FP couple Turn (T) stps are QT (¼T) see *Rule of Turns*, & T in direction
of Drive ft unless
specified otherwise*
CP> Fwd-LT>c +CP>c =
Fwd-L ¼ LTrn-face coh.
CP> = CP dance
line. CP< = CP RLOD
> = dance line, < = rev dance line
+ = end/blend. +> = end dance line. +<= end Rev dance
line.
+/w> = end diag wall dance line.
+\w< = diag wall rlod.
+\c<
= diag coh rlod.
F. Flat. ft. Face.
face (fc). a. Direction
to aim body front.
b. Face partner.
c.
L- or R-face denotes direction of turn/rotate.
d. Face differs fm
look. Face means aim body front/navel & stpping
or
wgtd
ft in a direction. Look means to aim
head & eyes in a direction as
body front may be
aimed in another direction. Looking at
partner while
in a FP (OP, SCP or
HOP) causes dancers to slur intended positions &
facing
directions. Slurred FP alters desired ft
positions & stps are
difficult if wgtd ft bLk path of stpping ft.
face & bk. 4-count 1-meas calypso
pattern. Bfly: Sd-L
bent knee LT
+OP, swivel on-L LT straighten L-knee in
Bk2Bk position, Sd-R bent knee
RT +OP, swivel-RT straighten
R-knee +Bfly.
face to face
(fc to fc, Fc2Fc). 3-stp 1-meas sideways movment. If
followed by Bk2Bk
dancers turn awy on stp-3.
Bfly>w: Sd-L, cls-R, Sd-LT
+OP>, continue LT +Bk2Bk>c;.
facing (fcg). Direction
faced by man (unless girl is designated). Facing
may relate to hall
directions or partner.
facing position (FP or OFP). Face
partner his R-hand (her-L) joined at her
waist level. Double hand hold or hands free may be
specified. Start
position as dancers
wait for music & intro. Keep a
comfortable distance
fm partner.
faena. Entrance, interlude, picture, pose, art work.
fake. Feign or improvise stps, patterns & actions of unknown patterns or
a dance. To fake: dance the rhythm in place with
little or no
progression;
substitute patterns for intended patterns.
Faking requires
dancing the
rhythm. It is better than a
sit-out. Faking involves
confronting &
identifying areas requiring study or practice.
Fake it
until you can make
it.
fall. Reduce
body height or level. a. Lower fm ball to flat of ft.
b. Lower as: Wz cls stp; chg of kick, ball/chg,; rec of the hover or
bal. c. Lower by bending
knee/s.
fallawy (flawy). Dance bkward in SCP,
½OPopen, OP or other position as
partners face the
same direction. All
rhythms. Start or end a pattern
with a fallawy: natural fallawy; reverse
fallawy; fallawy hover;
hover
fallawy;
fallawy whisk; fallawy Rk; etc..
Fallawy modifier
cue word indicates a combo pattern.
fallawy hover. bk hov
or bal in SCP: bk-L, bk-R
on ball, rec-L;.
fallawy left. Reverse,
left or LT fallawy: Man ½LT +SCP & bk up.
a. CP>: Fwd-LT +CP>c,
Sd-R LT (Sd-L) +SCP<, bk-L;.
b. SCP>: Fwd-LT +CP>c,
Sd-R LT +SCP<, bk-L (bk-R);.
fallawy promenade. a. Natural R-turn fallawy fm & in
SCP
fallawy right. Natural or
R-turn fallawy: ½RT +SCP & bk up.
a. CP> wgt-L:
Fwd-RT CP<w, Sd-L RT +SCP>, bk-R;.
b. SCP> wgt-L:
Fwd-RT maneuver +CP<, bk-L +SCP<, bk-R;.
fallawy Rk. a. SCP: Rk bk,.
b. Blend fm CP +SCP & Rk bk.
c. A 1½ meas swing turn to SCP & Rk bk. A 4-stp single-swing pattern.
CP>w: Sd-L
RT<, tch-R, bk-RT CP>c, tch-L +SCP<; Fallawy Rk bk-L,
rec-R
+CP,.
d. 8-stp triple
swing CP>w: Sd-L/cls-R, Sd-L
RT +CP<, bk-RT/cls-L,
Sd-R SCP<; Fallawy Rk-L, rec-R
+CP>c,.
fallawy slip. a. Fallawy hover or bal bk SCP +CP or Bjo.
SCP>w: bk-L
+CP>w, bk-Rball +Bjo or
CP>w, rec-L;.
b. SCP<: bk-L
+Bjo<, bk-R +CP<, bk-L;.
fallawy weave. L-turn & blend fm SCP +Bjo.
SCP/<w: bk-L (bk-R LT +fc his side), bk-R LT +Bjo/>w, Sd-L +Bjo>;.
fallawy whisk. Fallawy ended with whisk-hook ball stp.
SCP>: bk-L
+CP>w, Sd-Rball, whisk-hook stp-Lball
beh-R +SCP;.
fan. a.
Non-stp ft-action.
