What’s in a (Foxtrot) feather step?

An easy question to answer one would think, after all the technique books tell us:

1. right foot forward in CBM

2. left foot forward left shoulder leading preparing to step outside partner

3. right foot forward in CBMP OP

Pretty straight forward really, until you start to analyse the mechanics of each individual step and what a forward step means.

When does a forward step become a diagonal step?

When is a forward step not a forward step and becomes a diagonal step and, what is the result of a shoulder lead?

First, we must understand that a feather step originally curved gently to the right; forming the shape of a feather, hence its name. 

These days we start and finish diagonal to the centre and this has been done for many years now.

Most advanced practitioners will start with a walk on the left foot in CBM; before taking the first step proper. 

Why? To enable an easier lowering action, swing and rotation of the upper body on the first step proper; thus, also making the CBM action on the first two beat beats of the bar easier to produce. 

I have stressed the first two beats because how often do we see quick-quick-slow danced in place of slow-quick-quick? (A point which has been bemoaned frequently by top Examiners and Judges.)

You can’t do that!!!

The action of pushing from our left foot in CBM onto the right foot enables us to then “flight” our body through by releasing the heel as the feet are parallel (end beat two) before taking the left foot diagonally forward. 

Already I can the screams “you can’t do that!”

Let me explain…as step two has a strong shoulder lead; by the rotation of the upper body and hip the moving of the left foot in a straight line from the starting position to the finishing position, this gives the feeling of the left leg / foot moving in a diagonal line from its starting position to its finishing position. 

This should eradicate the need to step sideways on the second step and stop the man’s left hip kicking out which is an evident fault in many grades both medallist and competitor!

Sway on the second and third step.

Is there sway on the second and third step? Yes of course there is. 

How is this created…and how often do we see the man’s right and ladies left side collapse in an attempt to create a shape? 

It is the stretching of the opposite side of the body and the swing from the compressing of the right leg to the straightening of the left leg that helps create the rise and sway and to do this the dancer must use the standing foot to its full effect.

Footwork.

We know the foot work is heel toe; when is the heel released? 

As the feet are level, this should be the end of the second beat thus rolling through the right foot from heel to toe. 

At the same time the man’s left and ladies right side starts to move from CBM to a shoulder lead. 

It is at this point the lady turns the right toe and thigh out extending backwards from the hip. 

Again, taking a straight line from the starting position to the finishing position, giving the feeling of having stepped diagonally. 

This turning out of the toe and hip opens the “door” for the man to step outside the lady in CBMP.

When in this CBMP position the illusion of the man’s head following the line of the lady is often observed. 

From the starting position the man’s head shouldn’t move, rather the body rotates under the man’s head. 

To enable him to do this he should pick a spot on the opposite side of the room and not take his eyes of it. 

This gives the impression of a stronger head line and a “thinner” line across the man’s back as the dancer is now moving from shoulder to shoulder and not square to the direction of movement. 

This head action also applies to the lady. 

This technique is also helpful in open turns…

At what point do we lower?

The answer is at the end of the fourth beat, at which point the feet should be parallel. 

The heel however only touches the floor and the standing leg is bent at the knee and the ankle is flexed. 

This gives the power to drive off the last quick into the slow and to start the process of CBM on the next step…and then the swing into the next group continues.

The Développé is one of the most common and, probably the most beautiful moves done on a dance floor today and even though it looks relatively simple, every dancer would agree that they are not easy to do.

A Développé is not an ordinary kick! Kicks can be very fast and involve momentum. 

Développés are typically slower and always require muscular control, not momentum; with the defining feature of a Développé being a highly controlled elevated unfolding of the leg to a full extension.

From Ballet to Ballroom

The move was adapted from ballet to ballroom but has the same basic structure; the foot of one leg trails up to the knee of the other, with the knee elevated, the leg unfolds to an extension without the knee moving. 

In ballet the Développé typically maintains a fully vertical posture whereas the ballroom Développé leverages the advantage of a partner to enable more options, including diagonal, horizontal or a V-shape.

Hip to Knee to Foot

There is a very specific sequence to the unfolding of the leg. 

The first point of elevation is the hip; then the knee is raised and is slightly turned out to create the look of a number four; next, the heel is extended upward to unfold the leg to a full extension.

It’s ALL in the Technique

With the proper mechanics in the hip and knee the Développé will give the illusion of a higher extension than is actually the case and for a truly exceptional Développé with true height, the last step – lifting the heel – is typically the most difficult and requires training. 

A flexible hamstring helps enable stretch, but for anything more than a 90-degree elevation, it is not enough. 

For a higher lift, the inner muscles of the pelvis that extend to the inside and top muscles of the thigh are key; these are the muscles that provide the power to raise and hold the leg in a slow extension at a higher elevation and also help you to lower softly and slowly (for beauty and elegance).

Strength through Simple Exercises

One of the simplest is to stand vertically on one leg and raise the other 90 degrees. 

Hold this perfectly still then repeat (just a reminder that I said it was simple not necessarily easy). The truth is that this is much harder than it looks, so it will take practice to build the strength, flexibly and balance that is needed. 

