"Dave, Sway in Foxtrot assists a Turn. When an aeroplane turns it has to sway.
So do we. Feather Step slightly different. Dont let the feet go to the side leaving the head and the rest of the body out of plumb, ( leaning inwards ) Straight line for the man with a bit of sway to the right by stretching the sides only. A slight curve is now back in fashion on the Feather Step. See charts by Alex Moore."

Sway can be used to assist a turn, but is not required to turn in order to use a swing which results in sway, it is merely required to have the body aligned on a diagonal that is partially sideways to the direction of motion.

Because your leading side foot should not break forward of the shoulder to hip line on that side of the body, in actually the only way you can ever take your maximum stride without distorting your body is to incline your entire body to match the angle of your moving leg. When we swing to this position between step 1 and 2 of the feather, we create a whole body sway - not just a stretching of the sides.

It seems to me that the sway in both the feather step and reverse wave is a combination of both linear and lateral sway more linear in the feather and more lateral in the wave?

Anonymous. To sway on a turn should be as simple as walking, don't make it harder than it already is. Walk briskly down the aisle in your shopping centre turn hard right. I'll bet you sway to your right . Run and you will sway even more.I think it might be refered to as a Natural movement of a body or thing in motion. Having got that far all we need to do is make sure that our bodies stretch equally on each side in the sway ( don't kink the side )

Annonymous,which one I don't know. If it's that simple then everyone should be able to sway like a champion. Do you know the difference between "linier sway" in the foxtrot and "lateral sway" in the waltz,I think not? or to sway for effect,It is the quality of the sway that interests me. Today's dancers don't sway just because they are going around a corner at 100mls an hour. Anyone can run but not everyone can win a race.

What is simple to one person to anougther with knowledge and understanding can be complicated. People moving quickly when walking don't sway ,they pivot?

I should have said to turn quickly they pivot.

"Do you know the difference between "linier sway" in the foxtrot and "lateral sway" in the waltz,I think not? or to sway for effect,It is the quality of the sway that interests me."

I don't presently accept the validity of a difference between "linier sway" and lateral sway, especially determined by waltz vs. foxtrot.

What I do believe in is a difference between functional sway (that which results from swing) and fake (purely decorative) sway.

All these questions on sway. Why not go to a good teacher preferably one who has proved their worth. Get them to get hold of you in a practise hold and show you. It is a feeling. The guy who reckons that running around a corner is a pivot. We are turning and swaying, not half a turn to come back the way we just left. A bike does it, a bird does it, even cars try to do it. Sounds like a song doesn't it. So lets all sway to assist our turns. But not in Tango.