What do you say about this [not saying I confirm all of the three statements]:
1) In International Waltz we have small musical units of 2 bars, these are grouped into 2*2 = 4 bars, which are grouped into 4*2 = 8 bars, which are grouped into 8*2 = 16 bars, which are grouped into 16*2 = 32 bars.
2) Our sequences of figures should follow this structure.
3) (Still Int. Waltz) 1-3 of a Natural Turn should always be at the beginning of at least one of these units and not e.g. on a "second bar."

I don't recognise your concept of two-bar phrases in the music to which we dance international waltz. The choreography can be grouped that way, but the musical phrases are always longer.

"I don't recognise your concept of two-bar phrases in the music to which we dance international waltz. The choreography can be grouped that way, but the musical phrases are always longer."

The eight bar unit is perhaps the most prominent, but there is also a very important "local" pairing over each two bars.

That's part of the music. If it's part of the dancing or not depends on the dancers.

GermanTeacher. I've put this one up before. If we did a Spin Turn in the Waltz. Followed by a Reverse Turn, Whisk and Chasse. To repeat we will be on the last bar of an eight bar phrase of music instead of the first. If we were to do a Closed Change first the first eight bars would be correct. But if we repeat it will not fit the music.
Does it matter if we use the second bar of an eight bar phrasing. Professionals and other skilled dancers there choreography would avoid this. Socially , who cares.
Not only does the Waltz come into this spotlight. Both the Foxtrot and the Quickstep do also. Next time any of you are watching a demonstration on youtube just take the time to count and see which parts of the music are being accentuated by the dancer.
In a nutshell a routine cannot just be thrown together with no regard for the music and how it is being played.

At Youtube watch "Hilton basic waltz" and count. I see the following regarding my statements:
Statement 1: true (because the song is played in this phrasing)
Statement 2: true (because it is INTERPRETATION which are the "important" steps)
Statement 3: false (see 2; 3 of 5 Nat. Turns he dances start on an even bar. At bar 4 he finishes the Weave in PP to get "off phrase" by the following chassé, because he is already planning the Turning Lock To R and wants to place the Wing at the first bar of the next 8-bar phrase.)

German Teacher. At least some reading this will now know that in a Foxtrot beat one and beat three are not the same. Neither is beat four the same as two. If all the beats were the same we would never know which was the beginning and which was the end.If we bring a 2/4 Tango into this, beat one is not the same as beat two. And the same in the next bar of music. And yet there is some difference in the bars because we can always pick the phrasing. A style we have here called New Vogue have three Sequence Tango's used in competitions.If the music wasn't phrased it couldn't be danced. And everybody here who dances these dances, even socially know all about phrasing.

Hi GDTeacher
I would agree with all 3 points, except i wouldn't consider 2*8 bar sequences making 16 bar sequence ....
My view on dancing 1,2,3 of natural turn on a 'strong' bar is that it feels somehow 'wrong' not to. If possible, figures of strong movement with the man going forward feel better danced on a strong bar. Figures such as opening in promenade, where you're just about to head off into a strong movement, should be on a weak bar (4 or 8 preferably)
However, in most comps, although i can control how i start with my natural turn, i can't control what happens elsewhere, if i'm blocked etc. So i prefer to at least start with the right feeling, and continue with it if i can.
I've noticed that the best dancers will go into a line figure when blocked, and 'adjust it' to come out with the correct phrasing in the next movement.

Hi Serendipity
There are other clues in music to indicate the start of a bar, or end of an 8-bar sequence etc. It's not just the strong and weak beats

I just viewed the Hilton clip on "You Tube" and had a good laugh about the extravagant claims being made for the musical phrasing.

There's a standard four bar introduction, and then the clearest eight bar phrasing you could hope for.

Did we think the dancing to be good, or bad?

CliveHarrison. Exactly which of Marcus Hilton's demonstrations on youtube are you referring to on which you had a good laugh. It wan't his Basic Foxtrot on which if you can count was dancing 1 2 3 4 and not at anytime 3 4 1 2. The dancing was excellent as you would expect from a ( is it eight time ) winner of the British. But don't stop there. Have a count of Timothy Howson in the 06 final at Blackpool.
I know it is hard to accept that if you were never told about dancing in rhythm as well as in phrase in the beginning. It makes one wonder if a lot of time and money has been partly wasted.
Phil. On his tape John Wood does talk about being stopped by another couple and how to handle it. He says you have to be aware of the music at all times and to develope what is called in the trade. Elephant Ears. Or just dance on like the others, in time but out of rhythm.