Extend free ft toe tch floor & trace
extended
¼ to ½ arc. Fan is not a stp, do not stp on a
fan. Bend wgtd
knee
slightly.
b. End in fan position (see).
c. Rumba fan, a
1-meas 3-stp pattern. CP or Bfly wall>w wgt-L:
Rk bk-R (Fwd-L), rec-L (rec bk-R +CP), Sd-R (cls-L), - ;. +fanP>w
(<).
d. 1-meas cha cha +fanP.
e. Blend fm CP or Bfly
to fan position. Imitate opening of a
folded
hand fan. Spread a
fan fm 0º to 90º.
fan Beh. Fan extended
ft arc fm 90º (Sd), or 0º (frt), to 180º (beh)
wgtd
ft. Fan beh is
not a stp, but may be
followed by a stp.
fan in front. Fan extended ft around fm 90º (sd), or 180º (beh),
to 0º (in
front) of wgtd ft. Fan is not
a stp, but may be followed
by a stp.
fan position.
a. "L" position: his L-side (her R-) form vertex 90º angle,
his L-hand (her-R)
joined. Face across in front of
partner. Position
represents an open
90º hand fan.
fandango. a. Arm action/position. Curved arm above shoulder, hand overhead.
b. Lively, fast tempo Spanish Wz music & dance.
farol. Lantern. Street lamp.
fascination. 3-meas figure:
Sd-L, - , cls-R;
Sd-L, - , cls-R;
Sd-L, - , Sd-R/cls-L;.
fast. a. A qk stp, ¼ note stp in 4/4 time
music. A 1/8 note stp in
syncopated rhythm.
b. Tempo that exceeds a rhythm's average
speed.
fast & loose. L-turn Wz figure.
faults. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Look at pntd
ft instead of partner; Rear bk
&
jerk on partner;
Start in ½OP: stp to OP & pnt
twd > in lieu of at
partner.
ROUGH DANCING: pull; push; shove; jerk;
grab; rush; hold; bounce; kick
& swing too high; force twirl; squat
& rise on dip; pull her fwd off-bal
dip;
POSTURE: girl looks over his L-shoulder in
CP; use partner as crutch,
hang on his
R-shoulder; wgt his L-arm; ft watch; low hands &
arms; lift
free ft fm floor on
dip; watch others; look bk too far on dip; swing toe
in & up; bend knee on swing; stps:
Flat ft; Dance scissors thru for a
breakawy
pattern; start "Pivot-2" fm SCP> instead of CP<; girl stp-R
across in front of
man instead of Fwd-R on stp-1 of (Walk-R, - , Pup L,-;
girl Pup on stp-1 or
-2 of a "fwd two-stp" instead of stp-3;
CP dip
without turn or
twist; large stps; rubber-legs; toe prances; bent
knees;
over-stride; bounce;
lead with knee, belly, or hips; pigeon-toed stps;
kick on brush, swing
or pnt; prance; heel lead; shuffle ft; straddle-leg
waddle; bob; stomp;
rush; slide ft floor to stp.
fc. Face.
fc to fc (Fc2Fc). Face
to face.
fcg. Facing.
feather. a. 1-meas 3-stp blend fm CP to contra Bjo
position or vice versa.
Feather Bjo: CP>
wgt-L: Fwd-R +loose CP>, Fwd-L +contra Bjo>, Fwd-R contra
Bjo>;.
b. Feather finish may follow a 1-meas turn.
c. CP> checked
feather: bk +contra Bjo.
d. Curved feather: fwd move start in CP.
e. 1-meas + fm
CP> +Bjo> on stp-1 of meas.
f. International fox-trot choreography may
use stp-3 of figure as stp-1
of a follow-on
figure.
g. Feather fm clsd
impetus, start Bjo<: Impetus +Bjo
>; fwd feather
+CP>;.
h. CP>w feather whisk +SCP>:
+Bjo, Fwd-R +CP>;.
i. Feather Pup:
Blend fm SCP +Bjo then +CP as in feather fm whisk.
j. Feather clsd:
feather fm Bjo to CP.
k. The Feather cue may confuse newer
dancers. Cue: blend +Bjo
or +CP
instead of feather.
l. Used as link
bet pattern, position & direction chgs in
figures.
feedback. a. Microphone pickup of
undesired sound fm speaker/s. Feedbk
occurs with a live
microphone located in range of the system's speaker/s.
The level of amplified feedbk
is not objectionable until ringing occurs.
Ringing exists when speaker output is
re-amplified to a level that
sustains audible
sound beyond the time duration of the original sound.
Ringing occurs if amplifier gain control is
set too high for microphone &
speaker
locations. Excessive amplifier gain
causes sustained feedbk
(oscillation), a loud squeal. Eliminate ringing &
oscillatory feedbk by
reducing the gain
control setting &/or relocating microphone &/or
speaker/s.
b. Information flow fm dancers to
teacher. Obtained by looking &
listening. Visual feedbk is
received by watching how dancers learn a
lesson. Use it to:
consider alternate teaching methods; determine dance
level of the group
& selection of dances. Verbal feedbk fm
dancers is
less than desired,
but can help identify problem areas. Dancers
should
express opinions to
teacher. Teacher may: respond with
professional
counsel; Adj lessons; modify programs & /or explain things
related to
a dancer or group.
