How many levels of rise are there in the International Foxtrot. And the Quickstep also the Waltz. The Tango, as we all know, has none.

Question: how many sizes of step are there in international foxtrot?

Anonymous. There are two levels of rise in the Foxtrot. There are three in the Waltz. Think of an elevator. are you getting out at level two, or are you going to level three in the Waltz.

No, there are an infinite number of levels of rise, because there are an infinite number of step sizes and the amount of rise or fall is governed by the difference in step size (body speed really) between successive steps.

Anomymous. I've been on about this for some time. You've hit the nail right on the head when you mentioned size of steps. The bigger step two is , the less rise and susquently the less lowering. I don't quite agree with the infinite rise and fall part though. Unless the technique has been recently altered we commence to rise at the end of one, Theres your first level.
Continue to rise on two. There's your second level.Still rising on three. There's the third level. Don't hang around up there you have to be at your highest and your lowest on three, from the beginning we have two seconds. Having a close look at the book it could easily me misinterpreted as having no further rise after two.IT says. Rise at the end of one. Up for two and three. If you see what I mean. My interpretation of this is there is rise between two and three. This could prove a good discusion.

If you use what I call the (rocket and parachute method ) throw your body into the air to arrive onto a high left heal without any further rise of the heal as you bring the right foot alongside, I would say the rise is completed to early and is not a true lilting action that can be heard best in Victor Sylvesters music, but if you arrive on a bent left knee and then straighten that knee(not lock) you will have a contolled rise as performed by many top dancers in the past and will have the true lilting action. This use of the knee takes place on two and five of the waltz weave and in many other places so why not in the natural turn. Yes I know the feet are passing. Dave

No, you still misunderstand the physics of movement. The amount of rise is determined by the change of speed. If you are taking a big step (going fast) then to close your feet you will have to reach a maximum rise - otherwise you overshoot. But if you are taking a big step and not shooting for foot closure the rise is less. Since there are infinite number of step sizes you could choose to use on successive steps, there are an infinite number of rise heights needed to absorb the changes in energy. Only in the crudest sense can you enumerate a few levels.

for example, each step in a weave will have it's own unique rise level

"The bigger step two is , the less rise " This has been discussed before, but i don't accept it. The top dancers use a long step 2 (in, say waltz natural turn, which i think we're talking about)and demonstrate an impressive rise

Phil. The original question asked was what is being taught by the leading coaches and what is being performed by the leading dancers regarding the size of the second step today in a Natural Turn Waltz. I know what I was originaly taught which was go for it. After being told not to I took a look at some dancing I have on tape. Solo Waltz Ten Dance IDSF 2003 from Canada. Some of the camara work was looking downwards from a stage. Only one out of the six finalist as far as I can see has the same width of stride that I was first taught. So has it changed. My 98 Blackpool tape, with the slow motion in the tape, shows one of the competitors taking a hugh side step. I wonder if the same guy is doing it today. He is still in the top ten professionaly. So the question remains What are the top coaches teaching today, and how are the top dancers dancing that width of step. Is it as far as we can stride or not.