I'm afraid you have misunderstood the text. By definition, 'Positions of Feet' refers to the position of one foot in relation to the other at the end of the step. That Chart column has nothing to say about the direction of movement.



Yes it is. The correct understanding of the actions of an Outside Turn and Inside Turn are set out quite clearly (In 'General Notes', in Howard, for example), and as they are of general application, it would be pointless cluttering the individual charts with such basic stuff.

What do we find there... "This indicates that turn is made following a forward step. ... There will be foot swivel on step 2." If the foot had been placed to the side, why on earth would you swivel?

Apart from anything else, you only COULD place the foot to the side, if you had turned on 1, whereas we only "Start to turn on 1", and then not to any measurable degree, as regards the feet (but up to about 1/8 in the body through CBM). The turn is achieved between 1 & 2 and completed between 2 & 3.

The text is terse, but clear. It is dangerous in the wrong hands.

anymouse. could you give us an example ?

"anymouse. could you give us an example ?"

How about right foot held in CBMP during a pivot?

Many people have trouble understanding how to accomplish that, because they misinterpret how to apply the definition of CBMP to this situation - they mistakenly try to make a CBMP position relative to their right foot, when what they actually need is one relative to their left.

When you realize what that actually means, you discover that the natural toe in of left foot in the backwards step easily accomplishes the requested CBMP, at least through the majority of the action.

On a natural pivot the left foot will only be in CBMP if it is placed onto or across the line of the right foot. The toe turn in is a ntural feature of the correct use of strong CBM, and doesn't create the CBMP. FWIW, the toe turned in instruction is part of the direction and alignment, and not given as a foot position.

Contrast that with the reverse pivot, where the turn commenced on the preceding step achieves the CBMP, before the foot is held in that position on the turn.

Have to dis agree with you on your assumption that instant recall is a hallmark of a well trained prof.

here,s a scenario for you to ponder...

I,m a Fellow with 3 Soc. in ballroom and latin ( intern. style, some have slightly differing theories/ techn. )..plus a Fellow in 13 dances in the American style .. .. PLUS..5 additional indigenous dances...

add to this mix,,Age.. as one gets older, it is not always humanly possible to instantly recall or remember, not only the above in Syl, but all the numerous variations of Comp. mateial etc.

I dont disagree in principle with your expectations.. and yes 99% of syl is embedded... but 100% ?

I'd be quite happy with 99%!

Most of the time.. so would I !!!!!!


To extrapolate this in another direction.. I,m a firm believer that the constant use of the " noggin " assists in every day situations ( yes, i do have the odd senior moment, but as my friends tell me , thats because I AM odd ! )

"That Chart column has nothing to say about the direction of movement."

The step is defined as a sideways one, which in fact it is as that is the direction of movement relative to the applicable reference, but that does not mean that it is a sideways action in the body. Don't read it as the step "will be sideways", read it as the step "will have been sideways"

"The correct understanding of the actions of an Outside Turn and Inside Turn are set out quite clearly (In 'General Notes', in Howard, for example), and as they are of general application, it would be pointless cluttering the individual charts with such basic stuff."

That's what I meant by not explicitly - to find the explicit actions, you have to translate backwards through rules given elsewhere - which is to say that the actions are only given implicitly. The alternative would not be to "clutter the charts" but to write the charts in terms of the body actions to be taken, rather than what results from those actions. This would not be more cluttered, but it would be very different philosophy of presentation - more of a "how to" guide than the current books were intended to be.

Is it? Where?

"Is it? Where?"

In the chart, rather obviously: "LF to side"

The issue is that a sideways step in the chart does not mean that a sideways action is to be executed.