"Does this descpition of CBM also apply to the waltz natural turn. Mirko Gozzoli starts his waltz NT facing the LOD into his preperation step"

Yes, it applies there as well, in fact moreso because natural turns show the CBM more obviously in the upper body earlier in their progression than reverse turns do.

Of course the preparation step will be taken with some opposite windump. The question is when he passes through neutral and achieves an opposite side lead - if it's before the right foot is placed for step one, that's correct - it's it's after, that's the tardy scheme popular with some of the kids today... holding the windup so long looks athletic, but looses all the grace and flow of the classic timing (and tends to put the partner in a really ugly, awkward position relative to each other for a moment)

"Coming into the the Reverse Turn, the lady must move out of the mans way. Not like Alex Moore's book which has the lady still holding a diagnal to the centre position. Somebody is already thinking how does the lady move out of the way . She invites the man through on the Feather Step doesn't she, and she should also on the first step of the Reverse."

This is the thinking of someone who hasn't learned to do actual CBM... you that problem often, and at suprisingly high levels.

The lady can invite the man forward without getting off her original diag center direction of movement. The post even has the clue to how - she manages it just fine in the feather without stepping off the track (if there is any curve in the feather, it's between 2 and 3, same as the only place where there's curve in a reverse turn)

If you do actual CBM, which involves rotating your body until is it no longer aligned with your direction of movement, you will not have any problem making space for your partner when commencing a turn, without needing to step to the side of their path. But it will take about a week of practice to break some lifelong (pre-dance) habits before you can isolate your body parts and recordinate them in this way.

"I'll quote Anne Lewis here. BEFORE the first step of the Reverse she turns her hip towards the next alignment and does not worry about where the first step, which is backwards is placed."

Exactly - the body turns quite early. But be carefull, the direction of the step is backwards relative to the standing foot that you are departing, which is to say in the same direction in which the preceding step 3 moved. That consistent direction of motion will NOT BE BACKWARDS RELATIVE TO THE ALREADY ROTATED BODY, BUT RATHER ALMOST SIDEWAYS. Many make the mistake of curving their step to match their body rotation. If you isolate you legs and allow them to simply continue in the direction determined by your momentum, they will end up fine just as Anne suggested.

On Moore: yes, posture has evolved, but the goals of the modern dances have not. We try to do more today, but we still need the underlying details worked out so long ago. For latin things are different - those dances were only in process of being adopted to the ballroom at the time the classic authors were writing, and as a result what was written about those has not stood the test of time nearly as well.

Sorry beginners this is not for you,I used to bust myself into keeping the ballroom poise into the Reverse Turn just like the book. Which was my LF was on the outside of the ladies RF and my RF on the inside of the LF and my LF went straight ahead . Then I was told that if the lady steps wide the man's step will now be on the inside of the ladies RF but still straight ahead into the Reverse Turn, instead of its old position of outside when she did not invite me through. I find now that the rest of the Reverse feels more controlled and better ballanced if I just let it happen. I was told that the only thing keeping me up on 2nd 3rd step was speed. And cosequently the 4th step suffers. If I am unable to stop on any of those steps at anytime, something is wrong. So as that old saying goes The proof is in the pudding.

LEADING WITH THE WRONG SIDE THROUGHOUT. Suomynono,could you describe the lead of the sides in detail,what is the wrong side? Thanks

Onlooker. In all the years and lessons we have had ,I have never had a teacher say where our feet should be in relation to each other. Usual ly they will say something like " don't dance in the Lady's space" or "this space belongs to the Lady" or "wait for your partner to turn" or "don't turn to early,to quickly" or "keep your left side to your partner"or "if the Lady goes in the wrong direction you must follow" and so on.

I agree with Onlooker that in the foxtrot the first step (slow) is the longest. The reason for this is that the body moves more on the slow than it does on each of the two quicks. Just take a look at World champion's Mirko Gozzoli teaching vidio and you will see this is true.

"I agree with Onlooker that in the foxtrot the first step (slow) is the longest. The reason for this is that the body moves more on the slow than it does on each of the two quicks."

Yes, the body does move more there. But the feet move less, because the CBM has you changing side lead on the lowered step. The feet don't get to a big stride until step 2, when the developing incline allows you to reach further down the floor while maintaining a no-more-than-straight line on the leading side of your body. Do it the other way and you break at the waist - no body line at all!

Suomynona. It seems to me that our point of reference is different? I am stating from the distance when we push of from the LF to when the RF touches the floor compered to the distance of the foot position (RF) to foot position(LF). Are you going by Step as per text book?

"I am stating from the distance when we push of from the LF to when the RF touches the floor compered to the distance of the foot position (RF) to foot position(LF). Are you going by Step as per text book?"

Yes, the distance between the standing left foot and placed right foot on step one should be LESS THAN the distance between the standing right foot and placed left foot of step two.

If you look at the body positions involved, this is obvious. In step one the body is located directly above the feet and the hips are twisted so the standing hip is in advance - shortening the step. In step two, everything is inclined, lengthening the step, plus the hips are aligned with the leg division also lengthening it.

Some would say that the slow starts with the RF in the back position. Most of the slow count taking place on the LF,this is more natural when compared to walking,the slow being the whole swing of the RF.