Conversation often requires 2nd or higher level
interpretation to
understand meaning. Dance or lesson
situations often
prevent teacher fm
discussing dancer feedbk. Teacher is committed to
maximum use of club
time for the majority of dancers.
Teacher: notices what dancers are present,
recalls what dances/patterns
they know; decides
what to teach/play; notes setouts, dancer problems,
group problems; locates & arranges records; manages the
time; avoids
extended discussions
with individuals; evaluates program, dancers & group
performance;
etc... Time devoted to dancer feedbk is limited by such
items, plus
teacher's thought fragmentation.
Consider this if your
feedbk
comments don't seem to receive due consideration. Teacher will
recall the feednbk & give it further thought at a later time.
fence line.
Lunge-thru stp. Position & attitude of
dancer's body, arms &
legs imitate a
fencer's [swordsman] lunge. Bfly wall on-L: Lunge
thru-R
extend R-hand fwd
& raise trailing L-hand forearm vertical elbow bent
(thru-L mirror image of man),.
festival. Large dance on a city, area,
state, national & /or worldwide
basis. To plan a festival review available formats & modify as
needed.
Large festivals & conventions have many
simultaneous activities. It is
not possible to
participate in all. Large festivals are
impersonal.
Dance & sound quality are often inferior
to small festivals. Housing,
eats, camping &
transportation facilities may be overloaded.
Crowd sizes
at national &
state conventions exceed capabilities of all but larger
cities.
National convention values lie in the
exchange of ideas at panels,
clinics &
educational seminars, rather than dance quality. Excitement &
enchantment of large
festivals make up for dance quality.
fig.
Figure.
figure (fig). A
phrase of dance patterns.
figure cue. Cue figures, rather than stps
or meas/s. Cue
by phrases.
figure eight. 8-meas solo figure-8 pattern. Partners' ftpaths overlap &
interlace. SCP>: L-Cir 3 two-stps
+SCP/>w (R-circle +SCP/>c;;;
chg sides
two-stp (girl pass in front);
R-circle 3 two-stps to diagonal +RSCP>c (L-
cir 3 two-stps to +RSCP/>c);;; chg sides two-stp
(girl pass in front)
+SCP>;.
fin. Finish.
finish (fin). a. Position/manner at end of pattern or
fig.
b. stp or pattern to end a figure or patterns.
fishtail (fish). a. 4-stp 1-meas pattern. Imitates a hooked fish tail
walking [flopping]
on water. Bjo>:
bk-R, cut-L);.
b. 5-stp international ballroom fig
adapted to RD as 4-stp pattern.
RD fig fits in a 4-beat 4/4 time meas, as 1-stp per beat.
RD fishtail
leaves dancers in Lk ft posture. It
requires a follow-on stp or
fig to
un-Lk
ft.
c. Fishtail;
Walk-2;. stp-1 of the
"Walk-2" follow on fig provides the
missing
"stp-5" of the international fishtail.
Typical fishtail stps
to provide smooth body flow, with lead-in & Un-Lk
stps. Form CP>:
Fwd-L +Bjo/>, Fwd-R chk, - +Bjo>;
beh-L (Xif-R) +Bjo/>,
Sd-R, Fwd-L, Lk-R (cut-L);
Fwd-L, * , stp-R, * ;
*choices: feather +CP; FP>w; maneuver
CP<; etc.
five stp. Cinquilla.
five stp schottische. VarsP/>w identical ftwork:
Fwd-L, cls-R, bk-L, Sd-RT +/>c /cls-L;
Fwd-R, cls-L, bk-R, Sd-L RT +/>w /cls-R;.
fl. Flare.
flamenco. Vigorous & alusian
gypsy dance.
flare (fl). Non-stp
free ft action. Trace ¼ - ½ above
floor with extended
free ft. Rise-turn on ball wgtd ft in flare direction. Flare is not a
stp
- do not stp on a flare. A heel to ball ¼ turn drive stp prior to
flare generates
torque. Balance & turn on ball is
difficult if partner
uses you as a
crutch. Use heel to flat ¼ turn stp on the pre-flare drive
stp,
& rise on ball to complete flare. A
flat-ft stp inhibits the
degree
of rotation per stp, but provides better balance support than the ball.
Flare direction determined by: motion
direction prior to the flare,
plus dancer position
& direction of the follow-on stp. A flare may start
with fwd, side or bk motion, & be
followed by a Xif or Beh stp, or a
non-stp
ft action. Blend smoothly fm a flare to
follow-on stp. Control
speed & degree
of flare for timely transition.
flare stp. a. A misnomer.
Flare is not a stp,
it is a non-stp ft action.
Do not transfer wgt
on flare.
b. Misused to refer to 2-actions, 1. A flare, plus 2. follow-on stp.
flat. wgt evenly distributed bet the heel & ball of supporting ft.
flway. Fallawy.
flea hop. 4-count 1-meas pattern. FP>w wgt-R:
Sd-L, hop-L to R, Sd-R, hop-R to L;.
