Anon, My post was written on the assumption that Rha was referring to drawing the right toe back for step 6. I was not recommending that it should.

*** (Yes, there is a note giving the man only permission to omit this for a backwards locking action, but it's rarely wise)***

It's not a case of being // rarely wise // but a case of why is this option given?

PS Anon. (Wish you anonymous writers would give a Guest Name) Also, I'm never wrong! If I don't know the answer I don't answer a posting.

Iluv2Dance,

Rha clearly stated that he releases the toe when moving the right foot from step 4 to step 6.

You incorrectly chose to devote half a post to contradicting this and advocating a toe drag there.

You were wrong... it's as simple as that!

*** //I don't dance that step with footrise either but I also don't have a toe release like the NFR in the Reverse Wave //***

Hi Anon, If Rha had written that he releases the toe when moving the right foot from step 4 to 6. Which he didn't. I would not have devoted a detailed explanation AS TO WHY it's wrong. When I read: *** I also DON'T HAVE a toe release like the NFR in the Reverse Wave *** I assumed it was step 4 to 6. I will write no more on that.

But I would still be interested in your opinion as to why a foot rise on step one of the Backward Lock Step, as man, is rarely wise.

Rha was clearly making a comparison of contrast between step four of the reverse, and step four of the wave.

There is no foot rise on the first step of a back locking action for either dancer, because rolling through the foot and up from the heel is necessary to generate a smooth rise that curves upwards in the vertical plane. You can create a crude imitation from the toe, and for students with very poor weight awareness this might be okay for a while. But the real action comes from moving the body weight through the foot.

Moving the body weight against the direction of travel - back to the toe - is never wise. When a foot is left via a toe drag, it occurs only after the body weight has left the foot. Wheras a heel toe release occurs while the foot is still weighted - it is not simply a heel drag, though that does subsequently occur in the follow through the of the pushing action of the toe release.

Even when moving forwards, where the weight lowers from toe to heel it never moves against the direction of travel in the foot in the way that you suggested, because the weight that is in the toe is only a small fraction of the body weight (the rest is briefly falling towards the point behind the toe where the heel will arrive). Force equivelent to the full body weight is exerted only only after the heel is down and the leg muscles start to absorb the fall of the body with pressure through the heel. Trying to absorb the full body weight into the toe is a common hangup - it has a limited role to support intermediates in slowing down and thus understanding the mechanism of how to divide the legs while up, but it must be discontinued before the step can be executed with smooth and unhesitating motion.

Hi Anon,
Thank you for an excellent explanation of why a rise is rarely wise on step one of the backward lock.

Latin shoes position the weight more forward. But standard heels are designed to allow the weight to travel the full length of the foot. Many social dancers never put weight in the heel, to the obvious detriment of their smoothness of motion.

luv2dance. One important thing is not being spoken of concerning man's step four Reverse Turn International style Foxtrot. And that is the foot always moves twice. Once on the extension and again on the push off the left foot. Any other way will be like dancing with a brick wall. Whether this might have some bearing on this argument or not I don't know. I still believe that the proof lies in the pudding. And to quote the great Len Scrivener if it isn't comfortable it is most likely wrong and needs to be changed. Let us not forget that in the beginning there were some fearful and in public arguements over some parts of the technique book. At one stage it got quiet personal. I was there.

The free foot doesn't move twice, that would imply there was a hesitation in between, rather it's movement continues both while the body weight is moving through the standing foot, and while it is moving off the standing foot.

Dear Nod,
Thanks for your good advice : gravity takes care of that with the lenght of step.
Yes, just let it happen naturally, maitaning my length and correct head position , then follow the man's center swinging up on 2...

Returning to the issue of the presence or abscence of foot rise on step four of the man's reverse & feather finish, it seems like any rise there must not be so great as to prevent the lady from getting her right heel down and weighted on step five by the time her left foot is passing it to move into step 6. Given how often ladies lower their heel late or not at all, my guess is men are likely to be using too much foot rise and upswing on step four, not too little.