Why is there no sway on the reverses in international Viennese Waltz? Reverse turns are made with sway in other dances. Is it the amount of turn and the speed?

Hi Phil, there is a slight sway to the mans left and ladys right, keep the body turning ,
hope this helps
David coppen director featherstep dance studios ltd uk, adj mod / latin.

Not only is there no Sway. The rise and fall is kept to a minimum also. So much so that it barely exists.

Hi again
I'm reasonably aware of what the technique says, but my question is why? why no sway on reverses?

The UKA (2006) gives sway and also ISTD (2001). This technique is recommended by the British Dance Council (BDC)

Neither sway nor rise and fall really get you much in the case of continued linear movement which is what you have in a series of reverse turns in viennese waltz. So you have a small amount of both, but not any large quantity.

Notice how easy it is to dance the same pattern of movement with tango character. Now try doing the steps of viennese naturals with tango character... possible, but doesn't feel as right without the sway and rise as the reverses do.

Phil. I think that to pop up and down like a cork in a mill pond is out of character with the Viennese Waltz. That's why the rise and fall as well as sway is barely visible and is kept to the minimum. Another reason it is that way is because it is that way.
You might be interested. We have a style here called New Vogue. In it one of the 32 bar dances to V Waltz Tempo, is the Swing Waltz. At the end there are three bars of V. Waltz opening out on the fourth bar to start again. Because every other part of the dance has hugh amounts of rise and lowering, it is necessary to keep that going through the bars of Reverse Viennese also. Not to do it that way would probably lead to not getting a mark from any of the judges. Who would also not mark you if you were to show that same rise and fall in the Viennese proper.

Many thanks to you guys for responding to my posting. However, sadly, i'm still no wiser. There is sway on the naturals. Not bobbing up and down like a cork, but sway and a little rise, and no problem with the linear movement. So why not sway in the reverses?
I know that's how things are, but i'd like to understand. Nearly everything in the technique book is for a reason - sometimes very obscure i admit.

"There is sway on the naturals. Not bobbing up and down like a cork, but sway and a little rise, and no problem with the linear movement. So why not sway in the reverses?"

Did you try the experiment of dancing the steps of viennese naturals and reverses using tango action?

We know the reverses work quite well that way, I suspect you will find the natural a bit awkward to dance flat, though it can be done.

Phil. Whether this is the reason i dont know. One of our very top teachers and former World Champion classes the Reverse Viennese as a conecting step only.
Strange. In Victor Silvester's book rise and fall isn't mentioned at all even on the Naturals. It is mentioned on the Fleckerl's but only to say there is none. The edition we have was revise in 1993.