| Article | : | Dancing Tid-bits Issue #142, Thursday, May 8, 2003
Today's Topic: Slow Foxtrot: Linear or Curvilinear?
Dear Max, I've always enjoyed reading your tid-bits and would like to pose a topic
for discussion. What is your opinion of the straight school of dancing versus the rotary school of dancing?Anonymous.
Well, Class! Who would like to answer that question. Actually I am a little confused with the question posed by Anonymous. It looks like we are talking Ballroom terminology but I am completely stumped. I have yet to hear this in the dancing circles here in Detroit area. So I approached my world class coach and she was not much help either. I will try to tackle the subject with my own imagination but I can use all the help you can give me.
Slow Foxtrot: Is this a Linear Dance or a Curvilinear Dance? Let us pick Feather Step and Three Step for example. I guess there are some schools (eg. Alex Moore?) which will curve the Feather slightly to right and the Three Step slightly to left. If you curve it, I would say the rotation should be minimal. I also remember when I was training at Dancescene, Bart's second step of Feather used to go almost pointing LOD. Would this be the Rotary School? I have also vaguely heared that John Wood is rotary school but this is just loose talk and I don't know for sure.
The other way to dance these two figures will be straight. This will be considered Straight School. We worked for a while with both concepts and at the end my coach preferred the straight alignment, but my other coach likes curving things. I really think it becomes a personal preference and I have seen both concepts in work and it all depends what your partner prefers. I hope you understand that I am not talking about the Curved Feather or a Three Step with a Turn.
Viennese Waltz: I do not believe that I want to consider this to be Rotary Dance. The Dance lends to "travel straight and turn" rather than "rotate, rotate-rotate".
Waltz: When you take the first step in a natural turn, do you go straight to DW or curve it towards Wall? I guess I will go straight but there will be slight turning out of the foot reflecting the CBM. However if you rotate too much, does that become rotary school?
Is there someone who could shed more light on the Straight and Rotary Schools of Dancing? Your comments are welcome. I am sure Anonymous will appreciate the courtesy of your reply. Thanks and with best wishes, Max
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