I'm with you on this one. I think some of the names given to some of the steps are nothing short of ridicules. Kiki Walks even the New York. I mean where did that come from. Surely opening out in promenade or counter promenade would have been far more sensible.

its an under arm turn

Hi Quickstep,
I remember back in the early 50's there was an 8mm? film showing two Cuban ladies dancing the Rumba. One of the ladies was called, Kikki and the other was called, Aida.

Hi Iluv2Dance,

Can you tell me more about this film?

Perhaps, the names of Kiki Walks and Aida came from this film?

Hi, tango 2x2,
It was sometime in the late 40's, Monsieur Pierre and Doris Lavelle (These are the persons who brought the Cuban Rumba to the UK) brought this privately made film back to the UK after one of their trips to Cuba. I know that copies where made of this black and white film and the late Connie Grant, Sheffield, UK, had a copy. I don't know if any copies still exist. You are right in assuming that the Kiki Walks where named after her and the Fallaway was a figure danced by Aida.

Hi Iluv2Dance,

You wrote:.....the Kiki Walks where named after her and the Fallaway was a figure danced by Aida......

Thank you for the interesting past history and information.

I wonder if in all the syllabi, Kiki Walks and Aida were the only ones named after real person?

"I wonder if in all the syllabi, Kiki Walks and Aida were the only ones named after real person?"

Rudolph ronde - ballroom step named after a famous ballet dancer, found in various smooth syllabi and probably also "Popular Variations" for standard.

One of the problems with naming steps after people, places, or even objects of everyday life ("pepperpot") is that once knowledge of whoever or whatever they were named after dies out, the name provides no hint about what the step involves.

Having trouble with your Spot Turn or Alamana Turn in the Rumba. A Spot Turn has two walks. A Alamana has three. Step two on beat three is the key in both Rumba and Cha. Do that right and you are on your way.