yes - the guy howard on foot position (right at the beginning of the book)was exactly what i was thinking about.

i apologise for not having thought more about your suggestion for comparing the change of direction. lack of time. but i will get round to it.

i think comparing figures is useful. even if they turn out to be not comparable (and people often shout "but hey they're just not comparable), understanding why that is the case, will often shed more light on the basis of technique, i find.

thanks also for the exam tips. this is more for my own interests than for exam purposes. in response to your comments - from what i hear, it certainly isnt a requirement to have an opinion, even at fellowship level.

the reduced amount of turn would also call for more sideways placement. i guess you can only get to end "to side" position-wise with nothing other than a forward swing from the hips (ie getting to side solely through a foot swivel)without turning more than 1/4.

By basic rise and fall I meant the standard rise and fall such as that on 1-3 of a reverse turn.

The fact that on step 2 you are down but on toes seems slightly odd.

Maybe it is simply a matter of lead and follow. I certainly can't think of any other obvious reason.

The ftwk and the rise might culiminate in a different swinging action cf to a reverse turn. But I can't think why any inherent reason why this figure should require a different swing.

Found this document: Description of Drag Hesitation

Scroll down under the "Drag Hesitation and Back Lock" heading to "General Notes." You'll find the following explanation.

"It should be noted that the man rises at the end of 2 in the Drag Hesitation. If the man remembers to keep this step fairly wide and with no rise (although it is taken on the ball of the foot) and also to drag the LF slowly to RF, the lady will not mistake the lead for that of a Reverse turn."



jj

I think that the Drag Hesitation has largely fallen out of fashion. It is still used in medal test routines at around Silver/Gold level, but I don't see it used very often on the Social floor.

That's a shame, because danced with a bit of style, it is one of those useful figures that varies the basic 123 waltz timing. My favourite amalgamation is to dance the Drag Hesitation, a Back Lock, 456 of a Hesitation Change, a Progressive Chasse to R, Back Whisk, Wing & Telemark. Dancing one side of a ballroom with very little rotation in the figures selected, and then returning up the other side with lots and lots of rotation, makes for variety and interest.

SQ, this person agrees with you: Drag Hesitation .

Interesting that he says that he decided to become a dance teacher because of an unhappy love life.



jj

interesting ! i had always wondered about this one. but never really considered such an obvious thing sich as lead and follow before as a likely factor.

can anyone think of any other examples where the specifics of the technique arise solely or mainly out of the need
for a clear lead signal ?

re: anymouse. the question is more to do with the rise than ftwk - and given the ftwk the rise seems all the more odd.

I don't think the rise & fall IS at odds with the footwork. 2 ends on T becasue of the rise, but the step isn't taken on the toe, because the R&F is down on 1 & 2 (rise e/o 2).

It's a nice figure.