I read the step description in Internet that the Open Hip Twist in Rumba & Chacha takes two bars. 1 Bar for the lady coming to the front of the man, 1 bar for the lady to Fan Position (this bar the step is the same as the figure Fan. So I'm confused why Open Hip Twist consists of Fan figure. Is this right? Or Open Hip Twist takes only the first bar, the second is Fan? Pls help me, thank you very much.

Waltz2u

Hi, Jonathan
You said that:
7-9 of a Natural Spin turn is really just the second half of a Reverse Turn.
We are so confused. As far as we know, in Slow Waltz, Natural Spin turn or Reverse Turn consist of only 6 steps. Second haft of these steps (4-6) is quite different. For Natural Spin turn, LF back, R.F forward, L.F to side, but for Reverse Turn, RF back, L.F to side, Close R.F to L.F.
We hope that what we have written above is helpful.

HaOanhTranThanh

You're right... my bad. I was thinking of the Spin Turn as described in one of the American style tech books. Anyway, you get the point -- overlap is common.

--J

To HaOanhTranThanh: The last step of Natural Spin Turn is LF to side and Backing DC.

To Jonathan: I think that Natural Spin Turn takes 2 measures, and after that the 2nd half of Reverse Turn is used. The Natural Spin Turn does not include the 2nd half of Reverse Turn.

Simple: The Open Hip Twist includes the Fan.

The 'Fan' as a figure is nothing more than a simple way of describing a method for achieveing 'Fan' as a position. Many figures which end in Fan position therefore can be said to include the Fan (figure).

Because the ballroom dance syllabus is a series of figures built from many of the same basic building blocks, there's no shortage of similar or overlapping figures such as the one above. That's actually one of the nice things about it... once you learn the basic building blocks, you don't have to keep re-inventing the wheel every time you work on a new pattern. As you work through the syllabus, you'll notice that most of what you learn is based on something you already know.

Other examples of overlapping patterns:

1-3 of a Natural Spin Turn in Waltz is really just the first half of a Natural Turn.

7-9 of a Natural Spin turn is really just the second half of a Reverse Turn.

4-6 of a Basic Weave is the same as 4-6 Weave from PP, which is also the same as an Outside Change.

4-7 of a Rock Turn in Tango is really just a Back Corte (which always made me wonder... why is Rock Turn listed before Back Corte in the syllabus?)

Anyway, you get the idea.

Jonathan