New York. The way I have been taught is that the knee of the moving foot bends only after the step has been taken and on the count of and. Up to that point both knees are straight. If they are not, it is considered a major fault. This also applies to a Rumba Walk or a foreward basic in the Rumba. Please see demonstrations on this web- site and all your problems will be solved. Apply the same technique to a Spot Turn except
for a slight deviation and that will be a straight leg on the none supporting foot after the turn, although some of our top dancers do something near to the ladies Alamana. This needs to be watched on a tape before it is tried.

Tom, are you talking about like a back spot turn (natural top in international--where the couple is turning together around a central pivot point), or like a walk around turn which is usually a free turn?

I read your question as the first option. In this case, practice first by just going hook,side,hook,side,hook,side in a small circle, going slow. Then speed it up. Then, when you're feeling comfortable with the step, do it as you count: 2,3,4,&,1 (hook,side,hook-side-close). The biggest secret is to count as you go.

The first one you said where the couple turns together around a central pivot. Sorry if I'm using the wrong terminlogy. I've only been dancing for about half a year in American style, and the spot turn is still really new to me. After doing half of a basic, on the second measure, the lady steps back as normal on 2, while the man does the same, thus doing an open break.

By "hook", are you referring to the shape of your feet (sort of like a 7)?

You HOOK your right foot in back and to the left of your left foot. The step goes like this:
1. Open break on 2
2. RETURN from open break on 3 into closed position, but starting to rotate clockwise (back for the man)
3. The 4 and 1 steps continue the rotation, but the AND step may be a hook as described above. Some do not do this, I believe.
4. The 2 is definitely a HOOK.
5. The 3 is side, and you then can continue or end the step in a variety of ways. (e.g. RopeSpin?)

Jerry Blumenthal