Waltz

[QPO]

Each dance style is quite different in what makes it look great...What defines a good waltz....lets debate the important things in this style

[Beachbum]

I'm am constantly being "yelled" at by the studio owner  that I don't take a large enough step on the second count.  He also advocates hesitating before "3".  So it's one-twoooooooooo-three, almost like 3 is coming a beat late and you have to rush it a bit.

[ZPomeroy]

i've actually been told to "measure"  the first beat of the waltz, not the second. This give beats two and three the feeling as if they are at the top of a pendulum swing, three being the highest point

Zac

[QPO]

We have spend the last 16 weeks working on a bronze level routine and were getting quite bored with it. Not that we were doing it to its best. Our coach is now breaking it down again and making it more open in upper body and lower with longer steps (when I thought we already were doing long steps). It is now changing the dance again...so making it exciting again. How does one maintain the upper body posture?

[elisedance]

We have spend the last 16 weeks working on a bronze level routine and were getting quite bored with it. Not that we were doing it to its best. Our coach is now breaking it down again and making it more open in upper body and lower with longer steps (when I thought we already were doing long steps). It is now changing the dance again...so making it exciting again. How does one maintain the upper body posture?

the simple answer - is by not breaking it!  Your paired frame should not change at all - look at any championship competition and you will see  that while the body does all sorts of motions as and the woman's head moves from side to side, the frame does not change from a closed to an open position (at least not in any way that you can see).  If you can't do that you need to ask your coach about body vs leg rotation

[Some guy]

i've actually been told to "measure"  the first beat of the waltz, not the second. This give beats two and three the feeling as if they are at the top of a pendulum swing, three being the highest point

I think that's great advice.  It wasn't until recently that I learned the importance of the first beat.  Keeping two and three at the rising or rop end of a pendulum swing provides a lot more stability and balance and the time needed to milk the last two beats and create maximum shape. 

[emeralddancer]

I'm am constantly being "yelled" at by the studio owner  that I don't take a large enough step on the second count.  He also advocates hesitating before "3".  So it's one-twoooooooooo-three, almost like 3 is coming a beat late and you have to rush it a bit.

Hey me tooo!!!!!!!! my pro tells me to dance like my legs start under my boobs and I get the 1 twooooooooooooo 3 also. WOW

but I must admidt my waltz is improving much. I just have this nasty habit of anticipating. sigh .........but bt but ..... I have learned to "read" his signals. so THAT helps so much!

[cornutt]

I'm am constantly being "yelled" at by the studio owner  that I don't take a large enough step on the second count.  He also advocates hesitating before "3".  So it's one-twoooooooooo-three, almost like 3 is coming a beat late and you have to rush it a bit.

I have that problem too.  The answer is to shorten your 3 step.  It's supposed to be more of a catch-yourself as you fall off the top of the rise, rather than a big forward step. 

[Beachbum]

Forgot - We're also told to not start on 1 but to hesitate a fraction of a beat so it's more like "And one, twooooooooooooo, three".

I have a technique class today but I don't remember if we're doing ballroom or Latin.  Prolly why I don't remember all the waltz technique.   

[cornutt]

Forgot - We're also told to not start on 1 but to hesitate a fraction of a beat so it's more like "And one, twooooooooooooo, three".

That would drive me insane.  I can tolerate messing with the other beats, but I have to hit the down beat.  Otherwise, I'm lost.

[Wra1thCh1ld]

I've been taught that on the "one" beat, you first slightly shape your body, begin to compress, and then step on the end of the beat. so its  "AND one". the AND being the shaping.

[QPO]

yes we have been taught that also by the coach.

 author=Wra1thCh1ld link=topic=240.msg6282#msg6282 date=1240791156]
I've been taught that on the "one" beat, you first slightly shape your body, begin to compress, and then step on the end of the beat. so its  "AND one". the AND being the shaping.
[/quote]

[elisedance]

I've been taught that on the "one" beat, you first slightly shape your body, begin to compress, and then step on the end of the beat. so its  "AND one". the AND being the shaping.

thats how we do it. Energy on the second half of 1, float on and-two, drop on three completing the lowering on and-while moving forward.  Its very important to stop the forward motion on the end of 2 and three so that you find your ballance point.  To me thats what creates the waltz look...

[elisedance]

oh, and the collecting of the moving leg that is..

[cornutt]

oh, and the collecting of the moving leg that is..

This was one thing that I worked on today.  Took a lesson together with DW and her instructor.  We went around the floor, and he told me: "That looked great, except... were you doing bronze or silver?"     The instructor was working with me on bringing my feet really together in bronze, and there were places where I just couldn't seem to do it, such as on the fallaway part of the triple twinkle.  Well, after un-peeling the onion of problems, the fundemental problem turned out to be that I'm "popping up" on 2 -- not using the momentum to create the rise, but just forcing it up.  That doesn't arrest the momentum, and it makes it difficult to balance on 2, which prevents me from being able to collect my feet.  So I have some work to do on rise and fall.

Also, I realized that I was squeezing the frame on my back steps, meaning that I was using my right hand to pull my partner towards me.  Which causes me to lean forwards.  Gotta let that frame breathe on the back steps.