1-ft chug/slide may be used instead of hop.
flex. a.
b. Small bend of wgtd
knee, as a small squat.
c. Bend or cross
free L-knee in front of wgtd-R leg.
flick (flk). a. 1-count kick
bk. b. qk bk brush.
flick/flare. Simultaneous
non-stp ft actions: flick (flare). Bjo> wgt-R:
bk-L (Fwd-RT fc>c & his side), flick-R bk
(flare-L RT>) +SCP>, Fwd-R
(Fwd-L), - ;.
(Girl's part is an outside swivel.)
flicker (flkr). [Shortcake] 4-count non-stp
2-ft moves. FP both hands
joined, wgt on balls of both ft: Twist heels apt extend hands-out +Bfly,
heels tog hands-in bet dancers, heels &
hands-out, heels & hands-in;.
flight. Body movement
fm launch pad to target location.
Dancer is in-
flight fm launch
[drive stp] to landing ball stp. Dancer follows
momentum &
torque generated by launch. Lead body
cues occur prior to
take-off.
flirt/flirtation. a. Look, glance or motion to partner in an inviting,
sensuous or suggestive
manner.
b. Figure styled with flirt action: Smile.
- Glance & lower head &
eyes. - Wink. - Turn
head. - Gentle suggestive tch of partner or self.
- Raise eyebrows. - Hand, shoulder, hip or
body move. - Combo of such
acts.
c. Flirtation or
wgt-L: Fwd-R, - , tch-L; bk-L, - , tch-R; Fwd-RT +Shad>w, Sd-L
RT
+LVars; bk-
R, - , pnt Fwd-L;. Fig may be rpt +Varsouvienna.
d. Chasse or chase danced in cha-cha, rumba
or other rhythms, with
flirt actions.
flk/flkr. Flick/flicker.
float apt. Drift apt.
a. Blend
fm cls proximity CP to a loose CP.
b. Increase separation bet partner while
dancing. CP >, "Float apt":
Man reduce length of fwd stps
(girl increase length of bk stps);;.
floor fright. Dancer emotion, felt by
many new dancers at various times.
Dancer may feel symptoms not observed by
others. Knees & hands tremble,
fm tension,
excitement & anxiety. Fright occurs
in strange or unusual
surroundings or
company. Symptoms subside after dancing
a few phrases.
The problem is resolved by dancing. Dimly lit floors provide a degree of
privacy fm
observers. Some dancers avoid bright
rooms &/or open floors.
Dance on dark crowded floors, to be less
conspicuous. Fewer people watch
fm sidelines when
the floor is crowded. Dancers may
experience floor
fright trembles when
among 1st few couples on floor. Many
wait to get up
until several
couples are dancing. They want & need company
out there.
Floor fright is overcome by exposure: get up
first, walk around the floor,
talk to partner.
Standing in place causes tension to mount.
Anxiety
decreases with each
try. Don't let floor fright keep you fm
dancing.
For super floor fright, dance a 1-couple
exhibition in a lighted ballroom
for an audience of
200+ people.
Some find courage in booze. They must be
high. Alcohol helps them relax
& overcome inhibition, they don't know or
care if they goof. They are
less critical of
themselves & less sensitive to the presence of others.
Alcohol helps them get on the floor, but does
not improve ability or
performance. Drunks gain confidence, but lose ability to
dance, learn &
think. Some must be intoxicated to a degree that
they don't care how they
look or what they
do.
flow.
Momentum: body wgt times speed in direction of the
drive stp [mass X
speed]. Drive stp/s of a
pattern move dancer in direction of momentum
generated by
launch. Assume a couple's combined wgt of 300 pounds [his
180 + her 120]. The combined COG is located bet pair, nearer
larger.
COG movement requires least effort on a
straight line, without lateral
motion. Any flow twd side
is counter productive. Undesired lateral move
of 300 pounds
requires more energy & produces awkard
motion. Launch
direction &
thrust fm stationary wgtd flat ft [static cls stance].
Flow direction & motion start fm
launch. stp-1
of Wz & fox trot meas =
flight stp. stp-3 of two-stp meass = flight stp.
Wz meas stps include:
1. Launch: start drive
stp flow; Propel body wgt
in target direction.
2. Ball: drift with flow; check flight; guide
body landing; down-wgt;
extend turns; stop
flow on target.
3. cls
stp: Establish static launch pad; start lead body
configuration
for next pattern;
prepare for take-off on the next flight launch.
Otherwise momentum tilts body off-bal. Smooth dancing occurs if stp-2
flows in line with
the flight produced by stp-1 launch.
Drive stp thrust
should continue
dancer's travel to the ball of landing ft.
Down-wgt on
ball stp-2 absorbs
flight momentum with body control & bal.
The 3-stps
are:
1-Launch-Flight, 2-Drift-land-check, 3-Set up-configure; or 1-Power,
2-coast & stop, 3-re-set;.
Two-stp meas: stp-3 = launch stp;
stp-1 of the next meas = drift & check
stp;
follow-on stp-2 = cls. Drift stp
should be in line with flight
stp-3 of the
preceding meas.
A firm brace links
couple's combined wgts as a single mass to aid wgt
momentum
control. Loose braces produce separate
momentums for each
partner, rather than
mutual concerted momentum.
