I am excited that I can get some clear concepts from you. That's what I need to know, but I can't get from my teacher, in fact, most of time they don't explain clearly to me when I ask. Maybe they don't want to, not mean they don't know. That's the common situation you can see in group lessons in Taiwan.

Thank you very much. I don't know if there are some books or VCD wrote about that (something like Leading and Following lesson on this website.).

Thank you again.

John Shue, a man want to learn more, but don't how to do.

Regarding the lady's heel turn:

The sequence was not numbered by musical counts, it was numbered by actions. In other words, the number 3 in the sequence does not necessarily correspond to count 3 in the music, it simply describes the third thing that you do.

I should clarify that an action is described as any kind of movement of any part of the body, whereas a step is simply defined as a change of weight, and nothing else. Turning your head is an action. Lowering is an action. Pointing your foot is an action. But none of these are steps. A step is something you do to shift your body weight from one foot to another. Therefore, while I described 7 primary actions of a heel turn, ony 3 of them are actual steps.

You shouldn't actually try too hard to connect every one of the 7 actions to musical counts, because many of them don't exactly fall neatly into exact counts the way you might want them to. The only thing that has a specific count is the 3 steps, which take place on the slow, the quick, and the quick. Everything else falls somewhere in between, with many actions partly overlapping others in time.

Remember, this was given as an exercise to teach ladies the logistics of a heel turn. It's "fool proof" inasmuch as it teaches the correct sequence of actions to the lady. When practiced slowly, it trains the lady to do them in the correct order and manner, with good technique. It does not, in particular, address the concept of rhythm. But it does give her the ability to dance the action correctly so that when time comes to practice to music, she has that much less to think about, and therefore a greater capacity to focus on musicality, following, dance position, and other such techniques.

As far as a hesitation, there is no place for that in the heel turn. Even if these actions did correspond to counts, the movement should be continuous nonetheless. Remember, not everything that takes two counts is considered a hesitation. Think about slow-quick-quick timing... isn't the slow a two-count step? But it's not a hesitation. Why? Because the body moves continuously through the step, without ever pausing. So in the end, a hesitation is not defined by the number of beats it takes, but by the action of the body. If the body slows to a complete stop before commencing another movement, you are dancing a hesitation. Otherwise, you are just dancing a slow step.

I hope I've managed to clear things up a bit for you. As far as your additional questions, I will come back and anser a little later.

Good luck, and happy dancing!

Sincerely,
Jonathan Atkinson

Dear Waltz 1231.
1. Step back
*2. Draw (heel of) forward foot back towards back foot until they close
*3. Turn (still first foot)
4. Change weight
*5. Rise onto toes
*6. Step forward with toe of free foot
7. Lower

fiqure above is like take 2 hestitaion action, one is 2 and 3 step, another is 5 and 6 step.
Put weight 1 time in 3 beat, so no matter whether lady chage weight 1 or 3 times in 3 beat, there will be no problem. that's your mean"fool-proof method", right? Maybe, I think.

I have some question about this. Normally, we change our weight every step, but for a beginner of lady, if she don't know the exact footwork, don't know figuare or amalgamation , how does her know I am taking a hestitaion action without put weight on this step? Of course it is a leading problem, maybe.

Such as Waltz hestitaitio change(my teacher tell me to differant between 4~6 natural turn and 4~6 hestitaion chage is use of rising and falling, but It does not work everytime), cross hesitation, wing and closed wing or someting like this. How can I trasmit my intention to her when her don't know what fiqure name I am going to step. all those chage weight 2 time in 3 beat. How to prevent this happen?

and extend this question, how do I should lead, when there's & sycopation step, like as lock step, rever pivot in waltz, even in some Latin dancing. Becuase they take more step than beats of one bar.

Some figures, like Nature Spin and Open Impetus turn, my patener often dance the same, that make me can't end in PP postion. follow by weave from PP. But I know if I lead her with my hand with too much power, that will be very uncomfortable for her and it's a wrong lead way. But It's really hard to lead her by body action for me.

Thanks you in advance

JOHN SHOU,(know many figures, but I can lead it out all)

[This message has been edited by JOHN Shue (edited 01-12-2001).]

When you rise to the toe of a standing foot, the free foot should also be a toe. It will appear as though you are rising onto both toes because the feet are together. But in reality, your weight is only on one foot.

Jonathan

1. Step back (Using right leg)
2. Draw (heel of) forward foot back towards back foot until they close (left leg)
3. Turn (still first foot) (right leg)
4. Change weight (Left leg)
5. Rise onto toes (left leg)
6. Step forward with toe of free foot (right leg)
7. Lower

To Waltz 123 Please clarify, if you step back with right leg, I know there should be no weight on left foot, is that mean you rise onto toes with left foot only and step forward with right toe of free foot ? Please break down step 4 to 6 by using right foot for heel turn. Thanks

RF Back, Close LF to RF without weight, turn on R heel, change weight to LF, rise onto toes (weight still on LF), then forward on RF toe-heel.

I specified LF/RF on a reverse turn to help clarify the action, but I would if I were you avoid thinking in terms of left and right. The correct action always produces the correct foot, which is why I say "Step, close, turn, change weight, rise, step, lower". It's a fool-proof method of getting the correct foot every time on both natural and reverse turns.

Good luck!
Sincerely,
Jonathan Atkinson

Dear Waltz 123,
when you rise onto toes (weight still on LF), is that mean you do not rise onto toes of RF at all ? Thanks.

RF Back, Close LF to RF without weight, turn on R heel, change weight to LF, rise onto toes (weight still on LF), then forward on RF toe-heel