Can anybody explain how the last step of the Feather Step, International style, becomes the first of the Reverse.I mean if you ask the average dancer how many steps in a Feather they will say three. And how many beats they will say four. That according to the book is wrong on both counts. There are four steps and six beats. Feather Finish the same. Three Step also has the last step as the First of the Natural Turn. Why ? there must be some explanation. Or have the steps been changed since my book came into being.

No the book hasn't changed.
As I sit here at work and think, I'm sure the last step of one variation is the first step of the next in quite a few of the ballroom dances. I just take it as thats the way it is.

I don't think this will help you understand, I study the theory in quite some depth sometime and I still have questions !!!!!


Julie X

If you want an answer then give what you think the reason is. There are two or three regulars who 'sit on the fence' just waiting to shoot you down. Try it and see. You may get the correct answer.

The book tries to give you enough information to clarify the figure. For example, if the ordinary "end" of a figure needs to be followed by an outside partner step at the start of the next figure (which might have been defined with an inside partner beginning), that step will be given tacked onto the end of the figure being described. You see that a lot in the waltz and quickstep.

The feather/three step divide is a bit more complicated. One theory is that each figure is defined between points of quasi-neutralization.

Something to keep in mind: the book wasn't written for new students who get easily confused by these details, but as a study guide for teachers in training who would already be very familiar with the dances, and just need to look up important details - people who will not be confused about which step is which.

It depends which book!
The ISTD syllabus, which was based on work done by Alex Moore generally uses the overlapping step method which describes the 4 step feather.

Guy Howard, in his book which is the IDTA bible, removed the overlap and just uses the 3 step feather. That is the book I prefer, possibly because it was what I learned first, and I generally teach that way. When I did my exam using the ISTD book I kept forgetting the "extra" step.

Bear in mind the the books are not intended as dance instruction books. They are the bible against which a teacher is examined. I think this is why the extra step is used because it enables the student to demonstrate those aspects of a figure that effectively form part of the next step, such as lowering and completion of footwork, completion of body turn, correction of sway etc etc.

One interesting effect of the different styles of the two main text books is the description of the foxtrot three step. One says it is LRL and the other says RLR. If you ever get two teachers from different camps together you could try innocentlay asking "what's the footwork on the second step of a three step" and wait for the arguments.

Hi SocialDancer
/* I think this is why the extra step is used because it enables the student to demonstrate those aspects of a figure that effectively form part of the next step, such as lowering and completion of footwork, completion of body turn, correction of sway etc etc. */

That is right! I spoke to Guy Howard about this. He asked me how I taught the Feather and I replied as 3 steps. He then added you must still demonstrate it as 4 steps in the examination room. A demonstration should be accurate in all aspects, regardless of which is the subject of a question. Also you must do the same in the Waltz. If a figure has ended on the toes you must lower and at the same time take a short step forward, otherwise an examiner will ask you to give a detailed description of a lowering action. A few years ago, Elizabeth Romain (ISTD), wrote the same about the Waltz.

Confusion gets in the way of learning, and therefore slows it down. Those learning anything are held back by confucion, which should therefore be avoided at all costs.
It's a pity that the overlap between steps causes confusion in each figure. If an examiner wants to see the lowering action, which strictly is not part of the figure being examined, but part of another figure, why not ask a student to dance the two figures together(a chassis into a natural turn, for example)?
In a book on driving technique, it would be very strange to find under 'how to turn right' the instructions
"insert the ignition key into the ignition switch"...etc, even though it's obvoiusly essential to have the engine running to turn right.

it doesn't stop there. With the Feather Step ending facing LOD and the Reverse starting diag to centre. And then a note later saying only the advanced dancer should attempt a Reverse from LOD What teacher in their right mind would teach that. I suppose there would be some who have just passed their teaching examination. Thats probably why some clown once tried to teach me the Fallaway starting facing LOD, at the same time that I was watching on video the British Professional Champion going cleary from Diag Centre. I suppose with somebody and their partner both as thin as a twig might manage it, but not the average built dancer.

Quickie,
It's seems that you have considered that. It means that the Rev can commence facing LOD, just like a Nat turn. In the end ir's not a matter if you would it's a matter that you could.

My thoughts are that as the first ISTD book was written. It had come from an era where there was no Feather Step or a Heel Turn. The Feather was a lock and the Reverse a V. Cross then back side together. If you can work it out the step after the lock could be taken, and the Reverse V Cross could start on the side RF and Cross. So maybe Alex Moore had this in mind when the book was written at the request of the ISTD. And nobody has troubled to alter it. I have up to this time only met a couple of teachers who teach that the three step starts on the RF. I'm not sure but I think in this country a student passing examinations can choose whether to be judged on Guy Howard's book or the other. I'll check on this one. I did find a ridiculouse situation where two teachers , One teaching the males and the other teaching the ladies were working off two different books. There were a few Hey hold on there.