Hi,

I see often "LF closes to RF". In the Alex's Moore book, I found a clear explanation of how to close feet in tango (it is actually very interesting since it's not a "normal" closing feet) but I didn't find anything related to waltz/foxtrot. Any comment is welcome and appreciated.

thanks,

to be more specific, are toes at the same level or are they offset ? should the toe absoluteley be touched or could be very slightly apart (to help keeping balance) as long as the heel are touched/closed ?

Thanks

A friend of mine who reads this column suggested that after mentioning dancing on Four Tracks, that I, for the benifit of those who have no idea what is being spoken, enlarge on this topic. First stand , draw your feet together. If you are like me the first part of my body that touches is my thighs just above the knee. If I look down I will see that the widest part of my feet is 4 inches apart.If I jam my feet together it is a most uncomfortable position to be in. A former teacher that I used to go to said ."Ïf it isn't comfortable it is most likely to be wrong".Now put that aside. Get four shoes, two ladies two gents. If available stand on a 4" floorboard. Put one ladies shoe on board one , put a mans shoe on board two facing the opposite way. Ladies other shoe on board three, and the mans on four. You will find that a move foreward by either will not have a foot or a leg in its way. I will not step on her boards, and she not on mine. I had one idiot who insisted that the ankles in two foreward walks must brush each other. No wonder I kept treading on my partners toe and kept knocking knees.If you adopt the above mentioned you will find your body position is right side to right. There is a bit more to add to this, just a little too difficult to write about at this time.

My understanding is that in slow waltz and foxtrot the feet should be level (i.e. alongside each other with no offset)They should be very close. If they are obviously apart, it can give a slightly ungainly appearance. In basic slow waltz you should be able to bring your feet completely touching together (where this is appropriate)without upsetting your balance.
The offset in the feet when closing in tango is a result of the much closer hold

The technique books give no detail on 'normal' foot closures because they are just that, normal. It is just as you would do if told to stand with your feet together. (Note that the weight may be nearer the toes or heels than when standing normally, depending on preceding and following actions).
Only when there is something different from normal is it mentioned. The tango close is one example.

I agree with Sarcastic Smoothie's comment about foot closure happening "effortlessly" as a result of good swing. Though, I would add that the stronger your swing gets the more you will control the closure of your feet as one of the means by which to achieve a steep deceleration between 2 and 3.

There are some excellent and accurate comments on this message board concerning the closing of the foot in the Modern Waltz. I have no idea which technique book you have. If it is the original book first compiled many years ago. It might be worth pointing out that in those days they had little or no concept of dancing on 4 tracks, nowdays there is a gap ,just enough to get a unrestricted step forewards or backwards.The best advice is to get a tape of a top couple and see for yourself if the feet are jammed together or not. I would just like to give praise to the first top professional teacher and competitor, the late Wally Fryer, king of the scatter chasses, who in the late 40's, taught that the lady needed to be more to the mans right side, and not knee capping each other. Prior to this, a photo from behind the man, if the lady was short, you might just see a little of her forhead, she was almost hidden. Incidently I was there at that time.Wally was my teacher.

Foot closure in waltz is very nearly a lie.

Yes, it's taught to beginners. And it may well be important to think of it that way for a few months. But ultimately it would be necessary to understand what is really happening.

You do not close your feet in waltz, rather the sway of the figures swings your legs together, as you reach full rise onto the toe.

At this point you will briefly find your feet parallel and together, while you are balanced there. But it won't feel like you closed your feet, rather it just happened as a result of the swing. It's only before you start using swing that you have to think to actively close your feet.

If the next step is forward you will lower with your feet still very nearly closed. But if the next step is going to be backwards, the other foot will already be starting to reach back for that step as your lower. Hence by the time you are fully down to the heel, it will actually be just your knees (but not your feet) that are closed.

Failure to end up with the feet closed does not indicate a failure to remember to close the feet, but rather a failure to execute the figure with the right travel and sway.

There's not much point in keeping your feet apart for balance, as you should never have your weight in both feet for more than the briefest instant in any of the characteristic figures of waltz, foxtrot, or quickstep. You just have to learn the control and build the strength to balance on the area forward of the ball of one foot.