terrence. re heel turns - could you expand on your point about turning on the heel not heelS, as i think this is an interesting point.

A common mistake is to "transfer " the weight too early to the left foot..




add to this the Sway,to Right for lady combined with body "swing", also should prevent,a too early transfer to the Left side... remember.. lady is on the INSIDE of the turn and the momentum and dynamic is not of equal proportions ( its what I like to call " hurry up and wait/weight )

Terrence. At the point of transferring weight to the LF is the L heel still down and is turn stil taking place ? (I presume your last post was coigned in terms of the lady's foxtrot reverse turn ?)

The heel is essentially down thruout the action ( skimming the "top" ).. one should retain a softness thru the knees/legs, and the poise needs to be addressed upon achieving the forward position .

This specific action really needs to be taught in person.. the literal translation does not address all the nuances ( like shape and absorbed rise, etc. ) The "speed " by which one enters the rotation also has much to do with HOW the feet are handled.

You probably have noticed how some ladies finish with their toes of both feet apart and or raised ( or both ).This may be caused thru several different unintended actions .

Peter Egg. has a theory that CBM should be kept at a minimum in the rev. closed turns, which I happen to agree with .

As i stated , the dynamics and kinesis involved, need to be addressed. ( the rhythm is also sometimes in dispute ,as to a Slow and or a quicker action moving into the heel turn . ).

And as to turn, it is essentially a continuous action whilst the non supporting leg is closing its foot.

terence, when you say the rhythm is sometimes in dispute as to a slow or quicker action moving into the heel turn, do you mean it could be either slow or fast, or do you mean one is more correct than the other?
I am thinking it would depend on the music bpm?
Which, in your opinion, looks better -- or does it not make a difference, and it's more of a personal preference?
The advice about softness in the knees and legs that has come up a couple of times in the postings on this topic is a great tip, by the way. I was tightening my knees too much on these particular turns.

If anything , slightly faster.. that dynamic, IF controlled, can produce a turn which allows for easier collection and also allows the weight transfer and rise to be incorporated into the fwd motion.

A good rule to remember in F/T ( generally ), is the rise is absorbed between the feet and should not be thought of as a Vertical action( it impedes fwd progress if danced with incorrect rising and lowering ) .

The time allocation, if used correctly, should not affect the phrasing . In essence, re-adjusting rhythms and time, are part of a Prof. interpretation ,seen in most comp. dancers.

These concepts need to be taught under the guidance of a seasoned Pro.