1. GLOSSARY OF DANCE TERMS

The basic movements described in the following paragraphs may be com­pared to the thirteen notes of the musical scale. These movements, in various combinations, make up the steps used in all Ballroom Dances, just as the thirteen notes in the scale, variously combined, make up all musical compositions.

Regard each foot individually, and learn the eleven different directions in which each foot can move.

FOOT MOVEMENTS

1. FORWARD: Move foot straight forward with toe pointing straight ahead.
   
   
2. BACKWARD: Step foot straight back—toe pointing forward.
   
   
3. SIDE: Foot is moved to a position approximately twelve inches to the side of the other foot.
   
   
4. DIAGONALLY FORWARD:  Move foot in a line of direction about half-way between straight forward and straight to the side. Toe should be turned out away from the body. (Most frequently used in turning box steps.)
   
   
5. DIAGONALLY BACKWARD: Move foot in a line of direction about half-way between a straight backward and a straight-to-the-side step. Turn toe in toward body. (Most frequently used in turning box steps.)
   
   
6. DIAGONAL CROSS FRONT:  Cross foot diagonally in front of the other foot. Point toe straight forward or slightly out.
   
   
7. DIAGONAL CROSS BACK: Cross foot diagonally in back of the other foot; toe straight forward, or slightly turned out.
   
   
8. CROSS FRONT: Move foot completely across in front of the other foot and take a position to the opposite, or unnatural side. Toe should be pointed straight ahead or slightly turned out, unless otherwise designated.
   
   
9. CROSS BACK: Move foot completely across in back of the other foot and take a position to the opposite, or unnatural side. Point toe straight ahead, or slightly turned out, unless otherwise designated.
   
   
10. TOGETHER: This is entirely in relation to the other foot. The designated foot is moved to a position directly beside the foot supporting the body weight, thus it can be forward, backward, or to the inside, depending upon the posi­tion of the other foot. At the end of the step the feet are side by side (prac­tically touching)—in short, they are "together."
    
    
11. IN PLACE: Lift the foot about half an inch or an inch from the floor and then put it back down exactly "in place." It is primarily a shift of body weight, and in some cases will be designated by the word "shift."

DIRECTIONS OF LEFT FOOT IN RELATION TO RIGHT FOOT

These are the only directions the left foot can take, except Cross Front and Cross Back which are illustrated on another page.

DIRECTIONS OF RIGHT FOOT IN RELATION TO LEFT FOOT

These are the only directions the right foot can take, except Cross Front and Cross Back which are illustrated on another page.

CROSS FRONT AND CROSS BACK

The Cross Back is similar to the Diagonal Cross Back differing only in degree. Remem­ber in the Cross Back as in other steps, the foot that takes the action takes the body weight at the completion of the movement. The Cross Back must follow either a forward step or a side step.

ON SOME OCCASIONS AS IN THE TANGO, A CROSS BACK WITH ONE FOOT MAY BE FOLLOWED BY A CROSS BACK WITH THE OTHER FOOT. In this case the interlinking movement of the foot is called a SWIRL.

	From starting position,
	step left with the left foot
	then Cross Back right foot.
	Now, weight is on right foot which has crossed back. Swirl left foot around to Cross Back position.

YOU MUST FOLLOW-THROUGH

For smooth and graceful dancing, you must always let the foot that is moving pass close by the other foot. Most beginner students observe this rule when dancing in a straight line of direction, but are inclined to take short cuts during a change of direction.

When the music is fast, or staccato time, this rule may be ignored when doing the Rhumba Box Step. However, when the music is slow the follow-through should always be executed.

When a backward step follows a forward step, the foot which is to move backward should first move forward until it practically touches the other foot, before taking the step backward. The reverse of this rule, of course, applies when a forward step follows a backward step.

When the music is too fast, or when you are dancing quick steps, the In place step is used to reverse your direction instead of a forward or backward step.

Dance in two parallel lines, practically touching, and observe FOLLOW-THROUGH when taking side steps.

GLOSSARY

FOLLOW-THROUGH: The foot, when in a forward or backward position, should make a "follow-through" movement before stepping to the side. It should move close to, and in some instances practically touch the foot supporting the body weight before moving to the side. The degree of follow-through depends upon the speed of the music. The slower the music, of course, the the more complete the follow-through. Study the diagram entitled "Follow-Through."

PIVOT TURN: The foot turns on the floor while it supports the body weight. This requires practice and balance. In other turns, as in the Box Turn, the foot turns while the step is in progress—actually there is some degree of pivoting in all turns.

BELGIAN PIVOT TURN: The couple turns, as a unit, to the right, traveling in a straight line, or around the room. To execute it, the boy's right foot must be between the girl's feet, and his left foot on the outside of her right foot, then the couple, as a team, pivots from one foot to the other, traveling on each step. Though many dancers are able to pivot-turn in place without traveling, very few are ever able to travel with it.

BODY POSITIONS:

Since we dance with a partner our relative position to our partner is most impor­tant. There are seven basic body positions used in executing the various dances. Learn these positions and their names as described in the drawings on the following page.

The closed position is the most frequently used in the Fox Trot, Waltz and Tango. However, in these dances the skillful dancer changes body positions frequently to give an added variety to the steps. The change is most frequently to Side Position, Parallel, and Reverse Parallel. The Jitterbug, and all swing dances, use the Open Position and the Position Apart. So does the Rhumba and the Mambo.

The Samba uses the Closed Position, Open Position, Side Position and Reverse Side Position primarily.

The Merengue uses the Closed Position and the Open Position.

The Polka uses the Open Position  (very seldom does it use any other).

In the Closed Position the man should never hold his partner too tightly. It is uncomfortable and unbecoming.

In all positions a tall girl should hold herself straight and in good posture, regard­less of the relative height of her partner. When tall girls droop their shoulders or bend their knees in an effort to appear shorter than they are, they not only appear just as tall as ever, they also look awkward and clumsy. (Tall girls should remember that men like you that way—On you, it is most becoming!)

Whether you are tall or short, man or woman, keep yourself straight.

BODY POSITIONS

Each dance makes use of one or more of the following seven BODY POSITIONS.

	1. CLOSED POSITION: Most commonly used in Ball­room Dancing. Partners stand facing each other, bodies touching. Each partner looks over the other's right shoul­der. Girl's left hand rests lightly on boy's right shoulder. Boy's right arm is around her waist with the palm of his hand in the center of her back. His left hand holds the girl's right hand out to the side at approximately shoulder-height with elbows down, in a relaxed position. Toes point toward each other: boy's right foot opposite and pointing toward girl's left foot.
	2. OPEN POSITION: Partners face each other, about twelve inches apart. Boy's right hand is on left side of girl's waist. Her left hand is on the boy's shoulder.
	3. APART POSITION: Partners are so far apart that the boy's right hand cannot hold the girl's waist. Boy holds girl's right hand in his left hand.
	4. SIDE POSITION: Boy stands with his right side close to the girl's left side; his left side and her right side are away from each other at an angle. They may or may not hold hands, depending on the nature and the style of the dance.

 

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