Has anybody noticed the Scatter Chasses are going out of fashion. That is the step hop turn down the floor thing. They are replaced by some very clever footwork and timing straight down the side of the competition floor. I was told they are being discouraged because of a few accidents that have occured. some of them involving broken bones.

Oh please, they aren't going out of fashion, they are merely going out of obsession as couples finally learn that there's more to the dance than endless scatters - some are even redisovering the swing quickstep.

Any figure is dangerous on a wreckless dancer, none is dangers on a skilled one. And if anything, the swing figures pack more punch should a collision actually occur.

Scatter Chasses would be ok in a final. But with a crowded floor in one of the afternoon rounds at Blackpool. Look out.

You will need to do more than just rething your quickstep choreography to survive the qualifying rounds. You need to be flexible enough to take whatever openings present themselves, dignified enough to be above the fray, and clean enough that there is nothing objectionable in the few seconds each judge's glance catches you.

Anonymous. You have never been to Blackpool to the British when Billy Irvine stopped the music and read the riot act to the dancers. This wasn't a one only , this was repeatedly.At that time some dancers about 3/4 of the way down the floor cut straight across to the far corner. At another competition another very well know personality ,who's name you would know, threw his card to the floor and walked off because the comp started to resemble a battle field. A friend of mine was knocked clean out in the Quickstep which was a pity because he made the next round in all dances except the Quickstep. The rule is if you are not there when the music stops you get no mark.

"At that time some dancers about 3/4 of the way down the floor cut straight across to the far corner."

That has nothing to do with scatter chasses, and everything to do with idiots who try to transplant their ordinary proportions routine to the winter gardens without taking the uniquely longer floor into account - and even more glaringly, without realizing that dancing a planned routine in the qualifiers is not practical.

As I said in my previous post, you must have the flexibility to make the best of the situation you find yourself in.

Anonymous. You do know that the Scatter Chasse being questioned. The man does a full turn on each sequence. This means that part of the time he is going backwards. There lies the danger. When I said couples cut the corners and went straight across the floor what step do you think they were doing.

"Anonymous. You do know that the Scatter Chasse being questioned. The man does a full turn on each sequence."

But a half turn at a time rather than instantly, which gives a competent leader an opportunity to synthesize a full picture of what is going on on every side of him.

"This means that part of the time he is going backwards."

And he's not going backwards in a back lock, or a running finish, or an outside change, or a V6, or a turning lock or umpteen other figures?

"When I said couples cut the corners and went straight across the floor what step do you think they were doing."

It doesn't matter what step they were doing - what matters is that they showed gross negligence in adapting to the floorcraft situation, or in that case even the proportions of the floor.

Anonymous. If I turn one comlete turn, at sometime I will be going backwards. Take a look at the running finish after a Natural Pivot.The book says LF back.
On a Back lock the book says LF back, diag to wall. RF backward, and slightly to the right. Cross LF in front of RF. Then RF back diagnal to the wall. I mean where do you get your ideas from. I don't have the V Six, But I will guarantee that it says back RF Right diagnal to the center shoulder leading, or words to that effect.

Will you two guys please stop arguing