If only I had been told. What is meant by N.F.R.( no foot rise ). Take for instance the first steps by the lady in the Feather Step. Although the technical position for the second step is back R.F. the right shoulder should lead. This allows the right side to be in an open position, which allows the man (or whoever is moving foreward ) not to step off line. This is all set up by the lady staying on her L.F. with the heel down weight on the L.F. as the R.F. is slid into position. Any other way will result in loss of contact between the partnership. As a man have you found there is a struggle to get into the correct position for the first step of your Reverse Turn, and consiquently the rest of your Reverse Turn. Look at the first step of your Feather. Very important but often negleted. For the inexperienced the first step of the Feather is R.F. for man, L.F. for the lady. AND THE MAN DOES RISE AT THE END OF THE FIRST STEP THE LADY DOES NOT.

Don this is interesting as it is a really important basic. Would you care to comment on the timing, fall and rise for the following: Telemark into a reverse feather. I have found coming out of a Slip Pivot and Double reverse Spin into the above steps that the timing can be rushed. Thanks Sandra

Sandra .I only saw this question just now. Both you and your partner should lower correctly at the end of the Double Reverse before entering into the Open Telemark . Then a big first step by the lady, to get out of the way, smaller by the man. Still with the head left don't turn your head to soon into PP. What can happen on the Telemark is the lady sees where she wants to go and stops turning. Even though the head now is still, and in promenade, the shoulders should continue turning under the head. This will stop you opening more than you should, you should be looking at the back of your hand. If you are looking through the middle you are wrong. After this get your head back to its correct position. All of the above should help with the timing. One more thing lower at the end of the Telemark. Happy Dancing.

I asked about this NFR just recently (04/06/05). When you say the lady does not rise on step 1 of the Feather step, well she does! I suppose you mean she doen't rise in the feet. My partner and I have been working on this NFR on all Feathers in our routine.