When it becomes easy, hold it longer, do more reps and aim for higher than 90 degrees. 

In addition, continue to do separate exercises to stretch the hamstring and ensure flexibility in the hips. 

Keep doing this regularly to keep strong and supple… after all, strong, supple and elegant is the exact look you want in a great Développé.

Recently I stopped at a traffic light and noticed a woman on the crosswalk who, possibly due to injury, held her head several inches in front of her torso. 

Her back was straight but, she was leaning a huge distance forward as she walked.

This reminded me of a small fact; that for every inch your head extends in front of your spine, you are putting 10lbs (or 4.5kg for those who like metric…) of additional pressure on your spinal column. 

So, this woman’s spine must have been enduring some 60lbs of additional weight and I thought how someone with a condition like this might benefit from dance, to correct postural problems.

I often talk about how dancing relates very closely to walking! 

We don’t think about how we walk because we’ve done it our entire lives but, almost everything we do in dance (especially Ballroom and Smooth dances) relates completely to natural actions that we apply in everyday movement.

Talk CBM for example; This dance term refers to “Contra Body Movement.” 

This means moving the side of the body opposite the moving leg toward the moving leg and you may notice that you actually do this every time you get out of bed and take your first steps of the day. 

As you move your right leg forward, the left side of your body moves forward and vice versa. This causes your arms to swing on the opposite side of your feet…give it a try; Take a few steps and you’ll notice that the opposite arm swings with the leg. 

Try swinging the same arm as the moving leg to see the difference. Go ahead! I’ll wait…

You do exactly the same thing when you walk backwards! 

Normally people don’t actually walk backwards; They typically turn around and walk forward in the other direction however, those rare times you do walk backwards the same CBM action takes place.

Dances like Slow Foxtrot apply CBM with a slightly exaggerated styling to create a beautiful swing action but overall, the movement is surprisingly similar to normal everyday walking.

When you walk, you place one foot in front, using the heel and pushing off from the ball of the back foot. 

As your body moves toward the front foot, the back heel comes up. 

As your feet pass each other, the standing foot is now flat and the moving foot switches to a heel for the next step. 

Most walking takes place in between your two feet, not over one foot or the other and since most of you already do this every day, it should be pretty easy to master the “rolling foot” action of the Foxtrot.

Most walking takes place in between your two feet, not over one foot or the other.

Latin, of course, is a different thing when it comes to walking. 

Rumba Walks are not exactly a natural movement but, consider arm movements in Latin or Smooth. 

When you throw something away; like a Frisbee, you start with a bent elbow, then you straighten the elbow and finally, as the last thing, you straighten the hand. 

This is completely natural and, we apply the same basic idea in dance.

Another area that we often fail to think about is how we generate power through movement.

One of the things many of us do as kids is to leapfrog or play hopscotch. 

Creating power for a jump uses a very natural action in which you apply energy from the gluteus maximus (the largest muscle in the body) and, by engaging the hips through a counterbalancing action; You bend the knees, allow the hips to rotate slightly back and then, apply power through the legs for the desired amount of movement.

When you think about Ballroom dances (especially Tango), this precise combination of movements is applied throughout the dance to create very natural power.

The Feather Finish in Foxtrot uses a swing action on step two; As the lady creates power for that side step, she needs to swing her hip with the leg to create sufficient power. 

It’s not a lot different from the way you might swing your leg over a motorcycle, bicycle, or even when getting on a horse.

The point is that a great many movements in dance are surprisingly natural. 

We often get so caught up in thinking about dance technique that we lose sight of how we already move our bodies in everyday activities and by taking the time to relate dance movements to things you already do; you can improve the flow of your movement, as well as the power you generate.

This is one of the most overlooked elements in beginner ballroom dancing…and one of the most important! 

Do you; 

Step on your partner’s feet a lot? 

Feel off balance frequently? 

Have trouble connecting with your partner, or feeling the lead or follow? 

You can blame most of that on a poor ballroom frame.

The ballroom frame has many definitions, but the simplest one is a quote by Arpad Raymond; “A ballroom frame is the positioning of your arms and body that creates room for you to dance.”

So, let’s take a more detailed look at how to maintain that space between ourselves and our partner.

With Open Arms: The two most common holds in ballroom or Latin dancing are the closed hold and the two-hand hold. 

Notice how the connected hands meet in the centre, in neutral territory and the arms round forward, like they are about to hug each other. 

Also, the two-hand hold curves down to the waist, so that a marble rolling down your arm would stop at your wrist. 

A couple must never let the elbows go back past the shoulder, or the hands back past the elbows - this collapses the frame, and inevitably someone will miss the lead or, get stepped on.

Ballroom Dance Tips: In a Ballroom dance (not Latin), the follower will be offset on the leader’s right, so her centre faces his shoulder. 

This allows you to step in between your partner’s feet, so you can dance more closely together.

Under Pressure: Imagine you are an Olympic diver poised on the edge of the diving board; body straight and relaxed, weight poised on the balls of the feet, ready to spring into action.

