Please don't blame Alex Moore for what appears to be not correct even at the time the book was compiled.. He only cataloged steps and technique which includes slows and quicks which was already in existance. Also he wasn't the only one involved in writting that technique book. It is a fact that Alex never won a Modern Ballroom Competition at any level. His expertice and experience lay in a different direction, mainly The Blues which went out of favoure in the early 20's. Read the Foreward to the book by Philip.J.S. Richardson. Who was at that time the number one Guru in the world of dancing. And was responsible for the formation of a Ballroom Section within the ISTD even though he never became a member of the ISTD.

Smooth,

Actually, the Country Western leaders will tell you that they take lessons from the top Ballroom people. (Several of them have told me this.) It is good that they want to learn from those who know things they do not know.

They do not do it for figures. (Although some of this does come through.) They take lessons mostly for styling, and technique.

Can you tell me that you have never sent anyone to Ballet lessons to learn more styling and technique?

I am sure you know more than I do, but I can tell you that I am always sending people to completely different venues for education.

Right now, I would advise the ladies here to check out a top Flamingo instructor for the use of hand work in styling. (These folks have something special to share.)

If a person comes to me and says they have no feeling of the music, but they want to dance anyway,--I send them to a Square Dance teacher.

If a person tells me that they want to compete on television, I send them to the top International person in their area.

International Ballroom happens to have the best, (As in most advanced.), leaders. It is good that everyone uses their knowlege.

It should not supprise you that everyone who teachs any form of dance goes to the top to learn.

As to Bridge having nothing to do with dancing. I have a theory you won't like.

I believe that all knowlege is related. Superior knowlege of any subject, gives one a leg up when learning a new subject. I am not big on Bridge, but I often find that when teaching a Bridge Player, having a basic knowlege of their game, comes in handy.

The decline in one social activity, does relate to the decline in others. (And most social activities are hurting.)

I try to learn a little about every dance form I see. I have learned something from just about every dance teacher I ever listened to.

Every dance form has special qualities.

Belle,

I agree 100%.

I wonder if the desire for Computer use, is like the desire for huge amounts of food, when your body actually craves water? (It is common to confuse thirst with hunger.)

I think maybe our hearts need human touching, but our brains think using a computer is just as good.

When considering dance as a social activity for the masses, it would be interesting if there were any studies done by cultural anthropologists on this matter. I wonder what percentage of any given population attended a social setting where dance of any kind occurred. I imagine we would see a large variation in data from different societies and socio-economic classes. I work in law enforcement, and I agree with Belle and Pivotingfool that TV and computer usage has a negative effect upon the socialization of people, and I fear it will lead to even more severe problems one day: Poor socialization equals severe behavioral problems But as for ballroom, I question what percentage of Americans, for example, would be interested in dance even without electronic distractions. Where I live, Dancing with the Stars, a TV show, has increased interest in ballroom. That's positive. Most of the people I dance with are only in ballroom for the social aspects if offers.
I long for a few more like myself who crave how to "do it right."

Silver,

Give it time. Ballroom people are notoriously, shall we say closed door. At some point that will change and you will be shocked at how many there are who want to "do it right". There are not as many as one would like but you will find a large peer group in time.

As for Dancing with the Stars and the Ohio Star Ball on PBS, yes I agree I think they bring people in. I watched Ohio Star since I was a little kid and always wanted to try it but it felt too impossible until I saw the first season of Dancing, which built up my courage enough to walk into a studio and it was love at first dance

Now I still watch DWTS but it does put my teeth on edge at times when I see them butchering things. Especially when it is the so called "pros" who aren't even really ballroom dancers.

Belle,
I hope the number of people who want to do it right" increases in my part of the world. Just 4 hours North of me is such a place, and years ago, back when dancing scared me to death, I lived in the San Franciso area. Geez, if I were still living there . . .?
I got up the nerve to begin dance one day when watching some guy named Tony Meredith (Yes, I know who he is now.) demonstrating the basic box step on a PBS show. (TV again!) I wondered what on Earth I could have feared from dance when I carry a gun to work each day and supervise scary people. I sat down, looked up studios, and the rest is history. I should have done it 2 decades ago.
I can barely stomach DWTS, now. My wife loves it, but I can only stand so much. I agree with you: Some of the pros aren't. I love Lynn Goodman most of the time, but his background is admirable. So You Think you can Dance is awesome!

By the way.. Its LEN

There are many books written that are available today I counted fifteen
With the internet it is possible that somebody out there might have one of these books which describes clearly the correct footwork for a Backward Walk and could possibly enlighten me by telling me the name of that book or books. The question is on a Walk Backwards
Is it.
1. Toe heel.
2. Ball toe heel.
3. Toe ball heel
4. Ball toe ball heel.
This is as the feet are side by side. The weight is on the right foot and the left is to extened behind as in the first step of the Feather Step in the Foxtrot for the lady..

That's a rather odd question. What's coming next?

Footwork for Lady on Step 1 of a Feather Step is 'always' given as TH, but that doesn't (and isn't meant to) account for the useage of the parts of the foot that are in contact with the floor at each stage of the step, in sequence, starting from having the feet together (a standing start).

However, any student of dance technique will have made an early study of the mechanisms of the forward and backward walks, and will know, by heart, the description and correct execution of the action, and the relationship that it bears to the charted description of 'TH'.

Alex Moore gives the classic description of a backwards walk in detailed isolation. Trying to abbreviate it in a few words would be unwise.

For a feather step it will be necessary to make slight adjustments in emphasis and timing within the wide range of possibilities encompassed by "TH", as the feather has an evolution of body position entirely absent from the isolated walk described in the book. This is plainly obvious given that all 3/4 of the lady's steps have the same footwork, yet each is quite different in character.