Natalie 11/02/09

        The Twinkle is not open. Move your left foot forward on one, then your right foot to close position on two keeping your toe down and heel off the floor. Then twist your frame to the right in a contrabody movement. On two, look at the woman. On three, turn your head forward and look forward in promenade. The position feels twisted but it's correct.

        Waltz is always danced heel, toe, toe, heal, toe. Balance is important. Stay balanced on each foot and on each move. An exercise is to move one step and balance. Move another step and balance. Form the frame and let the woman fall into the frame but do not push. With a Chasse the syncopation is on two and is expressed as "two and".

Ranier Rics Atlanta DanceSport 4/3/2010

        This was a wonderful group lesson. Ranier took simple patterns and connected them beautifully. The first was a basic forward progressive to a quarter counterclockwise (left) turn to a chasse to a right (natural) turn. The chasse syncopates with four (4) steps during three (3) beats of music ending with the left foot back into a backward natural (right) turn ending with the right foot forward instead of the left. This combination allows a forward progression in the line of dance and can be used on short or long walls. Secondly, he modified the hesitation step which is often used in the corner by adding a woman's clockwise turn ending a quarter turn to the left of the man. Nice variations. It is important to carefully guide the woman with your left hand over her head and placing your right hand on her left back at the end of her turn to signal that you both will be going into a closed position again rather than the woman continuing to turn. The man's backward foot work is the same as a turning box with the right foot going back twisting into a quater turn while the woman turns. The the left foot goes to the side and closes.

Josh Jones 04/05/2010

        Technique. Technique. Technique. In a left reverse turn the man's right leg bend and falls forward giving power to the forward movement. The upper body remains upright over the legs. During the movement the man's hips swing to the right and up with the upper body remaining in place. The man's head stays in his own space over the left leg so as not to interfere with the lady's attention.

Wayne Abbey 05/08/2010

         Thank you, Wayne. I finally got it. The man's head is almost always over his left shoulder and left leg. It stays there and moves with the shoulders. It is very important to know where you are going and where you are positioned at every moment in your movements. This allows the proper shoulder positioning and as a consequence, proper head positioning. The proper man's head positioning gives the woman space and freedom of her own movement. Wow. Now I have to go back again and review all of my figures and ask myself, where are my shoulders, where is my head and where is my partner.

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