Let's say in AMERICAN WALTZ after 123 of Simple Twinkle, instead of 456 close, we are doing a 4 5 &6, Chasse' HOW do I lead it so that the lady does not close and slows her rise? Yes I know she should follow, but lets pretend she is assuming close. After the chasse' I will do the 789 (was 456) end of twinkle to closed. Just general info please don't make into a mountain. Thanks, Larry

"instead of 456 close, we are doing a 4 5 &6, Chasse' HOW do I lead it so that the lady does not close and slows her rise?"

Well first you have to recognize that you do both close your feet in a chasse, you simply don't finish there - you seperate them into another step, and it is on that step which you lower.

So, dance a bit flatter yourself so that the rise is more gradual. As your feet close and you change weight, push out and very slightly up from your new foot to project your bodies into that extra step. You are trying to make the foot closure feel like it doesn't give a sense of "closure" to the accomplishment of the figure, but is instead a temporary place on the way to something more - which would be moving into the seperating and lowering step which does end the figure.

Don't worry so much about leading it, worry instead about dancing it clearly yourself, then she will be able to follow the difference in how you do the chasse vs how you do the other thing.

HOW do I lead it so that the lady does not close . OOOPs I meant Closed Position not close the feet.

Thanks, for the information. It is very helpful. Larry

"HOW do I lead it so that the lady does not close . OOOPs I meant Closed Position not close the feet. "

If you want to keep her in promenade position thoughout, then you must keep your bodies in a promenade relationship with respect to the movement.

Try turning your body towards her, so that you are dancing your promenade in a way that feels (but won't be) like you are dancing backwards over your left shoulder. You will be ahead of her in the movement, and she will be slightly behind. To close her, you would bring her past you, following her forward with your right side and ending up in closed position. To stay in promenade just keep this slightly-almost-backwards thing going in your own body.

You have to rise on 2 and 3 and she should follow.

At the end of count 3 of the twinkle, I lower, step through with my right foot (heel)on count 1 of the next measure, bring the lady into closed position, step together count &2 continuing to rise, bring the lady back into promenade position, step count 3 left foot toe at the completion of the rise and in promenade position, lower, right foot through and into an open right turn or something. I count syncopation steps 1&23 because it accents 2, where it shoud be

I Like the idea of the open Rt turn, I was just going to go to closed on the next 3 steps, as in the end of the Twinkle. :)

My American Style Smooth manual has 1 2 & 3. Is that an error?
thanks, Larry

You need to be very definitive on the chasse. Make sure the steps a big enough to be clear to her take you're not planning to close your feet on 3. Keep a strong frame. Watch your weight transfer - it's faster on a syncopated count than a full count. If you're doing all this and she's still not following then, she'll be left behind and you'll be draging her like a rag doll. In this case, she's just not following, or don't want to follow?

Hi Larry: Ballroom dancing is just fantastic!! I'm only sorry that I took it up late in life (65) but am making great strides in all the dances. As was taught to me by my instructor, as you are about to do 2 and 3, with you right hand you must push her gently in the line of dance and (hopefully) she will follow. To make it a little more plain, after the twinkle, you step forward with your left foot and as you are about to do 2 and 3, you slightly nudge her with your right hand.

Regards,
Jerry