Beautiful ballroom Dancing

Commence in Closed Position, facing DW.

On count one, step forward with your left foot, moving diagonally to the wall down the line of dance, using slight contrary body movement to initiate the subtle left turn. Your footwork is heel to toe, and you should commence to rise onto the ball of your foot at the very end of this step, preparing your body for the upcoming side step. Your frame remains solid and supportive, with your head looking straight forward over your partner’s right shoulder, maintaining a consistent connection. Keep your forward step modest to avoid getting ahead of the music and to allow your partner room to move.

On count two, step side and slightly forward with your right foot, continuing to move diagonally to the wall against the line of dance, with your body now facing squarely toward the direction of travel. Continue to rise throughout this step, now fully on the ball of your foot, and allow a gentle left sway to develop naturally from your body’s flight. Your shoulders should remain level within your strong frame, and your head position should be held proudly, creating a long and elegant body line from your head to your feet. Allow the sway to develop from the ankle upwards rather than leaning from the waist, ensuring it is a full body tilt.

On count three, close your left foot to your right foot, maintaining your alignment diagonally to the wall and keeping your body facing the line of dance, with your weight transferring fully onto the left foot. You will have continued to rise onto the toes of both feet and will now lower smoothly to the heel at the very end of the count, while the left sway is held throughout this closing step. Your frame must not collapse as you lower; your posture should remain uplifted, and your connection with your partner should feel secure and confident as you complete the figure. The closing action should be smooth and controlled, with the weight transferred completely to prepare for a backward step into the natural turn.

Commence in Closed Position, backing DW

On count one, step back with your right foot, moving diagonally to the wall against the line of dance, using slight contrary body movement as you move back onto your partner’s leading left side. Your footwork is toe to heel, and you will commence to rise at the end of the step, no foot rise, which means your body begins to lift while your back foot remains flat for a moment. Maintain a soft following connection in your frame, with your head turned slightly to the left to maintain your elegant poise and to look past your partner’s right shoulder. Trust the lead and move back with confidence, keeping your spine straight and not sitting back into the step.

On count two, step side and slightly back with your left foot, continuing your movement diagonally to the wall against the line of dance, with your body now squarely backing the direction of travel. Continue to rise throughout this step, now fully onto the ball of your foot, and allow a gentle right sway to develop as a natural response to the man’s lead and the body flight. Your frame should remain light and responsive, with your head position held gracefully to the left, creating a beautiful opposing body line that complements your partner’s sway. Keep your elbows forward and in line with your shoulders to preserve the shape and integrity of the partnership’s frame.

On count three, close your right foot to your left foot, finishing with your weight fully on the right foot and your body still backing diagonally to the wall, ready to step forward into the natural turn. You will have continued to rise and will now lower smoothly to the heel at the end of the count, all while maintaining the gentle right sway that was established on the previous step. The motion should feel coordinated and harmonious, with your body lines long and elegant as you complete the change of weight and prepare for the next figure. Feel the connection through the man’s right hand on your back to guide the amount of sway and the timing of the lowering action.

Core points

• Take a modest first step to maintain balance and partnership connection, preventing you from getting too far away from your partner.
• Use slight contrary body movement on the first step to initiate the subtle turn of the body, which is essential for preparing the alignment for the side step.
• Commence the rise at the end of the first beat to ensure the characteristic waltz rise and fall is smooth and continuous, not abrupt or jerky.
• Close the feet on the third beat without transferring weight too early, ensuring a clean finish and a prepared commencement for the next step.

Advanced Principles

• Allow the sway to develop naturally from the ankle upwards as a result of the body flight on the side step, creating an elegant and coordinated body line.
• Maintain a strong and consistent frame throughout the entire figure to provide clear communication and a stable platform for your partner.
• Coordinate the lowering action at the end of the third beat with your partner to achieve a harmonious and graceful conclusion to the movement.

“A poised and collected breath between two turning phrases of a waltz melody.”

Commenced Facing DW (as described above)

Ending Facing DW (as described above)

These 3rd party (external) demonstration videos typically show the Left Foot Closed Change being performed from different angles, perspectives and speeds. However, they generally have little or no commentary or explanation.

For videos that also include commentary and tips that are aimed at assisting you perform the figure properly, see the next section “Tutorials”.