Rha. I'm with you on the body swing On a Reverse Turn. Let the CBM happen naturally.
If we are now talking about a Lockstep in the Quickstep. The left shoulder is in position for that first step outside partner where to stay together we will need CBMP. If you turn your standing hip ( your left side )to the left It will be facing the LOD.and we are not in CBMP. So , keep the left shoulder where it is and step in the direction we are going with the right foot. After that on the second second there is no need to change the line of your shoulders you will find that the left foot is under the left shoulder. The rear foot will be able to come from behind it will have a fairly straight path to lock behind the LF. Put that LF in the wrong place and the RF will have to detour to lock up behind. For the lady which is the natural opposite all through, a little pressure on the floor with the heel of the locking foot ( LF) is the way to go. If that same line is maintained after the lock you should be able to go into the Spin Turn on the correct alignment of diagnal to wall. If you need your attention drawn towards how it is written in the book here it is.
RF forward outside partner diag
to wall.
LF diag. forward
Cross RF behind LF ( not tightly)
LF diag. forward
RF forward outside partner, diag.
to wall.
Something to think about. When Alex Moore wrote the book he
didn 't think it was neccassary to say that in dancing we seldom dance square to the room when we move. It is almost allways a sideways movement. This can be very deceiving for anybody reading from a book where to step ahead is taken literily as just that.
To continue think about the third step on a Feather Step. Or the sixth step of a Reverse Turn ( feather finish ) both with CBMP. I don't think anyone would turn their hips to the left there on that third or sixth step. So what's this with the Lockstep as you have written. The main difference there is the third and sixth steps in the Foxtrot is a foot position only, Don't try to travell on that one. Best of luck.

"To continue think about the third step on a Feather Step. Or the sixth step of a Reverse Turn ( feather finish ) both with CBMP. I don't think anyone would turn their hips to the left there on that third or sixth step. So what's this with the Lockstep as you have written."

Remember that it is very rare for a leg to go anywhere on its own accord. Instead, the free leg simply follows the movement of the body. While both locking and outside partner (feather) actions are diagonal across the foot, the locking action must have a body movement that is more markedly diagonal, to carry the free foot behind the standing one. Wheras the action of the feather becomes slightly more inline with the standing foot, so that the free foot brushes past it.


"The main difference there is the third and sixth steps in the Foxtrot is a foot position only, Don't try to travell on that one. Best of luck."

There is plenty of travel there on advanced dancers, but the vast majority of it comes from the flight of the body. The distance that the foot moves relative to the body is of course fairly small - but if the body itself moves a lot, the sum of body movement + foot movement can be a nicely sized step. For students not yet flighting their bodies, the step must be quite small indeed.

Anonymous. There is no travell on the sixth step of a Feather Finish in the Reverse Turn. It is a foot position only. Then lower , then move. To go big there would result in the side opening up. Which is what we see from beginners and social dancers who have not been taught correctly. The body should be facing the wall on step five
left shoulder slightly forward. I learnt this in a Bronze meadal many years ago. Don't forget where you heard this. On step five the feet are apart, on two toes, and at that moment the weight is equally divided between the two feet being passed onto step six.

"Anonymous. There is no travell on the sixth step of a Feather Finish in the Reverse Turn. It is a foot position only."

Don, you are absurdly wrong.

Of course the position of the foot is small, however the body NEVER STOPS TRAVELLING at any point in a feather. It's not a waltz figure where there is a brief pause at the top of the rise, it is a foxtrot figure where the progress slows a little, but never comes anywhere close to stopping.

You have taken accurate advice from dance teachers about the foot, and completely misinterpreted it to conclude that there is no travel of the body.

"To go big there would result in the side opening up."

When it is the body moving rather than the foot moving on its own, nothing opens up because all of both bodies move together. They might as well be standing still and the floor moving under them - it would make no difference.

Anonymous. Of course the body doesn'nt stand still. Why do you think the weight is being passed on step 4 5 6..
You really are showing your lack of knowledge . Opening up for the man would mean he is no longer facing the wall. The lady is going backwards. Therefore if she opens with the man, which she can't help but,she will not be backing wall.

"Anonymous. Of course the body doesn'nt stand still."

Then why did you post, and I quote exactly, "There is no travell on the sixth step of a Feather Finish in the Reverse Turn. It is a foot position only."

???

Get your story straight, please. You argue that there is no travel, then when challenged on it backtrack and say that of course there is travel. Did you actually have a point? Or are you just living up to your claim that someone is "really showing your lack of knowledge"?

"Opening up for the man would mean he is no longer facing the wall. The lady is going backwards. Therefore if she opens with the man, which she can't help but,she will not be backing wall."

Nobody proposed opening up, so why do you bring this off topic drivel into this as if you are correcting someone else's mistake?

Anonymous. The weight is being passed from one foot to the other between step 5 to 6. At some point you are standing there like Colossus of Rhodes facing square to the wall. Then the weight goes to the left foot and there is a placing of the RF. Really you shouldn't argue about something you dont understand. You've got a book , read it then come back. OK . You tell me in which direction the sixth step is pointing. I'll leave you with a clue, It is not down the LOD neither is the body. that comes later.

"Anonymous. The weight is being passed from one foot to the other between step 5 to 6. At some point you are standing there like Colossus of Rhodes facing square to the wall."

No.

The weight is on only one foot at a time.

Anonymous. You are dead wrong. Do you have a technique book or is yours just your own beliefs. I suppose anyone who says the American Heritage Dictionary is wrong would take very little notice of a mere Ballroom Dancing Technique book.
I must be stupid to come into this but here goes . I beleive , which you don't. that when the body moves from one one leg to another it has to pass through a middle position. Call it what you like. Split Weight, Mid-Point, Central Balance. Why I am even bothering I don't know. Anybody reading this who is interested.Look at the pictures on this site. Or stand up and take one pace forward. Did you pass a central position when you went from one foot to the other. If you believe he is correct then drop a line saying so. If you think he is wrong then tell him so. Maybe we could have a public vote like Dancing with the Stars. Somehow Anonymous beleives we can go from one step to another without passing the middle. Or is it too stupid to even think about.
Lets run over this once again. This is a step to the side with the body facing the wall exactly as in the Technique book. The weight is equally divided between the two feet at some when the weight is passed from, in this case, the right to the left. Anonymous think about this carefully. If you were to put your weight directly from 4 to the 5 side you have not got your flat foot of the floor at the end of step four.But even then there has to be a mid- point.

"Somehow Anonymous beleives we can go from one step to another without passing the middle."

No, you are mischaracterizing my argument.

We most definitely pass through a middle, but the middle will not, in a fully danced action, feature weight divided between two feet.

"If you were to put your weight directly from 4 to the 5 side you have not got your flat foot of the floor at the end of step four."

If you think that the man's foot should be flat on the floor at any point in step 4 of a reverse turn, you need serious help!