Telemark (waltz)

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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]

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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]

Closed Telemark

The closed Telemark can be followed by a natural turn, natural spin turn, hesitation change, or forward lock. [1]

Leader (man)
BeatFoot positionAlignmentAmount of turnFootwork
1Left foot forwardFacing diagonal center Starting to turn leftHeel – toe
2Right foot to sideAlmost backing line of danceSlightly less than 38 between 1 and 2Toe
3Left foot to side and slightly forwardPointing diagonal wallSlightly over 38 between 2 and 3; body turns lessToe – heel
1Right foot forward in contra body movement position (CBMP), outside partner (OP)Facing diagonal wallHeel
Follower (lady)
BeatFoot positionAlignmentAmount of turnFootwork
1Right foot backBacking line of dance Starting to turn leftToe – heel
2Left foot closes to Right foot (heel turn)Facing line of dance38 between 1 and 2Heel – toe
3Right foot to side and slightly backBacking diagonal wall38 between 2 and 3, body turns lessToe – heel
1Left foot back in CBMP Backing diagonal wallToe

Open Telemark

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]

Leader (man)
BeatFoot positionAlignmentAmount of turnFootwork
1Left foot forwardFacing diagonal center Starting to turn leftHeel – toe
2Right foot to sideBacking diagonal wall14 between 1 and 2Toe
3Left foot to side and slightly forward in promenade position (PP)Pointing diagonal wall, body facing wall12 between 2 and 3, body turns lessToe – heel
Follower (lady)
BeatFoot positionAlignmentAmount of turnFootwork
1Right foot backBacking diagonal center Starting to turn leftToe – heel
2Left foot closes to right foot (heel turn)Facing line of dance38 between 1 and 2Heel – toe
3Right foot diagonally forward and slightly to right in PP, right side leadingFacing line of danceSlight body turn to leftToe – heel

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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.

Waltz dance in 3/4 time, distinct from the musical form

The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple  time, performed primarily in closed position.

Foxtrot Dance

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.

Closed position category of positions

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 dance coordinated dancing of two partners

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.

Direction of movement

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.

Quickstep standard ballroom dance

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.

International standard waltz International Style dance category; previously referred to as slow or English waltz

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.

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