Should we persist with a step or a group which is not going well. No names no pack drill. A UK teacher whos name comes up on this sight regulaly, and seems to spend a fair amount of time in the USA. Once told us that if a group is causing trouble, throw it out and replace it with something else. He said. You will probably never do it well.So the teacher who insists and persists week after week with something that is not going well is wrong, according to an expert.

I think a little persistence is good -- but only up to a point. Sometimes working on something that isn't going well can teach you something. That's fine for practicing and experimenting and exploring your limits and abilities. But after a while you have to say "enough is enough" and get rid of the grouping before springing it on someone in a social dance or putting it on the competition floor.

I agree with Laura. If a group of steps are causing problems (rather than simply not looking great) it could be important to get at the root of the problem. If they're put to one side, the problem is still there.
This has happened to us - we had a big problem with a short segment of tango. but, after trying a few other things, we went back to it and resolved the problem. It can be a very simple thing holding you back.
On the other hand, it's pointless for a very tall couple to try something which will only work well for a very short couple. In other words - some limitations are fundamental.
Remember - you learn most when thnigs go wrong

I agree with you guy's. I think it depends at what leval you are dancing. When we were at preshampionship leval our teacher a top pro would also say that if we did not pick it up right away it did not suite us and gave us someting else. We had reached that leval of competance where we should be able to learn a new routine quickly. But of cause to perfect it can take some time.

A big question for me would be if I've ever seen the group danced by anyone in a way that I like. Some things are simply bad ideas even if they look good on paper. If I've seen it and liked it, figuring out how to do it could be worthwhile. But if I've never seen it look convincing, it's probably not going to look convincing on us either.

Body shape, size and hight of the couple can also make a difference as to what variations they should dance.

I wonder if anybody has noticed the amount of sway that is being used on a Reverse Fallaway by some of the best.

Yep

The thing with that, however, is sway is not just something you tack on to a figure. It's a result of the amount of movement you are generating. So, if you aren't moving a lot and just add in a lot of sway you are basically bending for no reason. If you want to have more sway on that figure, you first have to work on how to really move through the figure.

Laura. Do think it also has to do with the quality of the step swing principle? For example; If you rush the movement by trying to get more flight you may not give the body the time to dance the swing and still not get much sway.