I have been executing my open right turn with a 3/8 turn. Coming from a DW position this would put me LOD on the right leg back step. My new instructor, who travels all over the US adjudicating and examining, tells me it should be a half turn, thus maintaining that diagonal track. He says this gives it more continuity from an appearance perspective.The NDCA syllabus says 3/8s. Any opinions on this.

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"Spin Twinkle" is one of the American Style buzzwords to describe an Open Impetus. It comes out of the Fred Astaire syllabus. I've also heard it called "Natural Twinkle" and "Natural Spin Twinkle". At Arthur Murrays they tend to just call it a "Back Twinkle", but I personally find this less accurate.

Sincerely,
Jonathan Atkinson

Johnathan

i would like to know what Spin Twinkle is? according to which technique book? thanks.

terence

I would say starting from PP in LOD, a 3/8 turn (foot position) is typically correct. However, if you continue that rotation of the body to lead into the next step, it will terminate in what looks like a 1/2 turn. The body never stops moving in the traveling dances, specially the slower Foxtrot and Waltz, when executed right. Hence, even though the turn in a VW is 3/8 turn for the 1-2-3 portion, the body continues this rotation so that it appears that a full half turn has been performed. This is to my understanding of course.

However, some people take it to the extreme and go around in circles, but that is a subject for a different discussion.. ;o)

Enjoy.
Sri.

John,

You have to take into account the difference between the alignment of the feet and the direction of travel of the body. When I do an Open Natural from PP, I'm traveling basically straight down LOD on all 3 steps. But the alignment of the feet is approximately diagonal wall on 1, and DC against LOD on 3, with a slight right-side lead. CBM will cause the resulting alignment on step 1 of the follwoing Open Impetus (Spin Twinkle) to be almost DW.

I don't know if that's anything linke the way the book has it, but that's how I'd dance it and teach it.

Sincerely,
Jonathan

sorry, 1/8 turn on 1-2 and 3/8 on 2-3, which forms a half turn on 1-2-3 in Vinnese.

if you are talking about natural turn in int'l Vineses waltz, it should be (according to ISTD syllabus) 1/8 turn on first 123 and 3/8 on 456 so that the whole turn should be half turn.