The non-turning BOX pattern does not
flow. A fwd drive stp followed by
a lateral side drift
stp, creates a 90º chg of direction in-flight [HOW].
Frequently flawed flow stps
are ball side stps [stp-2 of Wz
& fox trot;
& stp-1 of two-stp fig]. side stp. stp
side in direction of free ft.
Side stp:
"Side" often means a ball stp after a ¼
turn drive stp.
Proper
body mechanics &
flow require a ball stp after a Turn drive stp. A ball
stp
checks flow created by a drive stp. Flow chg launch moves [side, fwd
or bk] SHOULD-NOT be attempted on a landing ball stp. Flow generated by a
drive stp should continue in-line with, into & be absorbed by the ball
stp. Dancers slur side ball stps
as drift & check stps. Creating stop &
start side motion as
a combined stp. Tempo affects side ball stp length.
Momentum increases (wgt
x speed) with tempo increase. qk tempos cause
fast body speed,
high momentum & long ball stps. slo tempo results in
slo
body speed, low momemtum & short ball stps. Very slo tempos permit
small ball stps, & dancer can stp beside
or next to wgtd ft.
flower. A pose. Reverse SCP side corte
position, his L- (her R-) arm
curved up with
joined hands over heads.
foco. Focus. Center.
folk dance. Dance of an area or country. Dance learned fm & danced by
common
populace. American Folk Dance Society
was founded 1916.
follow. See: lead; leading; brace; elbows.
a. Girl's free style ballroom
dance part. Girl
must know how to follow bef man may lead her.
b. Dance with out anticipating, influencing
or interfering with lead
decisions or stp execution.
c. A firm brace links paired shoulders to transmit his shoulder & wgt
moves to her's. His R-hand
provides firm comfortable pressure on bk
of
her L-shoulder
blade. Counterforce exists fm his R-hand
on her shoulder
blade, to her
L-arm-hand on his R-elbow-arm-shoulder. She may increase
pressure of his
R-hand on her bk by tilting bk. Lean bk
on his R-hand to
reduce L-hand push
on his R-arm-elbow-shoulder. Turns create centrifugal
force & increase pressure of her bk
on his R-hand. High extended elbows
provide sensors for
receiving lead signals fm man.
ft watching. A "NO! NO!". A "DON'T". BAD HABIT. ft watching causes:
poor
posture; imbalance;
bad appearance; bounce; tilted head; bent waist; bent
knees & ankles;
protruded fanny; ineffective lead-follow techniques. ft
watching position
alters a pairs posture & configuration to deviate fm
the desired
brace. Increased separation of wgtd ft creates a wide base.
A narrow base under a common COG is needed to
lead-follow in concert.
ft watching
confuses thought & coordination.
Dancers must, stp
with
confidence in
response to music in a timely manner.
Music does not stop
for dancers to
consider stp & ft actions. stp
in time with the beat.
Once started complete stp without further consideration, then forgot it.
Think of & prepare for the next stp while completing an ongoing stp.
Think of the next stp, not the on-going or last stp. ft watchers monitor
ft actions. They concentrate on the last stp & not on-coming stp. It
involves: look; see;
think; decide; act; look; see; think; decide;
approve. Partner's stps are
also involved & complicate the process.
It
repeats for each stp. A ft watcher is
concerned with what was done, not
what comes next. Think like a boy scout: BE PREPARED - for the
next stp.
Typical ft watcher posture, bal & bounce complicates stps. Thought
controls ft
actions. Disregard right & wrong
thoughts & questions or
other possible
meanings of a cue. Music does not allow
time to question,
analyze, reason or
visually monitor stps. Music sets the rhythm,
patterns
& cadence for dance stps. stp
to the rhythm of the music. Disregard
mis-stps. Without hesitating, prepare for & dance the next stp in a
timely confident
manner.
ft watchers do not
watch daily walking stps or ations. Walkers are not
concerned with stp mistakes. They
walk, run, jump, turn, bk
up, cross in
front, stp Beh, etc. with natural
cadence & confidence. Without
watching
& analyzing stps. To watch & think of the last stp
hinders the next
stp. It confuses the stpper. A last stp
can't be chgd or corrected.
ftprint/s. Picture of
numbered L & R shoe prints configured to represent a
stp
sequence of a fig. Start prints may be shaded or marked start.
ftwork (ft wk). Line entry on
a cue sheet heading to specify opposite or
identical ftwork, & if transitions are used. Opposite ftwork applies
unless stated otherwise.
Good ftwork &
stps are needed for smooth, gentle, pleasant ppearance.
It contributes much. Strive to perfect stps. Man adj stp size for her
comfort.
Small stps
contribute to good balance. Balance is
pre-requisite for
good dancing. Is needed for good posture & smooth stps. Small stps
provide more time to
stp. Small stps create less momentum & wgt
is easy
to control. Take fwd drive stps
fm heel to ball. Take bk drive stps
fm
ball to heel. Receive fwd & bk qk drift stps on balls. Free
ft should
pass near wgtd ft on a narrow base or track. A wide track results in a
straddle or waddle
walk. Dynamic bal
control is more difficult on a wide
track. Wide track causes sideward wgt shift or sway on each stp &
degrades appearance.
