Mambo Timing

This post isn’t strictly about invigilation, but it does relate and I think is worthwhile.  Additionally, this topic is geared specifically towards collegiate and amateur syllabus dancers.

There is one crucial truth about Mambo that syllabus competitors need to know: if you dance on time, and are dancing something that resembles Mambo figures, you will probably advance rounds.  A couple dancing only a Mambo basic for a minute and a half, but perfectly on time, will likely be scored higher than a couple dancing more difficult figures and losing their timing.  I have heard a judge say on a coaching lesson that anyone who is on time in Bronze Mambo automatically makes the Finals. 

Why is Mambo timing so important?  Truthfully, timing is always important, but most couples quickly figure out how to accurately begin on the correct count in their other dances.  A couple who cannot begin on the correct count in Waltz, Rumba, etc., and is off time throughout the dance because of it, would certainly be marked down or not recalled.  With Mambo, everything is magnified by the unusual starting count – a much higher proportion of dancers end up off time than in any other dance in either style. 

So why in the world am I talking about Mambo timing on an invigilation blog?  How does it even relate? 

1.  Technically, by the exact letter of the invigilation rules for both NDCA and USA Dance, any couple who doesn’t “break” on two in Mambo is committing an infraction. 

But much, much more importantly:

2. No invigilator would ever call a couple up for breaking on the wrong beat in Mambo.

This situation highlights an important aspect of invigilation as a whole, which is that the essence of keeping a level playing field is reducing obvious advantages.  A couple who can dance higher level figures well has an obvious advantage.  A couple dancing – I hate to say it – poorly does not have an advantage over the other couples in their heat.

Learn Mambo timing well first, then build up your routine with figures (that you can still keep on time).  As with so many areas of ballroom dancing, simple things executed well are a better choice than difficult things executed poorly.

Corner vs. Side of Room Figures

Rules for syllabus Standard are probably the most cut-and-dry of any style.  (Not that I’m saying that they are always perfectly clear!)  American Style encompasses many different syllabi, and the Latin syllabus includes suggested alignments, amounts of turn, etc., but the Standard syllabus is very specific about what alignments, amounts of turn, and timings are allowed.  Furthermore, because of the progressive nature of Standard dancing, figures are designated as for use around a corner, along the side of the room, or both.

Many figures can be used both around/approaching corners and along the side of the room, though often figures change slightly in order to accommodate the differences.  Sometimes figures start out as a corner or side figure and only add the other option at a higher level.  (For example: a Whisk in Waltz, which can be ended DC only starting at Silver.  This is because there no figures are available to follow with at Bronze if the Whisk is ended DC.) 

Short of memorizing the entire Technique book, how can we keep straight which figures accomplish which goals?  Here is a short guideline that should help:

1. Chasse figures (including locks) generally don’t go around corners, which is due to the linearity of this type of figure.  An exception to this rule is the Tipple Chasse to R in Quickstep, which can be used around a corner in a variety of interesting ways.  It is worth noting that the way in which the Tipple Chasse takes the corner is by cutting across it, not dancing into and out of it.

   

2. Because chasse figures cannot, for the most part, go around corners, the often-used introductory Quickstep routine of dancing Quarter Turn to R/Progressive Chasse all the way around the floor is technically illegal.  Invigilation on a low level couple dancing this type of routine is unlikely – what would be the point?  However, it is important for couples to learn a cornering figure, like a Natural Spin Turn, as soon as they are able.[1]

3. Tango, especially at Bronze, is the most permissive Standard dance with respect to corners and sides.  Most figures can be modified for different areas of the floor, and inserting two Walks can clear up almost any alignment issues.  However, Progressive Links may not be over-rotated for getting around a corner, nor may Reverse Turns, Lady Outside or in Line. 

4. There is only one figure in the entire Standard syllabus that can only be danced in a corner.  Silver Foxtrot’s Hover Cross has no alternative versions.  You may not change its alignment or amount of turn, and therefore it can only get you into and out of a corner.

