that you can do in closed position, so take your pick.
This picture came from our Viennese set (we did a couple hundred for each dance and then selected the best one for the DVD menu). We probably picked it because it was the best portrayal of American style Viennese Waltz. There's a certain elegance that reminds you of an old Vienna ballroom scene (not just the background), and yet at the same time it's still very distinctly American (not just the fact that we're side by side).
The arm hold is reminiscent of maybe a wedding march or one of those dances they would do in the 18th century (can't remember the name -- maybe a dance historian can help here). It's also very "Fred and Ginger", like the dances in the old MGM movies that have served as the inspiration for many American style Foxtrots. If we had been in a straight shadow position, or holding hands, the picture might not have made nearly as good an impression as a representative of Am Style Viennese.
The body lines scream ballroom, and in particular, her shape is very distinctly American. Her right side connected down while looking "uphill" is something you only see in American style. For better or worse, this is not a position you will ever see an Int'l Standard show dancer in. (Well, I shouldn't say "never", but up to this point in time you certainly haven't).
Other choices help, too... The tailsuit, the long & flowing (classical) but fitted dress with sleeves draping at the wrist (modern), plus the fact that we dropped a big Vienna ballroom in the background, all serve to enhance the idea. But that's all icing. At the core of it all is a pose which could have stood on its own. Take away the costumes, the ballroom and the lighting, and we're still doing American Style Viennese Waltz, regardless of what "step" might be coming next.
The reason I'm going in to so much detail about what we liked about the picture is not to brag -- Don't forget, a couple hundred other pictures didn't make the cut. The point I'm trying to make is that what makes the picture striking, and what makes it a good representation of American Viennese is not what STEP we're doing, but the little details of WHAT we're doing. Steps are steps, and the same step can be portrayed a thousand different ways. It's the sum of all the choices you make, from a dramatic body shape to smallest of internal inflections, that ultimately add up to a portrayal that will sell your idea, whether it be an entire dance or a simple pose.
Regards,
Jonathan Atkinson
www.ballroomdancers.com
