The Telemark is a ballroom dance step; in waltz competition, it is in the Silver syllabus. Telemarks are reverse turns where the follower (the lady) does a heel turn as the leader (the man) travels around her. There are similar Telemarks in foxtrot and quickstep. [1]
The term Telemark is borrowed from skiing, in which a turn is generated by a forward leg motion. The closed Telemark and open Telemark are fairly similar. However, the closed Telemark ends in closed position, while the open Telemark ends in promenade position. [2]
The closed Telemark can be followed by a natural turn, natural spin turn, hesitation change, or forward lock. [1]
Beat | Foot position | Alignment | Amount of turn | Footwork |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Left foot forward | Facing diagonal center | Starting to turn left | Heel – toe |
2 | Right foot to side | Almost backing line of dance | Slightly less than 3⁄8 between 1 and 2 | Toe |
3 | Left foot to side and slightly forward | Pointing diagonal wall | Slightly over 3⁄8 between 2 and 3; body turns less | Toe – heel |
1 | Right foot forward in contra body movement position (CBMP), outside partner (OP) | Facing diagonal wall | Heel | |
Beat | Foot position | Alignment | Amount of turn | Footwork |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Right foot back | Backing line of dance | Starting to turn left | Toe – heel |
2 | Left foot closes to Right foot (heel turn) | Facing line of dance | 3⁄8 between 1 and 2 | Heel – toe |
3 | Right foot to side and slightly back | Backing diagonal wall | 3⁄8 between 2 and 3, body turns less | Toe – heel |
1 | Left foot back in CBMP | Backing diagonal wall | Toe | |
The open Telemark can be followed by an open natural turn, a chassé from promenade position, cross hesitation, wing, or left whisk from promenade position. [1]
Beat | Foot position | Alignment | Amount of turn | Footwork |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Left foot forward | Facing diagonal center | Starting to turn left | Heel – toe |
2 | Right foot to side | Backing diagonal wall | 1⁄4 between 1 and 2 | Toe |
3 | Left foot to side and slightly forward in promenade position (PP) | Pointing diagonal wall, body facing wall | 1⁄2 between 2 and 3, body turns less | Toe – heel |
Beat | Foot position | Alignment | Amount of turn | Footwork |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Right foot back | Backing diagonal center | Starting to turn left | Toe – heel |
2 | Left foot closes to right foot (heel turn) | Facing line of dance | 3⁄8 between 1 and 2 | Heel – toe |
3 | Right foot diagonally forward and slightly to right in PP, right side leading | Facing line of dance | Slight body turn to left | Toe – heel |
In some types of partner dance, lead and follow are designations for the two dancers comprising a dance pairing. The Lead is responsible for guiding the couple and initiating transitions to different dance steps and, in improvised dances, for choosing the dance steps to perform. The Lead communicates choices to the Follow, and directs the Follow by means of subtle physical and visual signals, thereby allowing the pair to be smoothly coordinated.
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in
The foxtrot is a smooth, progressive dance characterized by long, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor. It is danced to big band music. The dance is similar in its look to waltz, although the rhythm is in a 4
4 time signature instead of 3
4. Developed in the 1910s, the foxtrot reached its height of popularity in the 1930s and remains practiced today.
In partner dancing, closed position is a category of positions in which partners hold each other while facing at least approximately toward each other.
Partner dances are dances whose basic choreography involves coordinated dancing of two partners, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually in a non-coordinated manner, and as opposed to groups of people dancing simultaneously in a coordinated manner.
This is a list of dance terms that are not names of dances or types of dances. See List of dances and List of dance style categories for those.
In ballroom dancing, directions of progressive movement, in particular, directions of steps, can be indicated either in relation to the room or in relation to the body position. Directions of turns, although there are only two of them, may also be indicated in several ways.
The quickstep is a light-hearted dance of the standard ballroom dances. The movement of the dance is fast and powerfully flowing and sprinkled with syncopations. The upbeat melodies that quickstep is danced to make it suitable for both formal and informal events. Quickstep was developed in the 1920s in New York City and was first danced by Caribbean and African dancers. Its origins are in combination of slow foxtrot combined with the Charleston, a dance which was one of the precursors to what today is called swing dancing.
The closed change is a Pre-Bronze, or newcomer waltz figure, performed in closed position. Changes may start of the right foot or left foot, moving forward or backward. This makes four different types of closed changes. Combining two changes results in a box step. In right changes the man starts from the right foot, while in left ones the man starts from the left foot.
Waltz is one of the five dances in the Standard category of the International Style ballroom dances. It was previously referred to as slow waltz or English waltz.
Contra body movement (CBM) is a term used in ballroom dances, such as Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Quickstep. It describes a specific coordination of the movement of a dancer's body when doing or preparing to do a step which involves rotation.
The counter promenade position is a dance position in ballroom and other dances. It is described differently in various dance categories, but essentially it is the opposite of the promenade position.
The promenade position is a dance position in ballroom and other dances. It is described differently in various dance categories.
The whisk is a ballroom dance step used in the waltz and American style Viennese waltz. It is one of several ways to get into promenade position and is used to turn dancers around corners or change their direction on the dance floor. It can be performed after a reverse turn.
Figures of Argentine tango are elements of Argentine tango.
A natural turn is a dance step in which the partners turn around each other clockwise. Its near-mirror counterpart is the reverse turn, which is turning to the counter-clockwise.
The impetus is a ballroom dance step used in the waltz, foxtrot or quickstep. The open impetus is one of several ways to get into promenade position and is used to turn dancers around corners or change their direction on the dance floor. It is often performed after a natural turn.
A wing is a ballroom dance move, in the silver syllabus of competition waltz. It is a transitional movement that repositions the follower to the leader's left side. Thus, while many dance moves can precede a wing, only a reverse movement can follow a wing, such as a reverse turn, double reverse spin, Telemark, fallaway reverse, or drag hesitation.
The chassé is a waltz ballroom dance figure. Like chassés in other dances, it involves a triple-step where one foot "chases" the other in a "step-together-step" pattern. It is derived from a ballet step.