In a recent group class we covered american quickstep. The instructor could not clearly explain to the followers what the lead was for the lock step. He stated something to the effect of the leader will lift you with his right hand (leader will "move" his right hand up). Is this the best way of describing the lead ?
It is my understanding that you always have to do the natural spin turn after a lock step, is this correct or am i mistaken ?

By American Quickstep do you mean Peabody?

I assume we are talking about international style quickstep, even if danced alongside the american smooth dances.

The lead for a lock step is essentially to get the lady moving on a diagonal track over her right shoulder so that when she places her right foot her body continues past it, and her left foot swings in front of her right rather than closing to it like in a chasse.

Essentially a chasse travels sideways down the line of dance, wheras a forward lock travels diagonal to wall. In both cases, the shoulders average out to being nearly parallel to line of dance, so the direction of movement feels different with respect to the body.

The ISTD says you can do 'any natural figure' after a forward lock. Certainly the natural spin turn or any of its cousins would be good choices. I believe you could also do a chasse, but this can be confusing to lead in that context. You also have some more complicated choices at higher levels.

I thought that i was right with the international quickstep and no american quickstep. After a question from a student, the instructor attempted to demonstrate the difference in technique between american and international style, it sounded very shaky to me. Guess, i encountered another 6 week wonder instructor. Will have to let the other students know about this.

I'll ask my instructor (from another studio) to help me with the lead.

Today it is almost universally accepted that where the same figure occurs in both american smooth and international standard, the technique is identical. Hence the styles differ mostly in the types of material prefered.

This is very different from the situation with latin and rhythm, which do have somewhat divergent technique. So for example a lock step in american cha-cha might executed differently from in international cha-cha, depending on who you ask.

I think that's basically it. You need to keep the momentum going foward so that it's not mistaken for a directly sideways chasse, but you do need to have some sideways motion to create the lock. If I get time later I'll try to look up my notes and maybe edit this, but I do seem to recall some degree of sideways motion being part of the lead that you're locking.

Here we go. Lock step as in the international style. Nobody ever mentions NFR. No Foot Rise for the person going backwards, in this case the lady, on the first step of the lock step. This creates a slight pause allowing the man to slightly pass into the ladies right side. The same happens in the Feather Step, as in Foxtrot. It also happens on the first step into a Natural Turn in the Waltz. Just learn the mechanics of NFR and your troubles are over. In the Wave in Foxtrot is a classic example. As the lady prepares to step on the outside make sure that as man you don't spring off your LF. which takes the centre away and makes it impossible for her to get into the correct position. And of course Ditto.

Interstingly enough, when the figure is done with the man going backwards (back lock) the book goes give foot rise as an option, wheras a lady is required (and a man allowed) to do it NFR with a toe release.

I'm not sure I agree with the idea of this stopping the backward moving partner's motion - yes, it often has this effect with intermediate dancers. But a good dancer should be able to move the body smoothly through the various phases of foot & leg usage - should be able to do TH backward walks and look from the waist up like they are on one of those airport people-movers.

Of course this requires that the person going forwards be able to roll through their foot (from heel to substantial rise on the ball) even as they generate body swing - I'll admit I tend to pause in that foot to give myself more time to set up the swing, rather than blending all the actions smoothly.

Re . Mans backward Lock Step. In my book in the general notes it says the lock back for the man is the same as the lock back for the lady. NFR and all.

My 2 cents:
1. Quickstep is international. No such thing as American
2. Lock steps are done fwd AND back. The easiest example= the V6 where after a spin turn there is a lock step back, a slow, the V, a slow, and then a lock step forward.
3. As a result, the lead is to move yourself diagonally, opening a little room for the follower to lock as she is forced by your movement to move diagonally.
4. Lock steps are not followed by a spin turn either necessairly or even usually. V6, 4 Quick Run, 6 Quick Run, Tipple chasse all have lock steps and are certainly not followed by a spin turn.

Please note that I'm no expert; this is just my understanding based on a couple of years of lessons.

Jerry Blumenthal