When we connect with our partner, this forward incline creates a shape between you that looks like an upside-down V. 

It also helps create a light but responsive pressure forward into your partner’s frame where your hands connect with your partner (in dance speak, your ‘contact points’).

Since we always want to start our movements from our chest, pressing slightly into each other helps the leader send information more quickly to the follower, and they can more together as one unit.

Surrender: When in two-hand hold, small changes in how the arms are positioned can make a big difference. The leader will keep their elbows slightly outwards, as though they were resting on the arms of a chair. 

The follower will keep their elbows in-line with their wrist, which they can do by rotating her wrists, so they face upwards, then rotating then back down but keeping the elbows in place. 

This helps creates a straight line of energy from the wrist to the shoulder, so they can respond more quickly to a lead.

A Final Word…about Feet: There’s one aspect that can literally trip up couples more than anything else and it’s focusing on where to put their feet instead of where to move their frame. 

Try it sometime: throw caution to the wind, trust your feet, put all your attention on your frame and moving your body with your partner. After a few repetitions, your feet know their parts already so let them move on their own and they won’t let you fall (it’s just like walking).

Dancers are introduced to Rise and Fall from their very first Waltz lesson and it is an integral concept in Standard Ballroom for only on correct Rise and Fall can Swing be built and only with correct Swing can Sway occur…and so on and so forth. 

One thing that is not always mentioned however, is that there are different types of Rises and Fall that occur at different times during our dancing. 

A solid understanding of these three types can help you feel more connected to your partner and help your partnership look more beautiful and in harmony.

Foot Rise:

Foot Rise relates entirely to the flexing and extending ankle joint; by bringing your toes closer or farther away from your knee and decreasing or increasing the angle between your shin and the sole of your foot. 

As you rise onto the balls of your feet, you are using foot rise and Foot Rise is described mostly by the footwork, where HT, T, and THT indicate the usage of Foot Rise; whereas TH or Flat indicate sending without Foot Rise. 

For example: there is foot rise on step1 of a Waltz Natural Turn for the Man; which is to say he rises onto the Ball before placing his second step however, there is No Foot Rise (NFR) for the Lady on step 1 because although she does eventually lift the Heel off the floor, that doesn't happen until after step 2 is placed…by which time step 1 has already finished.

NFR is an important concept and is used in most figures by the person going backward on the inside of the turn. 

By not using Foot Rise, the dancer allows his partner to swing past him freely. 

NFR is also used by the Lady during the Feather Step and Three Step in Foxtrot, which is why her footwork is always TH even though the Man rises onto the T on step 2 of the Feather Step. 

When your partner uses Foot Rise but you do not, that is when the other forms of Rise need to be used more in order to compensate.

Leg Rise:

Leg Rise relates to two separate joints; the knees and the hips. 

As the knees flex and extend, the angle between your shin and your thigh decreases and increases and when your hips flex and extend the angle between your thigh and your torso decreases and increases (assuming you don't start tilting the pelvis).

Because of this, both of these joints need to be used in unison to achieve Leg Rise since, if you were crouching and straightened only the knees you would end up bent over forward, as if to touch your toes and, if you straightened only your hips you would look as if you were dancing the limbo.

Leg Rise is where most of the Rise and Fall in our dancing comes from and while Foot Rise can change your height by only a few inches, Leg Rise can change your height dramatically. 

It is extremely important to release the knees in order to drop your weight to initiate a driving motion in times like step 1 of the Natural Turn; discussed above. 

During steps that have NFR, it is Leg Rise that primarily takes over and allows you to stay with your partner, even though you do not have the ability to use your ankles to rise.

Body Rise:

Body Rise is sometimes grouped together with Leg Rise because the two always work together but, it is possible to have Body Rise without Leg Rise.

Consider; your spine is made of a series of curves:(from top to bottom) the Cervical Spine which runs through your neck; your Thoracic Spine which runs through the back of your rib cage; your Lumbar Spine which runs from around your lowest rib to your pelvis and your Sacral Spine which is joined to the pelvis. 

While the Sacral Spine cannot move because the vertebrae are fused, all the other vertebrae are able to flex and extend; for that reason, the entire Spine can be lengthened by pulling the two ends apart and elongating the curves or contracted by squashing the two ends together and exaggerating the curves.

Body Rise is the elongation of your spine!

To feel it, imagine you are standing in a pool of water up to your chin and you need to keep your head above water to breath (obviously this example will require you tilt your head upward, which is not a part of spinal extension but is a good idea if you want to avoid drowning!). 

Have you ever noticed how good dancers seem to hang in the air and then blossom apart from each other? 

This is Body Rise; which is being used to create extra shape and to make their dancing float. 

In addition, the use of Body Rise correctly also gives your dancing the look that it is ‘breathing’ as you take certain steps.

Look at this video of Arunas Bizokas and Katusha Demidova dancing a Waltz and if you are not too distracted by their dancing, examine just one figure at a time and see if you can notice when they use each type of Rise.