5. There is also only one figure that can go around two corners: Running Right Turn in Silver Quickstep.  Running Right Turn may be danced along the side of the room, around two corners, around one corner using the early section of the figure, OR around a corner using the later section of the figure.  

As a sidenote: Since American Style Smooth relies on restrictions rather than a set syllabus, it is easy to assume that alignments matter less than they do in Standard.  While it’s true that no rule provides basis for invigilating, say, a Chasse from PP around a corner, it is in a couple’s best interest to observe Standard conventions about alignments in Smooth dancing as well. 

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[1] As another example, beginner Foxtrot often involves using Feather Step/Three Step to get around the floor.  This is also illegal, though not because of corner issues.  Technically a Three Step is only allowed as a Follow to a Feather Step, not a Precede.  As with Quickstep, it is important to learn another figure (like a Natural Turn) as soon as possible in order to both legalize the routine and show a higher caliber of dancing.   

Gold Latin Continued/Dance Language: "Overturn"

After my last post, I received a clarification question that I had originally intended to answer quickly.  I soon realized, however, that the subject was really too large for a short, bulleted answer, so I’m making an entire post out of it. The question was:

“Can you add when overturns are permissible for syllabus to your Gold [Latin] blog?  I believe I saw a lot of them in Gold [at DCDI] and wanted to check with you when they can be used.”

For those only interested in the short, bulleted answer, please scroll to the list at the end of this post.  Otherwise, please keep reading for some clarifying material.

 

As has happened in the past, I really can’t start answering the question until we nail down some terms.  I used the word “overturn” in my Gold Latin post, which was perhaps not the best choice, but this situation is another where we don’t have solid terminology that always refers to the same thing.[1]  What in the world is an “overturn?” 

In general, the Latin syllabus books give amounts of turn for figures, much like The Ballroom Technique does for Standard figures.  The Latin books also include a note towards the beginning of each book that says, “… in most cases a little more turn may be made to develop rotation … When a precise amount of turn is not given between steps it denotes there can be acceptable deviations to allow for individual speed of turn and expression.”  Not the most precise instructions.  While “acceptable deviations” is fairly open-ended, I think it’s safe to say that this provision allows for a SMALL amount of extra turn – 1/8, maybe ¼, not anything more obvious and significant. 

There are some instances where the Latin syllabus actually uses the word “overturn” for its own purposes.  A good example is in the Jive figure Fallaway Throwaway.  At Bronze, specific amounts of turn are given in the chart.  At Silver, Fallaway Throwaway gets upgraded to the Overturned Fallaway Throwaway, which turns more, but does so still with specific amounts detailed in the chart figure.  Then at Gold, we get the Development of Overturned Fallaway Throwaway, which adds further turn, but again, a specific amount.

The above example is not what I was referring to when I said “overturn” in my previous post, nor do I think it’s what my question-asker was referring to.  The tendency is for Gold dancers to put noticeable, extra amounts of turn over spins and occasionally three step turns.  A better word for what I’m describing might be “overspin,” though that could also cause confusion because a three step turn isn’t technically a spin.  For the purposes of the rest of this post, I will use overspin for lack of a better term.  Finally, when I say extra spin or overspin, I mean what most of us would probably call a “double turn.”  Double turns are not, usually, truly double; they are typically about a turn and a half, maybe a little less or more, whether on one foot or over several steps.

So to (finally) answer the question posed to me, here is a list of figures where overspins are specifically provided for (these are all for the Lady, except for two of the three spin endings of Fencing):

Jive

1. Change of Places R to L Development (Allowed starting at Silver)
2. Spanish Arms, Spin Ending (Allowed starting at Silver)
3. Rolling Off the Arm, Spin Ending with R to R Hand Hold
4. Simple Spin Development (?)

