hello

I found an old oooooooooooold ISTD Q&A book. They said that one of the basic figures which change you from natural to reverse is *BACKWARD PASSING CHANGE* Do anybody know this step? it might be change step? Thanks :)

yes, a backwards change without foot closure - sort of an inline back feather (no outside partner) if I had to guess

It's commonly used in Viennese Waltz.

Mina. If you look at Alex Moore it is called an Outside Change. If it is Victor Silvester it is called an
Outside Change. The Outside Change is a very useful figure especially in a crowded ballroom. If you find it is impossible to complete the full amount of turn on the first half of the Natural
Turn. The Outside change is the best figure to use. The figure should finish diag. to wall ready to step outside the lady with the R.F. not to be used to go into a Reverse movement To do this you need a step called the Hesitation Change. Neither are a Back Feather. As Laura said a type of Outside Change is used in the V Waltz which will take you to a Reverse Turn by doing 4 5 6 of a Reverse into the foreward side cross.Hope it is't too confusing in the V. Waltz bit.

I highly doubt it's an outside change if the lady's first step isn't outside parnter. Which it wouldn't be in VW.

Hi,
There use to be two Backward Passing Changes one from Natural to Reverse and one from Reverse to Natural. The amalgamation of the Passing Change from Natural to Reverse commenced facing DW it consisted of 1-3 Natural turn (1/4 only to back DC); three backward walks to back LOD then 4-6 Reverse Turn to end facing DW. The second one commenced facing DC; 1-3 Reverse Turn to back DW (1/4 turn); three backward walks to back LOD then 4-6 Natural Turn to end facing DC. Although those were the amalgamations used the Passing Change was the three backward walks. Dance societies dropped the Passing Changes when the three backward walks developed into the Outside Change.

pretty sure you mean when the three backwards walks developed into the closed change, as we dance today. the outside change is a whole other animal - starts outside partner, ends outside partner or in promenade, and has 3/8 of turn on the "wrong" step (cbm on step 2 instead of step 1)

Hi Anon,
Sorry anon but you are wrong. I'm a professional teacher of the English style and the Passing Changes, plus the Change Steps, were in my Associate syllabus 47 years ago when I joined the then International Dance Masters' Association, UK. (IDMA). Also the Outside Change can commence in line (ISTD) or ouside partner (IDTA) I use to contribute regularly to this message board but it was becoming almost a full-time job in answering queries such as yours. So I stopped. What I wrote is the answer. It's as simple as that! I'll say no more on this.

Illuv2bewrong, I don't what title you claim... you're wrong

for those not familiar with the book, an outside change is a TURNING figure with a change in the role of who is going forward and who is going back, while a passing change is not