Beautiful ballroom Dancing

#		Steps		Alignment	Moving	CBM	Turn	Sway	Rise & Fall	Position
1	1	LF back	T H	Backing LOD	LOD		com to R			Closed
2	2	RF close to LF (heel turn)	H T	Facing DC	under body		3/8 (1→2)		Rise e/o 2	Closed
3	3	LF to side & slightly back	T H	Backing DC against LOD	Centre		1/4 (2→3)			Closed

#		Steps		Alignmennt	Moving	CBM	Turn	Sway	Rise & Fall	Position
1	1	RF fwd	H T	facing LOD	LOD		com to R			Closed
2	2	LF to side then brush RF to LF	T	Backing DC	LOD		3/8 (1→2)	R	Rise e/o 2	Closed
3	3	RF diag fwd	T H	Facing DC against LOD	Centre		1/4 (2→3)		Up. Lower e/o 3	Closed

Technical Notes for the Lady

In step 1,

• Ensure strong Contra-Body Movement (should/upper body rotate to right) — a big step will make the step easier and lighter for the Man (but always watch the Man’s central line)
• Keep your head very left and your knees soft. (Don’t pop up)
• This step can be Outside Partner, depending on the previous figure

In step 2,

• Drive this step using your whole left side (not just shoulder) to give the Man the required momentum. (He’s just there for the ride)

• You should not commit weight early. This step is really around the Man. Wait, and sense when the Man commits his weight. Otherwise, if you step too early, it’s likely that it’s not the right position and you will gap the Man.

• Your hip sticks to the Man’s hip, which acts as a guide to his weight changes

• Your two feet need to be pointing parallel at the end of Closed Impetus

• The turning axis is on your left foot. The Man actually puts weight on it (compared to Outside spin where the turning axis is the your Right Foot).

• Don’t drop your left side. Stretch and lift your left side to the Man

• In contrast to the Natural Spin Turn, this is not a spin. It’s a side step (normally done as forward step, then turn).

• Delay the rise, and side step a bit diagonal, depening on how much the Man turns. After the side step, stay left — leave the right side to the Man. Brush (contract thigh muscles) and then out.

• “Hover” – the good feeling of totally on balance, extend and express musicality.

• Your frame needs to “breathe”. Give your hand/arms to the Man

• Steal time from the front beat and back beat and show off rotation and extension. Body movement does not stop — it’s continuous.
  

In step 3,

• Extend and respond to the Man. Make your arm more flexible and “give it” to the Man (or think about “leaving your arms with the Man”), so as to allow to extend more

• When followed by a Reverse Pivot, the lowering only happens in the foot, and not the leg. You do not completely lower. Next step in the Reverse Pivot will be a toe lead, which will complete the lowering.

General Notes (for both Man and Lady)

• This is a 1-phase figure, meaning that the energy from count 1 drives the whole figure

• Often done in the corner

• When first learning the Closed Impetus, the smoother way to execute this figure has the Man delaying any rise until step 3. In other words, on count 3 the Man pushes off the ball of his right foot to go up on the toe of his left foot.

• When followed by a Reverse Pivot, blend it into the preceding step. Be sure that the Man’s right foot tracks under the body for the Reverse Pivot, and that the weight is fully committed to the Man’s right foot before the next step.