Rumba

1. Fencing, Spin Endings (Man and Lady’s Solo Spin, Lady’s Under Arm Spin to L, Man’s Solo Spin to L)

Cha Cha

1. Cross Basic Development
2. Hip Twist Spiral
3. Follow My Leader
4. Foot Change Variations

Samba

1. Three Step Turns

Paso Doble

1. Traveling Spins (PP and CPP)
2. Fregolina Ending
3. Chasse Cape, Lady’s Spin to R Ending

Please note that, for the most part, these figures do give specific amounts of turn for their overspin actions.  As stated in my previous post, you still may not simply embellish turns by doubling them. 

    

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[1] For further examples see the section of this post about elements/steps, and this post discussing open/closed.

Gold Latin

Why does Gold Latin get its own post?  Simply put: in my own experience, Gold Latin contains the most instances of infractions of any level and style.  For whatever reason, dancers tend to go hog wild in Gold Latin events, and there are certain infractions that I could put money on happening and be much richer in a hurry.  This is a list of those infractions.

Man’s Spin (Jive)

A Simple Spin is an opportunity for the Lady to turn a whole lot on one foot in Jive.  Her leader does not get the same opportunity.  The exact wording of the technique book is, Man: “No turn on the Simple Spin.”  As the figure is described, the Lady turns and the Man closes his feet.

Sailor Shuffles (Jive)

Sailor Shuffles are an embellishment borrowed from American Swing, where they become legal at Silver.  They have a kind of coordinated drunkenness to them that suits Swing’s grounded character exceptionally well.  Many dancers replace chasses with Sailor Shuffles in Jive as a way to make the basic action of the dance flashier and more exciting.  However, Sailor Shuffles do not appear in the Jive syllabus at all.

Sailor Shuffles (Cha Cha)

I split Sailor Shuffles into two sections because the information about them is slightly different in different dances.  At Silver Cha Cha and higher, dancers may use a Ronde chasse – a figure whose action resembles a Sailor Shuffle in some ways.  Dancers may not, however, replace regular chasses with Ronde chasses simply because they want to, nor may they dance the American Style Sailor Shuffle at any point in Latin Cha Cha. 

New York/Cuban Break Variations (Cha Cha)

Some of the most common alterations in Cha Cha are timing and action changes in New Yorks, Cuban Breaks, and Split Cuban Breaks.  These changes include: holding 4, 1 instead of dancing a 4 & 1 chasse in a New York, or any time when the Man and Lady do not mirror each other.  The Man may not dance anything different from the Lady during these figures.  No lunges, no lines, no timing changes.  He must dance the mirror version of the Lady’s part.

“Chugging Turning to the Right” (Jive)

I put this in quotes because that is how I have most often heard it described by syllabus dancers.  In a previous post, I mentioned that one of the most common infractions in general is dancing an Open Continuous Tuck-in Turn or Tap on the Shoulder from Bronze Swing in Jive.  “Chugging Turning Right” is how a lot of dancers choose to describe the Swing figure.  Just to repeat: the syllabus figure Chugging turns left overall; there is no Latin version of an Open Continuous Tuck.  

Samba Roll Variations (Samba)

Good news: Samba Rolls are allowed at Gold.  Bad news: They are not allowed in Shadow Position, or with a cross-hand hold above the heads.

Sliding Doors Variations (Rumba)

A large proportion of dancers like to include a full turn for the Lady after her Cucaracha in Sliding Doors.  This is not permitted.  The Lady must step backward out of her Cucaracha rather than turning around into her back rock. 

Syncopated Basic (Cha Cha)

You are permitted to dance 4 & 1 of a Cha Cha chasse as a “close, close, side” action.  You may NOT dance the same action over the 2 & 3. 

Honorable Mentions: Continuous Locks and Double Spins

Continuous Locks (Cha Cha, Samba) are not allowed.  The syllabus is very specific about how many locks you may do and in what position before you need to dance something else.

Double Spins: This one is tricky because there are places in the syllabus where “overturned” turns are allowed.  Generally speaking, however, double turns are not permitted as replacements for single turns.        

