With regard to the International Style, which has more rise and fall - foxtrot or waltz.

I am slightly confused on this. On the one hand, it is often said that the energy of swing goes more into rise in waltz but more into hoeizontal movement in foxtrot. On the other hand, technically there are more "up" steps in f/x as opposed to "continue to rise" in waltz.

Perhaps I should ask some more specific questions - so here goes

(a) is the max height on step 3 of a reverse turn in f/x (up) higher or lower than the max height on step 3 of a reverse turn in waltz (continue to rise)

(b) is the max height on step 3 of a reverse turn in f/x higher or lower than step 4 of an outside change in waltz (both up - but are the two up's equivalent)

"f/x" is flim shorthand for "effects." The conventional abbreviation for the Fox Trot is "FT" or just "F".

Rise in the Waltz is higher than that in the Fox Trot. "Up" in Fox Trot simply means that the heel is off of the floor on that step.

On the other hand, rise in the Waltz is significant and increases throughout most figures until the dancer lowers.

Sometimes, I have problems with my Achilles' tendons. There are times when I can barely execute steps properly in the Waltz but have no trouble with the Fox Trot.

In the Waltz, the dancer stepping backward will virtually never have foot rise but in the Fox Trot the man may raise his heel on a backward step (e.g. the man's step 5 of the Reverse Wave).

jj

So just to make sure I've got you right

The "up" in FT is lower than than the "up" in W and even lower than the max height on a basic rise and fall W figure.

Right.

Keep in mind that most 'up's in FT are quicks. There really isn't time to rise as much as in a Waltz.

But to distinguish FT from Waltz by the relative amount of foot rise is misleading. Rise and fall are much more important in Waltz. Smooth flow is more important in the Fox Trot; the heel is raised from the floor on quicks to maintain that smoothness.

jj