Glide ft abt
¼" above floor to stp. As near to the floor as possible
without contact with
or tching, dragging, or sliding on floor. Lifting
ft high causes heavy
stomp like stps.
Some S/D callers teach dancers to
slide or scoot stpping ft in contact with floor. Slide or scoot stps
are
improper, but
provide a qk fix to reduce lifting ft in clod hopper
stomp
stps. Angle toes slightly out, not pigeon-toed nor straight ahead.
Some
Latin styles use straight ahead toe
alignment. In CP take L-ft stps
outside of partner's
R-ft. Aim R-ft stps bet partner's ft. stp
fwd with
confidence. Trust partner to stp on the proper ft in time with the beat.
Reach bk
with big toe to stp bk.
Aim toe of stpping
ft in direction of turn on fwd turn stps. Aim heel
of stpping ft in the direction of turn on bk
turn stps. stp to the beat.
Use full count for each stp. Knees
relaxed, but not bent, stiff or
Locked. Free style dancing improves
ftwork, style, lead & follow skills.
Lead with the body & let ft flow into stps. Keep pace with
the circle.
Don't tailgate the couple ahead. Stay ahead of the couple Beh. wgt
on
1-ft or the other, never
both. Use proper ftwork/body stp
mechanics.
Added or omitted stps
break the rhythm & put dancers out of stp.
S/Ders should stp on each beat of music. L- or R-ft stps are
seldom
specified. However turns, twirls, circles, rolls, etc.
flow smoother with
proper body/ftwork mechanics.
S/Ding does not require precision ftwork,
but choreographers should
provide the proper number of beats-stps for each
fig. Figs should correlate proper hand, ft &
body mechanics. Hand-work,
target position
& location are more important in S/D than ftwork. Figs
often turn some
dancers with slurred & conflicting ftwork-body
mechanics,
without serious
impact. Slurred & improper ftwork dancing is less
critical if dancers
are not in CP. Figs work if ft are not inter-meshed
with partner's in
CP.
Girl learn to
dance with long or short stps. Adj for partner's stps.
Long stps enhance
appearance of exhibition dances, but do not help when
learning or on
crowded floors.
force twirl. DO NOT FORCE TWIRL
THE GIRL! Force twirl is:
a. use of force to
twirl a girl in spite of her desire/effort to
resist.
b. Crank her arched hand around shoving her
shoulder to twirl her.
DON'T FORCE TWIRL! Forced RD twirls should find girl on proper ft,
but may destroy her bal. Forced SD twirls often occur with girl on the
wrong ft for proper
body mechanic turns. They can strain body joints.
It makes dancing unpleasant.
fwd (fwd). a. Direction in front of dancer.
b. Straight ahead.
c. stp
fwd.
d. Dance fwd.
e. Cue for dance fwd.
fwd break. 2-meas mambo pattern. Loose CP:
Cross Rk-L in front
(Beh-R) +sidecar, rec-R
+CP, cls-L, - ;
Cross Rk-R in front
(Beh-L) +Bjo, rec-L +CP, cls-R, - ;.
fwd hover. 3-stp 1-meas pattern.
CP: Fwd-L (bk-R),
Fwd-Rball (bk-Lball), rec bk-L (rec
Fwd-R);.
SCP: Fwd-L, Fwd-Rball,
rec bk-L;. May be cued as bal
fwd.
Fwd-L. stp fwd on L-ft.
fwd, Lk, fwd (fwd, lk, fwd). 3-stp 1-meas.
Cue: Lk-3.
Fwd-L, Lk-R, Fwd-L, - ;.
fwd Lk four. 4-stps
1-meas. Fwd-L, Lk-R, Fwd-L, Lk-R;.
Cue: Lk-4.
fwd one stp. International fox trot [archaic]. Fwd-L, - , Sd-R, cls-L, - ;
RD term Progressive
boxes. Modify for smooth flow:
CP> wgt-R:
Fwd-LT CP/>c, -
, Sd-R, cls-L; Fwd-RT
CP/>w, - , Sd-L, cls-R;.
fwd, pickup. Two-stp rhythm:
1-meas 2-slo stps chg fm SCP +CP. SCP>:
Fwd-L (Fwd-R), - , Fwd-R (Fwd-LT Pup flr-R), - (continue flr-R)
+CP>;.
Complete Pup +CP on stp-1 of the next meas (as girl stps bk-R +CP). The
cue fwd pickup may
create a communications problem if dancer confuses fwd
two-stp & stp fwd.
Walk, Pup. (Girl stp
Fwd-R on stp-1: DO NOT TURN TO PICKUP on stp-1.
Start Pup on stp-2: Fwd-L ¼ LT face man's
R-side with L-ft outside of
his-R. DO NOT stp-L in
front of or across his-R on stp-1 to pup. Flare-R
across his wgtd-R to CP.
Fwd-R. stp fwd on R-ft.
fwd two.
Cue for 1-meas of 2-slo stps: Fwd-L, - , Fwd-R, - ;.
