We want to change part of our slow waltz routine that we dance in comps (i suppose it's strictly international slow waltz - i'm in Ireland), and i 'm wondering if anyone has any ideas.
The part we want to change is danced down the long side of the floor.
We do a double-reverse spin (out near the centre of the floor)followed by a drag hesitation and back lock into the corner. Then it's an impetus turn out to go across the short side of the floor.
We don't like the drag hesitation and back-lock part and would like to change it.
We're both very tall and move well, so naturally we like our routine to have plenty of flowing movement. The idea of a telemark immeditately out of the double-reverse spin is appealing, but need some ideas.
All you choreographers out there - get your thinking caps on!!!

Thanks for all your help. Some answers to queries posted:
Yes - we'd like to keep the double reverse spin. We enter that from a spin turn in a corner coming out with two back locks (taken diagonally into the centre of floor)and a simple reverse turn to face LOD into the double reverse spin. Strangely, these back locks seem fine and we like them. We dance intermediate level, and yes, we do have a coach. He concentrates on our body shaping and asks us what steps we'd like to do. He has made suggestions for this part of our routine (because he doesn't like the back locks after the drag hesitation either), but sadly (and very embarrassingly) we don't like them.
Can i just say this is a great web-site - in fact, uniquely useful. This discussion page is tops.

Ah, OK. So the long side combo is really coming out of a Natural Spin Turn with Back Lock x2 or Double Back Lock (not sure which and if they're different) / 4-6 Reverse Turn / Double Reverse Spin / Drag Hesitation / Back Lock / Open (or Closed) Impetus. Now that sounds like about enough stuff to cover a long side. Just getting things clear in my mind.

phil.samways, "intermediate level" can mean different things to different people. Does that mean syllabus or open? I generally think of intermediate as about silver syllabus, maybe some gold syllabus. I see SocialDancer has given a bunch of suggestions using open level figures, so I'll go with what I know better and suggest syllabus options. I don't know much open stuff and certainly not as well as others. Oh, and yes, the Alex Moore book is actually titled simply _Popular Variations_. Lots of combinations and figures, but the descriptions aren't always helpful, so they may be more useful if you already know the figures involved. It's almost all open stuff although there are syllabus figures included in there as well.

If you want to keep the Drag Hesitation and eliminate only the Back Lock following it, you could use an Outside Change, probably overturned. You could then do maybe 1-3 Natural Turn and Open/Closed Impetus in the corner, or end the Outside Change in PP and you have the option of doing that or adding in a Chasse from PP first. If you want to drop the Drag Hesitation, too, hmm, I'm not too sure. My personal preference for using a Double Reverse Spin is DRS x2 / Contra Check, but that doesn't quite give you the travelling you said you're generally good at. Hmm, well, a DRS can be followed by another reverse turn so what about a Fallaway Reverse Slip Pivot? That travels more down LOD. Still need to follow that with some reverse type move though. Hmm, I guess something we learned in class like Progressive Chasse to R, Outside Change could get you back to the wall direction, overturning as necessary, then follow with like 1-3 Natural / Open or Closed Impetus.

If your coach asks for your input and gave you suggestions, but you didn't like them, why not tell him so? You should be working together and I'm sure he wants you to be comfortable with the combinations you're going to dance. If you don't particularly like his suggested change, why not ask him if he has other ideas you could try instead? Professionals who work with you are going to be able to do a lot better than us amateurs who are just guessing at figures that might work for you. Anyway, I hope this is of some help.

--
James Marshall
marshall@astro.umd.edu
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~marshall

Your current combination is thus: Double Reverse Spin / Drag Hesitation / Back Lock / Open (or Closed) Impetus. That's enough to get you across the long side of a floor? You really only have three travelling moves here because the Impetus is used to change sides. I don't see how that's enough to fill a long side of the floor. Anyway, maybe you can help us out a bit. You don't like the Drag Hesitation / Back Lock combo, but do you want to keep the Double Reverse Spin at the beginning? And how about the exit, do you want to stick with an Impetus or would something else be OK? If you're interested, I have a web page with all sorts of combinations I was taught in the group classes I took. The direct link for it is http://www.astro.umd.edu/~marshall/dance/combos.html . You might find something in there you'd like to use. Otherwise if you can give us an idea of what level you dance in competitions (so we know what level figures to choose from), I or someone else could give you some suggestions. Not like I'm an expert choreographer or anything, but I can try to help.

--
James Marshall
marshall@astro.umd.edu
http://www.astro.umd.edu/~marshall

Yes it is a different book, published by the ISTD.
It contains over fifty amalgamations for each dance so there's plenty to think about. Costs around £6.50.

Drag Hesitation is so nice and helpul figure , but we did not know why ISTD had deleted it in new ISTD syllabuss?

I think the drag hesitation follows a double reverse nicely so I'd be inclined to keep it. Follow by taking LF back into a natural slip pivot, counted &, to face LOD; a curved feather to DW against LOD; check back into a chasse to right across the corner and a travelling contra check into your short side.

If you want to go the telemark route you could then go from the curved feather.

Do you not have any coaching for your comps? I would expect a coach/teacher to suggest a routine that would suit your style, looks and abilities.

HTH
Howard

I forgot to mention Alex Moore's book "Popular Variations" which is available from all good dance suppliers. This has a wealth of ideas in the four main ballroom dances. It assumes the dancer knows the basics so the technique descriptions are brief but adequate. Your coach should be able to work with you on any figures you fancy to get them looking nice.

Thanks Dronak and Panther for some very useful suggestions.
We will be telling our coach about our lack of enthusiasm for his suggestions!! we work with him very well actually, but he's away for a few weeks, and after working on his suggested steps, we figured they didn't suit us. There's a very fast change of direction involved which we're finding difficult, and we...well..simply don't like the movement. The next few practice sessions, we'll be trying out your suggestions.

I found that Dronak and Social Dancer gave very useful guidance. However, because Phil.Samways asked for a substitution, I'll give one as a reference.

As described, the Drag Hesitation and Back Lock are enough to approach the corner. I think the length of the combo below is equal to yours:

- After the under-turned Double Reverse Spin, end facing LOD
- into the Traveling Contra Check: 123, end in PP moving DC
- into the Weave from PP: 123 223, end facing DW, outside partner
- into the Open Impetus as your current routine.

In a more advanced level, and because you want to use a Telemark, I would suggest the bellowing:
- After the Double Reverse Spin, end facing DC
- into the Open Telemark: 123, end in PP moving LOD
- into the Running Weave: 12&3, end backing LOD
- into the Chasses Roll to L: 12&3, end backing LOD
- into the Reverse Corte: 123, end backing DC against LOD
- into the Outside Change: 123, end in PP moving along new LOD or DC of new LOD
+ If the combo is too long, you can omit the Chasse Roll to L and dance the Reverse Corte immediately after the Running Weave.
+ The Outside Change may be used instead of the Open Impetus as the combo above, result the same direction in the ending.
+ You may underturn in the Running Weave to reduce the turn in the Chasse Roll to L. As I said, the Chasse Roll to L can be omitted if it's difficult. I add it between the Running Weave and the Reverse Corte because it's a moving figure and is a left turning figure that makes contrast with the right turning Running Weave.

Hope there's any help.

Best regards,
PantherSon