(a) What is the difference between "step & push" and "step & swing" ? (b) What are the end results of both. (c) How do you know when you are doing it wrong. (d) Don't you have to puch off from the back foot in order to swing? ,so why is step and push wrong? Dave

push, step, swing in that order

Suomuynona. Are you saying to push only from the lowering action at the end of three in the waltz and not on
the one of the natural turn from the right foot, so beat 3& is push but beat one is step swing, the feeling on the right foot is more of a pull from the heel than a push when the weight is over the ball,but is there not some push from that ball on the first step of the natural turn and do we not push of from the right foot on the slow-o of the feather . Dave

Correction. I should have said weight over heal. Please go back.

Suomyona. It's extremely hard to put into writting such a simple thing as the first step of a Waltz or Foxtrot. A beginner might try to push and then step. I think a better way to explain is to imagine or even get them to walk up a steep hill, or even some steps. They most certainly wont step without pushing. What will get them up is the push off the supporting foot, and not the pulling of the front foot.

Don. I think you have to destinguish between the prep step(three) and the first step (one) as they arn't the same. We push off the prep step and pull onto the first step.(ref)Advance ballroom technique 2003. So we have push(LF) step(RF) swing(from the weight as it goes over the (RF). My question is do we also have a push from the (RF)ball and toe to give more power into the swing or will more power give a flatter swing with less shape?.

If you ever have to pull onto a foot, you are not doing enough to send your body from the standing foot.

In tango you must aim precisely to arrive on the foot; in the swing dances you must aim to arrive beyond it.

Dave. This might not be answering your question completely. We are taught that the preperation step is small. If it is big followed by another big one will cancell the other out. Some take a preperation step on the ball. We are taught that if we were to give each step of a Feather a name it would be. preperation small, then big, small. small. I'll stop there because it gets more complicated on the Reverse and the Three step with the different size steps for the man and lady, they are not exactly the same at all times.

Suomynona. From, A techenique of Advanced Standard Ballroom Figures. Geoffrey Hearn 2004. With forwards from Eggleton,Hillier,Hilton,Peggy Spencer,Kenny Welsh,John Wood.
Teaching 1.Head weight commences the movement.2.3. 4.Body weight pulls left leg forward. I checked this out when I went for my walk this morning and this is what happens. I was always taught like you the opposite,that we don't pull our weight onto the foot I am of cause refering to the first step in the bar of music.

"Body weight pulls left leg forward. I checked this out when I went for my walk this morning and this is what happens. I was always taught like you the opposite,that we don't pull our weight onto the foot I am of cause refering to the first step in the bar of music."

The leg is pulled (sent) by the body.

The body is not pulled by the leg. (It is pushed by the departing leg)