May be confused with fwd two-stp. Cue as Walk two instead.
fwd two-stp. 3-stp 1-meas
4/4 time fwd pattern. "qk, qk, slo, - ;"
rhythm. Dance as a
2-meas pattern & cue as Two fwd two-stps. SCP:
Fwd-L, cls-R,
Fwd-L, - ;
Fwd-R, cls-L,
Fwd-R, - ;.
fwd Wz. 3-stp 1-meas pattern. Cue as a 2-meas pattern.
Fwd-L, Fwd-R, cls-L;
Fwd-R, Fwd-L, cls-R;.
four beat turn. Disco term: solo circle-4: Circle-L, R, L, R;.
four quarter time (4/4 time). Music with four
¼notes per meas & 4-meass
per staff phrase.
four stp. Ballroom
term to connect a fig +CP to one beg SCP.
Time: Slo, - , qk, qk; Slo,
- ,.
four stp hustle. A misnomer for a 4-beat fig of 3-stps plus a tch.
The tch
or tap is called a stp in ballroom/disco terms. Rhythm: qk,
qk, slo, tap;.
or stp, cls, stp, tap;.
Typical hustle patterns: Up & bk;
Turn; Underarm turn; 8-count dip;
Beh the bk turn.
Social or American fox trot. A widely used free-style 4/4 time 20th
century ballroom
dance. Rhythm: slo,
- , slo, - ; qk, qk, to 2/4 & 4/4
time music. Basic
rhythm: 4-stps per1½ meass: slo-L,
-, slo-R, -; qk-L,
qk-R,. 2-walk stps followed by 2-run stps:
Walk, - , 2, - ; Run, 2,.
Walk stps are
heel to ball stps.
Run stps are ball stps.
Social fox trot was popular in the
originated the dance
rhythm. Others consider
the
originators. Consider the 100s of yrs of
dance, & millions
of
dancers who preceded
them. It is doubtful that either
originated the
dance. Each contributed significantly to it's popularity. Each
deserve
credit fm the
numerous dancers who derived pleasure fm the fox trot. The
name fox trot may be
a tribute to Harry FOX's use of the dance rhythm.
Fox trot is easy. Danced in CP, it permits holding partner very
close.
That may account for it's
popularity. Many couples dance only the
basic
CP pattern & look good if they stp with confidence, style & grace using
natural body flow
with good posture & bal. Social fox trot patterns:
Fwd-L, - , Fwd-R, - ; Fwd-L, Fwd-R, & : Fwd-L, - , fwd R, - ; Sd-L,
cls-R. Figs: pivot;
conversation; fwd;
International foxtrot rhythm: slo, - , qk, qk;. 1-slo stp & 2-qk stps
per meas. Note: The international foxtrot uses the same
stps & patterns
as Wz. The 4/4 time
rhythm differs fm the 3/4 time Wz rhythm.
International foxtrot has been called
Ignoramus Wz, because ignorant folk
people danced Wz patterns to 4/4 time music. Typical patterns:
chasse; vine;
The three international foxtrot stps are: stp-1 Full heel to ball slo
drive stp, - , stp-2 qk ball stp, stp-3 qk chg (cls) stp on flat;. The
3- stps
are: 1-Drive, - , 2-ball, 3-chg;. Drive: starts motion. Ball:
drift & check
motion. chg:
stops motion & prepares dancer for the drive
stp
of follow-on pattern.
free. ft not supporting body wgt. Hand not in contact with partner.
free-style dance. Dance the rhythm with
random figs or moves as determined
by leader. Man determines what, when, where & how. Pattern variety is
usually limited
& small in number. Many RDers have
trouble dancing a
variety of known
patterns, because of inexperience in deciding what to do
next. Exhibition
& RDs are choreographed sequences to help pairs
perform
intricate figures
beyond the usual scope of lead-follow techniques. Free-
style dancers talk,
snuggle & dream while dancing to the musical mood.
Mood can inhibit recall & use of pattern
variety. One or two figs may
satisfy needs. Factors that limit the number of figs used
include: lack
of need or desire;
random choices by a leader with limited dance knowledge
or skill; poor leader-follower; talk; crowded floor; etc..
Dancers may spend time & money for ballroom lessons & never
use the
knowledge
gained. New patterns-figs need extensive
practice to seem
natural. Dancers regress to reliable old patterns on a
dance floor if
new patterns are not
comfortable. As a result new patterns
never become
a part of dance
routines. If perfected to a significant
degree dancers
gain confidence in
new patterns & often find them smoother & more
enjoyable than
reliable old patterns. Often said: "Lessons are a waste of
time & money, I danced better bef
lessons." The truth: they didn't
learn the lessons
& prefer to dance what they know.
Practice is required
to broaden &
perfect dance knowledge to the a usable state.
Similar opinions exist in self-taught
golfers, bowlers, marksmen, &
sportsmen. A meas of
competence is achieved in self taught skills.
When
problems develop,
they take lessons fm a professional.
They want lessons
to magically
eliminate their problems. When basics
learned in lessons
are used, scores
usually get worse. Inept use of basic
concepts causes
scores to get
worse. The student loses confidence in
basics & the
instructor. The
student did not develop proficiency with the basics.
