With regard to the standard Whisk in Waltz as standardised in Howard:

What is the directional course of movement in relation to the room for the lady's LF in order to end diag back on step 2 ? Over the first part of step 2, does the LF move backwards along the same line as step 1, or is the direction changing during this period ? Until what point does the R heel stay down in accord with the NFR on 1 ?

Thank you in anticipation.

No directional instruction is given, but I would say that the LF foot should commence to move DW (ie as RF on step one) so that the foot comes under its own hip, and once the feet are more-or-less parallel, the track of the foot should curve to the finished position diagonally back, pointing DC, rather like the shape of a hockey stick.

Step two is a backward, rather than side step, so the normal inside turn NFR rule of releasing the heel as weight is taken on step two would not apply; but in fact this is effectively what is required, although no specific note is given. However, if you look at the man's R&F on the Back Whisk, you will see that Howard provides a note that the H of the LF is released when crossing LF behind RF. Lady uses the same R&F in the Whisk, where it is she who makes the backward movement.

re ladys whisk: i take the point that the heel must release for the crossing action itself. what i am stil less clear about is whether it should release earier during the time that the LF is making the curved track. your post seems to imply it does. but if there is heel release here one wonders why the footwork is not THT. on the other hand, if there is no heel release early on, it would seem to impede the turn. and maybe there is some reason for impeding the turn, analogous to the technique for the inside of a turn ? and maybe that is the significance of the pointing alignment on step 2 of the whisk ?

No, I don't think the heel releases early. Don't forget that the man isn't turning at all, and that with the gradual rise (commence e/o 1, continue on 2) the lady need be in no hurry to release the heel, until starting to move the foot to cross behind. To some extent, the timing must be a matter of choice, but what is certain, is that we don't have a toe release on the RF, which would be the normal movement for a backward step following NFR.

so re the lady's whisk. no toe release, no heel release until very late ie roughly after the RF passes the LF to cross behind. so the RF stays roughly flat ? i know there is the no foot swivel on 1, but is there turn on the RF as step 2 is placed ?

one more question- for the man's steps of the back whisk - is there no toe release of his LF after the NFR ?

If I dance the Whisk as Lady, I release the heel of the RF as I take full weight on the LF on step two, and start to draw the RF to LF, with the T in contact with the floor (just as a close - after all, the Whisk is a modified Closed Change). This suits the pattern of rise, and allows me to arrive at the crossed position "Up".

There is no foot swivel on 1, and I would say that the foot doesn't move at all, until it starts to cross behind. In an exam demonstration, you find yourself in a very uncomfortable position of the feet, having placed 2 with 1 still in place, but the actual action is more continuous, and flows perfectly naturally on the dance floor.

There's no T release on LF in the Back Whisk. If there were, and you followed the instruction to release the H too, you would simply have lifted your foot off the ground altogether. The note: "When crossing LF behind RF on step 3, the H of the LF will be released from the floor", confirms that the normal backward walk action, including T release, is not required. Think of both figures as Closed Changes that cross behind (Cross Change?), and most of the problems disappear.

You say think of the whisk as a closed change with a cross. But surely its completely different. Isn't there a toe release on the closed change ?

No. Step 2 of a Closed Change is a side step, and where a side step follows NFR, the supporting foot is flat until full weight is taken on the side step, when the H is released from Step 1 to allow the close with continued rise.

sorry i was being stupid with my last question [was thinking of the previous step]

finally...thanks - i think ive learned a lot about whisks from this thread.