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American Style Foxtrot
Twinkles to PP & CPP
16. Twinkles to PP & CPP
Fact Sheet
Official Name:Twinkles to PP & CPP
Dance / Level:Full Bronze American Style Foxtrot
Aliases:Promenade and Counter Promenade Twinkles, Passing Twinkles, Flip Flops
Suggested
Prerequisites:
None

A basic Twinkle is a figure that typically begins in closed position, and is turned to promenade position over three steps. However, there are many variations on this type of movement, as can be seen in the figure Twinkles to PP and CPP.

These Twinkles use a much more relaxed version of dance hold known as open promenade and open counter promenade position. In these positions, the man and lady stand a few inches apart in a V-shape, with the man's hand on the lady's shoulder blade at the closed end of the "V", similar to normal promenade but without body contact. The opposite end of the "V" is left wide open with the hand hold released. When turning from open promenade to open counter promenade or vice-versa, the man's free hand is placed on the lady's free shoulder blade, and the opposite side released.

The Twinkle to Open Promenade Position
When the Twinkle begins with the man's left foot on the first step, it can be turned to promenade position over steps 2-3. The first step is forward, and can be danced in line or outside partner, or taken from open counter promenade position.

The Twinkle to Open Counter Promenade Position
When the Twinkle begins with the man's right foot on the first step, it can be turned to counter promenade position over steps 2-3. The first step is forward from either promenade or open promenade position following a promenade figure (e.g. Forward or Back Twinkle). See the list of follows for additional details.

The figure as outlined in the man's and lady's parts begins in closed position and starts with a normal Twinkle, with the exception that the man releases the LH-RH hold to end in an open promenade position. The second measure is a Twinkle from open PP to open CPP, followed on the third measure by a Twinkle from open CPP to open PP. The last measure is a "Promenade Close", which is the action that typically follows a basic Twinkle, starting in open promenade position and ending in closed position.

Measures 2 and 3 (steps 4-9) can be repeated as desired.

An alternative version of the figure can be danced using open PP with a RH-LH hold, and open CPP with a LH-RH hold. When the figure is danced as written in the man's and lady's charts, the first Twinkle must be finished and second Twinkle begun either normal promenade position, or in open promenade position with the man's right hand on lady's left shoulder blade, since it is awkward to try to achieve a RH-LH hold from a normal closed position during the course or a basic forward Twinkle. After that, hand holds can be used throughout (including any repeats of steps 4-9), until the man chooses to return to the normal dance hold.

16b. Progressive Twinkles to PP & CPP

The basic Twinkles to PP and CPP are non-progressive, as the mirrored movements of man and lady traverse back and forth in one location on the floor. To create a progressive version, the technique must be modified, and the resulting figure is the Progressive Twinkles to PP and CPP.

The first modification is the alignment: The first Twinkle should end with man facing line of dance and lady facing center, both ready to move toward diagonal center. This can be done either by commencing the Twinkle with man facing line of dance, or by commencing facing diagonal wall with man and lady each turning 1/8 to promenade position. The latter version is the one shown in the man's and lady's charts.

Once man is aligned to line of dance in open promenade position, his alignment will not change for the duration of the figure. Instead of turning equally with the lady, he will maintain his position and pass the lady back and forth from one hand to the other, progressing down the line of dance in a zig zag fashion, alternately from diagonal center to diagonal wall. The lady will end up having turned 1/2 to either direction on each Twinkle -- 1/2 to the left when passing to the man's left side to end in open CPP, and then 1/2 to the right when passing to the man's right side to end in open PP.

Because the man is now on the inside of a turn, he will need to take a slightly smaller step to allow the lady to pass from one side to the other.

Like the basic Twinkles to PP and CPP, the progressive version can be danced either with the man's hand on the lady's shoulder blade, or the alternative using hand holds. This alternative requires further modification of the technique, since the lady is on the outside of a much wider circle: The man must accommodate this by closing his foot on the second step, resulting in a hesitation action.

 

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