I would like to point out that beat/count 2 is quite a long time so it makes a difference if you are speaking about the beginning of 2 or end of 2. I think that at the beginning of count 2 it would be too early to be completely transferred. I would do it gradually over count 2. So I think when musically you hear beat 2 then you would be split weight (I guess A shaped as your teacher explained) and then transfer through the second half of 2. Of course you need to finish transferring before the 3 though because that will be your step together.

Simeon

That is a great question. On step 2 like any other step you should transfer your weight immediately on the step which becomes the supporting leg, and the moving foot has little weight this is not due to a delay in trasfer of weight but to have light weight to "brush" the moving foot into position. Failing to brush the moving foot into position will result in the moving foot loosing contact with the floor, this will result in unbalanced movement. The A frame description is not to be used, since to dance waltz properly your need to " swing" your centre between steps 1 and 2, causung an immediate weight transfer and use sway action to couterbalance the swing action. When I see a dancer forming an A frame between step 1 and 2, it demostartes very little or no swing action as described above, resulting in the incorrect interpretation and character of the dance. Happy Dancing, Giorgio Argentini is a dance coach and judge

"The A frame description is not to be used, since to dance waltz properly your need to " swing" your centre between steps 1 and 2, causung an immediate weight transfer and use sway action to couterbalance the swing action. When I see a dancer forming an A frame between step 1 and 2, it demostartes very little or no swing action as described above, resulting in the incorrect interpretation and character of the dance"

Yes. This is a major difference between the casual dancer and the more thoroughly trained dancer.

Less expert dancers tend to let their body pause in balance over the position of the first step, swing their leg towards the second step, and then transfer through an A-frame type position.

More skilled dancers have the strength to project their body from the standing foot so that it can keep moving out into the space beyond the position of the first step, while their body swings from the hip and eventually causes the free leg gracefully uncurl towards the position of step 2.

Another way of saying it is that the dancer who keeps their body in balance over step 1 can give the impression of having sway with their hips ahead of their top only by moving their head against the direction of travel. In contrast, a dancer with the strength and habit of projecting their body from the standing foot swings their hips into the movement faster than their - which is at most stationary and not moving against the travel.

Of course it must be remembered that the projection beyond balance must be with upward energy - it is not a license to collapse forward from the chest. A student who is still doing that may need to spend some time learning to identify stationary balance and move with relaxed, upright steps before moving on to develop a true swing dynamic.

Well, i have to admit i'm very confused by all this. Perhaps i don't know what the expression "A frame" means.
Surely, when the left foot plants on step 2 of the natural turn (S waltz) the feet are well separated, and you will get what i assume is the "A frame" being refered to here.
For example, see Hilton's slow waltz on Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkItbQjX8eY&feature=related

What am i missing here?

THe expression "body weight" itself can be confusing. It's only when we're stationary, and not changing our position vertically or horizontally, that the force we feel through our feet and legs is our body weight. There's no easy way to explain these things. That's one of the difficulties in learning to dance well.