"If you are working with the same intensity on all your steps you will never last the distance."

The same is very true for Viennese. The turns were wearing us out until our coaches pointed out that we were each putting the same amount of effort into the back half of our turns as we were the front half.

It's made a big difference.

jwlinson. I have put this on before. Here goes. Slavic explains on his disk on the Cha. When the legs are straight the thigh bone over the shin bone. we need very little help from our muscles to stand up. When we bend, our muscles must be used to keep us up otherwise we will fold up. That's it in a nutshell.

My legs are often nearly straight (steps 1 and 2 of natural turn as an example) but my thigh bone is far from over my shin bone, and i'm using a lot of muscles.
My view is that dancers have to put special effort into developing calf muscles groups and foot and ankle muscles, because everyday movements don't really use these muscles a lot. apart from climbing stairs. That's why people use lifts!
On the quickstep thing - if you like big band swing you love quickstep. Someone earlier mentioned Shout and Swing and Sing-Sing-sing.. If these don't get you going...
Anymouse pointed out that it's important to stay calm. I can relate to this. If they play any of these big band tunes, i'm taken over by the music and anything can happen!! Including admonishment (to put it politely) from my partner.(quicksep is one of our better dances)

Rise and fall definitely helps on the calf muscles and other leg muscles. Rise and fall in waltz used to kill us, but now we can do it with ease. Strengthening those muscles has helped in all of our other dances.

"My legs are often nearly straight (steps 1 and 2 of natural turn as an example) but my thigh bone is far from over my shin bone"

I believe in this case what matters is that the thigh bone and shin bone are almost aligned with each other and with the force that they must transmit. It doesn't really matter that this force is likely not vertical at the point when the leg is most aligned with itself.

The more recent move towards commenting that the muscle usage is lesser in this situation than in that of a bent leg is an improvement over the erroneous older comment implying that the muscles would have nothing to do when the leg is straight.

I LOVE quickstep!!! I wish someone would ask me to quickstep at social events.

When my legs are straight steps 1 and 2
My thigh bone is far from over my shin bone. Exactly where else could they be.
But if the knees are bent then they are not aligned. See Slavik Cha DVD. He will explain it . That is the none use of muscle power when the legs are straight..
I'll add a bit more to this. Stand feet together. Bend the knees. Feel the calf muscles and the thigh muscles are tense. Now stand up. Are they still tense.

I Can't speak for all women or for the women you've asked. But personally I can tell you why I prefer the latin dances....they make me feel like W-O-M-A-N. Sexy, sophisticated, sensual.

I do enjoy the standard dances as well, but there's just something about those latin dances. All those hips movements.

Hi,
I love quickstep and the music, but it is very fast and many men don't lead it well. It's very easy to get injured on the dance floor if the leader is not good at it. I know, I had a spike heel come down very hard on the top of my foot and my partner was dancing out of control - faster than the music - and I tripped and fell. Keep asking and keep dancing. You will find some women who like to dance QS.

Ellen

The quickstep is a swing dance. If a person learns from the beginning that the slows if used correctly will carry the body onto the quicks. German Teacher wrote here a few weeks ago that he doesn't call the quicks quick. He calls them slows. So we have
Slowly slow slow slowly. If the word quick is used thats exactly what the pupil will do. Too quick and stiff.