Competing with regular opponents or in
tournaments creates incentive to
abandon rather than
perfect basic skills. It is hard to lose
using proper
techniques when you
can win with old methods.
Question "How do you know what to do
next when ballroom (free-style)
dancing". Answer: Keep the rhythm & do whatever you
wish. Start with
well known pattern-1
& repeat it while deciding on pattern-2.
Repeat
pattern-1 until the
"how & when" of blending to pattern-2 is recalled.
When ready, start pattern-2. Repeat pattern-2 while deciding what to
dance next, plus how
to blend to & dance pattern-3.
Choreograph a
sequence of 3 or 4
patterns. Memorize & practice the
routine until it
flows smoothly, use
it for free-style dancing. It adds
variety &
pleasure. It reduces
monotony of `Poor Johnny 1-stp' dancing.
freeze. Hold. Keep body & ft positions fixed a specified number
of counts.
friendship. Friendship, fellowship &
courtesy are more important than any
dance. They come first, the dance is secondary. Social aspects & fun
are not excuses for
sloppy dancing or teaching.
Friendly club. Primary criteria for judging a club is
friendliness. New
dancers to a
community may visit several clubs bef choosing one to
join.
Club shoppers are influenced by many factors
including: club &
member
friendliness; club
size ; level ; location ; night ; hours ; program ;
teacher; sound
quality; floor; room appearance; & comfort; frequency of
dancing; rest break
duration; other things attract & repel them.
Final decisions are usually based on club
friendliness. All clubs
visited are
considered, but the best impression is friendly members. A
warm friendly
atmosphere outweighs many weak pnts & make
visitors want to
return.
Friendly signs start at the entrance. Visitors are noticed & greeted.
Members hold the door, help with coats,
welcome them & introduce
themselves. The number & variety of contacts
determine the degree of
friendliness
experienced. Contacts may include
greetings & intros by
every member. After dance contacts to invite visitors bk.
Learn something abt
visitors, call them by name. Where are
they fm?
What do they do for a living? How long have they been in town? How long
have they been
dancing? Talk abt
the club, frequency of dancing, next
party dance, the
teacher, the next festival, etc..
Every club member is a host or hostess, not
just club officers.
Visitors are guests, not just patrons. Leaving the responsibility to
others creates an
unfriendly club. The best part of being friendly is you
enjoy yourself more
& feel better. Everyone benefits.
frisco. Early 1930's 4-count 2-meas pattern.
Bfly: Sd-L, cls-R, Sd-L,
Xkck-R; Sd-R, cls-L, Sd-R, Xkck-L;.
front. a. Direction ahead of a dancer.
b. stp Xif of wgtd
ft.
c. Front of the
hall. Direction twd stage.
front cross Rk. X free ft in
front of wgtd ft to Rk.
front limp four. 1-meas 4-stp pattern.
Bfly: Sd-L, X-Rif, Sd-L,
X-Rif;.
front of hall. Twd stage where speaker, cuer or caller is
located.
front tch stps. Disco/hustle
patterns. FP both hands joined.
a. "Front tch
stps": pnt-L, cls-L, pnt-R, cls-R;
Sd-L, cls-R,.
b. "Front tch
stps with L- & R-movement": pnt-L, cls-L, pnt-R,
cls-R;
Sd-L, thru-R,* pnt-L, cls-L; pnt-R,
cls-R, thru-L, cls-R;.
c. "Front tch stps with underarm
turn": pnt-L, cls-L, pnt-R, cls-R;
Sd-L (Sd-R ½R-twl), Beh-R (Sd-L ½R-tw) +FP,.
frontier whirl. S/D
term: 1-meas 4-stp chg sides fig. OP> his R-(her-L)
hands joined &
arched: ½cir in front of girl: Fwd-L, Fwd-RT >w, Fwd-L
chg sides, Fwd-RT
(Fwd-R, Fwd-LT, Fwd-R, Fwd-LT); +OP<.
fsht. Fishtail.
ft. ft/ft.
fudge. a. Fake or slur stp
&/or body moves to prematurely reach target
location.
b. Move beyond target position &/or FP
of a meas. Dance follow-on pattern with a larger or smaller degree
of turn or move.
c. Short cut
figures.
fun dance. Learn good style & proper execution of
basics. Perfect them to
a high degree. Dance easier & look better. Some dances are intended for
fun, not high
style. Over-styling can destroy pleasure
& looks of a fun
dance. Style fun dances for maximum enjoyment. A somber, aloof pair
daintily &
precisely gliding in a haughty manner thru the
Susie Q, Lindy or a
boogie is out of place. The flea hop
& shag were
not intended to be
danced with the same style as a telemark or hinge.
Over style kills the spirit of fun
dances. Don't worry abt
criticism of
style or being
laughed at, relax & let yourself go.
The more put into a
dance the more
pleasure obtained fm it. Relax & enjoy. Dance
fun dances
for fun, not for
show.
fwd. fwd.
full turn. Complete 360º rotation.
File: F-terms.txt
rev-030308