Waltz Steps

Don Herbison-Evans
don@it.uts.edu.au
(updated 26 December 2007)

This is a list of some of the figures used in the New Vogue Waltzes page. This list is not yet exhaustive, and more steps are being added at irregular intervals. Some of the names and descriptions are ambiguous, incomplete, and inconsistent. They also differ in part from the standard names and descriptions used by the larger societies some of which are also ambiguous, incomplete, and inconsistent. The names and descriptions used here are part of an ongoing research project aimed at producing a computer program that can interpret the descriptions, and produce animation from them to assist in learning the dances.

Generally here, only the man's steps are given. The lady's are the left-right and forward-back reverse of these, except where stated.

The amounts of turn are approximate, and may be varied somewhat according to desired alignments.

No information is provided here about footwork, rise and fall, swing or sway. For this and other information on making these figures more comfortable to dance with a partner, see one of the textbooks, e.g.: Ballroom Dancing by Alex Moore (A & C Black, London)
or consider taking lessons from a trained professional dance teacher at a local dance studio.

BACK CHECK :
1 R back,
2 L replace forward,
3 R back diagonally R.

BACK HOVER :
1 R back,
2 hold,
3 hold.

CHAIR :
1 R forward (lady: L forward),
2 L replace back
    (lady: R replace back),
3 R close.

CHASSE :
1 R forward diagonally L
    (if lady is in PP then lady L forward diagonally R),
2 L side,
& R close,
3 L side.

CONTRACHECK :
& compress into R knee,
1 L forward,
2 R replace back,
3 L side.

CURVING THREE :
1 R forward outside partner on her R side turning 1/8 to R,
2 L forward also outside turning 1/8 to R,
3 R forward also outside turning 1/8 to R.

HESITATION :
1 R forward turning 1/4 to R,
2 L side,
3 R close turning 1/8 to R,
4 L back turning 1/4 to R,
5 R side,
6 L close WOW turning 1/8 to R.

HOVER :
1 R forward,
2 L forward,
3 R replace back.

HOVER TURN :
1 L forward diagonally L turning 1/4 to L
    (lady: R forward diagonally R turning 1/2 to R),
2 R forward diagonally R turning 1/2 to L
    (lady: L forward diagonally L turning 1/2 to R),
3 hold.

L CHANGE Step :
1 L forward,
2 R side,
3 L close.

NATURAL TURN :
1 R forward turning 1/4 to R,
2 L side,
3 R close turning 1/8 to R,
4 L back turning 1/4 to R,
5 R side,
6 L close turning 1/8 to R.

NATURAL SLIP PIVOT :
1 L back turning 3/8 R.

OUTSIDE CHECK L :
1 R forward diagonally L,
2 L replace,
3 R side.

OUTSIDE CHECK R :
1 L forward diagonally R,
2 R replace,
3 L side.

OPEN IMPETUS :
1 L back turning 1/8 to R,
2 R close turning 1/4 to R,
3 L side.

OPEN TELEMARK :
1 L forward turning 1/4 to L,
2 R side turning 1/4 to L
    (lady :L close turning 1/4 to L),
3 L side.

R CHANGE Step :
1 R forward,
2 L side,
3 R close.

REVERSE CORTE :
1 L forward turning 1/4 to L,
2 R side,
3 L close turning 1/8 to L,
4 R back,
5 turn 1/8 to L (lady: R side),
6 turn 1/4 to L (lady: L close).
(continue with lady stepping forward outside partner on his R)

REVERSE SLIP PIVOT :
1 R back turning 3/8 L.

REVERSE TURN :
1 L forward turning 1/4 to L,
2 R side,
3 L close turning 1/8 to L,
4 R back turning 1/4 to L,
5 L side,
6 R close turning 1/8 to L.

SPIN TURN :
1 R forward turning 1/4 to R,
2 L side,
3 R close turning 1/8 to R,
4 L back turning 1/2 to R,
5 R forward turning 1/8 to R,
6 L back diagonally L,
7 R back turning 1/8 to L,
8 L side,
9 R close.

TRAVELLING CONTRACHECK :
1 L forward (lunge),
2 R replace back (rise),
3 L forward (toe).

WEAVE (end : PP) :
1 R forward diagonally L,
2 L forward turning 1/8 to L,
3 R side turning 1/8 to L
    (lady steps outside partner's R side),
4 L back diagonally R turning 1/8 to L
    (lady continues outside partner),
5 R side turning 1/8 to L,
6 L forward diagonally L turning 1/8 to L.

WHISK :
1 L forward,
2 R side,
3 L back diagonally R.

WING :
1 R forward diagonally L
    (lady L forward diagonally R turning 1/8 L),
2 turn 1/8 to L (lady R forward turning 1/8 L),
3 close L WOW, turning 1/8 to L
    (lady L forward diagonally R).


Author with partner Anna Piper
(Photo: Neville Lowe)


ABBREVIATIONS :

& : the half beat between two full beats,
L : left or left foot,
R : right or right foot,
PP: promenade position,
WOW : without weight.

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