I've begun to notice, or maybe realize, that when a heel turn is used in a dance step or sequence, too often the instructors don't spend a lot of time explaining how that should be properly executed or how it should feel. It's almost like it "just happens" and you keep moving on.
So, I have a couple of questions.
First, is the heel turn truly done with the weight on the heels? Sometimes, it feels more like a quick pivot on the balls of your feet. At least for the man. For the ladies, in heels, I suppose it might be different?
Which leads to my second question. I am not as advanced as others on this site, so don't be surprised if this seems like a lame question.
I am thinking that the heel turn comes into play far more for the lady than it does for the man. Is that even remotely accurate, or is it a dance step that both partners use equally or should be able to execute in a balanced, precise manner?
Finally, is the heel turn more prevalent in Fox Trot than most other dances? Right now, anyway, I am seeing it in there more than in other dances.

One coach that I had was a student of Bill Mitchell. The coach showed me notes from a lecture in which Bill said that the man always does a heel pull and never a true heel turn.

jj

I would say that the most important thing about this turn is that it is made on one foot, not both, and as the feet are closing. By the time the heels are actually together, we are almost done, and the main thing remaining to do is to transfer weight forward (and to the other foot), to rise, and step out of the turn.

I don't feel the turn as being on the 'heel', but with a backward, rather than forward, balance, and once the foot has lowered, the foot is flat on the floor. Things feel a little different for the ladies, because of their shoes having a smaller heel area. The turn is commenced on the ball of foot, anyway, because we cannot step back to a flat foot, so it is the continuation of turn that occurs on the heel, but with the foot flat (ie the toe is not lifted up). When the feet close, and the turn is almost complete, the foot without weight is being held to the side of the weight bearing foot. The turn appears to be on both feet, but can't be: it it were, the toes would splay horribly.

There's no real answer to your other questions, because all depends upon the chosen choreography. Foxtrot has heel turns for lady in both natural and reverse turns, but we should not overlook the telemark and impetus turn families, and of course, the 'heel pulls' that gentlemen dance in Quickstep, Waltz & preeminently, Foxtrot (the natural turn, again).

A heel pull is often danced very badly, and the fact that it is a heel turn (ie has the same mechanics and weight distribution) but with the feet finishing apart, is often missed, and the turn becomes a side step with a brush action. They are the hardest of all the 'standard' turns, in my view, and a measure of success is whether the man is able to lead an undivided turn for lady (not, of course, in a QS Natural Turn at a Corner - the exception).

This (Telemark's post) is a very good answer, and corresponds closely to what the "bible" (Alex Moore's book) says. Moore also points out that in the Heel Pull the weight is more forward than in a Heel Turn.

Dheun,

I posed a similar question over a year ago, but mine was related to shoe wear caused from poorly executed heel pulls and turns. I got great advice from Telemark, and my heel turns have been quite good ever since. I saved his advice for my dance notes. It is very similar to what he wrote here. I am still grateful: The turn itself is wholly accomplished on the LF. The footwork is TH, but heel lowers earlier than a normal back step. The turn commences on the ball of foot, but continues and finishes on the heel. However, there is no T release (because the next step will be LF fwd), so the majority of the turn is made with the foot flat, but with a backward weight distribution (ie the foot turns around a point under the heel, not the ball of foot): this is where I suggest the 'right balance' is found by feeling the weight to be over the instep, rather than the very back edge of the heel. As the LF turns, the RF is drawn back, with the H in contact with the floor, but the pressure required is limited, and does not amount to divided weight - this is why you shouldn't be wearing out the edges of your shoes.

The weight transfer between LF & RF only occurs after the turn has been made: if you think in terms of a normal heel turn, the RF will not complete its close to the LF (assuming a R turn)until the turn itself if complete. On weight change, we often rise, but in a heel pull action we are usually 'down', and stay there. Footwork for the RF will be H to i/e of foot to flat foot.

dheun, some observations re. your second question:

I think you're right in saying that the lady does far more heel turns than the man, at least in current practice. Apart from the impetus figures, it appears that all the heel turn figures are done by the lady: as per jj (btw, welcome back jj, nice to hear from you again

The man does a heel pivot in the quarter turn to left in quickstep, not quite the same as the heel turn.

The reason there's no heel turn in the natural and reverse turns in waltz has to do with the kind of swing rise in that dance, where the man begins to rise at the end of step 1. Whereas, in the foxtrot, he rises at the end of step 1. This distinction is made possible by him leading the lady into a heel turn in the latter. Also the footwork is open (no closing of the man's feet) in the foxtrot turns.

It is interesting to note that, originally, the man also did a heel turn in the natural and reverse turns in foxtrot (in the second half of the figure, doing the lady's opening steps, as we still have in the waltz turns). But Bill Irvine found the heel turn too restrictive. So we now have the man's version of the heel turn--the heel pull for the natural turn (and also the feather finish for the reverse turn).

Great answers by everyone, as usual.
Can anyone point to a video clip on this site that illustrates the proper heel pull being done by the man?
I know the heel turn by the woman is shown very well on the International Standard Fox Trot reverse turn and, I think, on the waltz double reverse spin.

dheun, see the Waltz: Hesitation Change; Foxtrot: Natural Turn; Quickstep: Natural Turn, Natural Turn with Hesitation.

Those are perfect. Thanks. I think with the new setup on the videos, Jonathan has put in better descriptions of what is taking place. So I see that they now describe the heel pull, and exactly when it takes place. Makes it far easier to figure out how it should look, and gives you a better chance to know how it should feel as well.

Heel Turn singular. Not Heels Turn which is plural.
Can the Sway to the inside of the turn which takes the weight off the moving foot on step 2 and 3 have a bearing on this. Plus of course that dreaded CBM on one, and how to apply it.
I have found that with inexperienced dancers on the Heel Turn they move the moving foot too soon, not allowing the full two beats on the first step
The other thing that needs to be mentioned is when practising alone the lady has to turn herself. When with a partner the man can do it for her. Practising alone can create a bad habit of trying to turn too soon and not at the end of the step one.