  

Quickstep Locks

One of the most common Quickstep infractions is dancing multiple sets of locks forward or backward.  Many people dance two (or more) sets of locks in a row because 1. Locks flow naturally into each other and 2. Multiple locks in a row send a couple flying down the floor, which is an attractive prospect especially for lower level dancers who do not yet have access to other figures that accomplish the same goal.  Furthermore, lock steps define syllabus Quickstep – a full third of the Quickstep syllabus involves locking actions – so more are better, right?   

On Back Locks, the book is very clear.  Precede for all levels: Progressive Chasse to Right.  Follows: Closed Impetus, Tipple Chasse to Right, Running Finish, with Tipsy to Right added at Gold.   Specific figures are spelled out in a way that clearly indicates a Back Lock may not Precede or Follow itself.[1]

As an additional note on Back Locks, we have the Natural Turn and Back Lock.  Though this figure gets its own chart form due to alignment differences and slight alterations in foot positions, a Natural Turn and Back Lock is basically just a Back Lock with a different entrance.  Therefore, I would classify 1-3 of a Natural Turn as a second Precede for a Back Lock along with the Progressive Chasse to Right.  (Follows for Natural Turn and Back Lock are identical to the Follows for the figure called Back Lock.) 

Forward Locks are not addressed so clearly.  Precedes are, “Any figure ending with the Right Foot forward Outside Partner.”  Follows are, “Any Natural figure” in Bronze, and a number of more specific figures in Silver and Gold.  What do we do with this?  If we go by the Precedes, Forward Locks should be okay to dance twice since they end RF forward OP.  If we go by the Follows, double locks would not be allowed, as a Forward Lock does not meet the definition of “natural figure” because it doesn’t turn to the right.

Discussions of specific technique book language are fascinating (to some of us!) and valuable.  However, in practical terms, the ambiguity of the book’s wording on Forward Locks doesn’t translate into much gray area for Invigilators.  Most Invigilators would likely call up couples dancing multiple sets of locks, so it’s best to avoid the problem entirely by dancing only one lock at a time. 

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[1] By Back Lock, I mean the specific figure called Back Lock.  A V6 incorporates a type of backwards lock, but is not what I’m discussing here.  That being said, you may not throw an extra backwards locking action into a V6 either.  

Dance Language: Closed vs. Open

Over the weekend of November 2^nd and 3^rd, I had the pleasure of Invigilating for Ballroom at Maryland’s Amateur competition, DC Dancesport Inferno.  This is my second year as Invigilator for DCDI.  Generally speaking, there were fewer infractions this year than last, but I wanted to mention something that jumped out at me this year. 

The biggest problem I encountered as an Invigilator was more about language than about dancing itself.  I found myself having a difficult time communicating with some of the dancers due to misunderstandings about the words “Closed” and “Open.”  When I considered it more, it occurred to me that in ballroom, we frequently use “Closed” and “Open” as terms meaning several different, somewhat unrelated things.

Closed vs. Open Event

Probably the most recognizable usage, Closed and Open when referring to events tell us whether or not the dancers must stick to a syllabus.  Closed events use a syllabus (or set of restrictions) and Open events do not. 

Closed vs. Open Dance Position

Closed and Open Dance Positions are ways of describing the Lady’s position with relation to the Man in every style except Standard (which has Closed but not Open). 

From the Latin Technique books produced by the ISTD:

“Closed Position

Facing partner, slightly apart, normal hold[i]

Alternative holds

1. Left hand holding Lady’s right hand
2. Right hand holding Lady’s left hand
3. No hold

The couple may be a little further apart than usual when using these alternatives.”

“Open Position

Facing and away from partner, approximately at arms length.  Left hand holding Lady’s right hand

Alternative holds

1. Right hand holding Lady’s right hand
2. No hold
3. Left hand holding Lady’s right hand and right hand holding Lady’s left hand (double hold).”[ii]

In brief, Closed means facing your partner and standing fairly close together, while Open could be facing or away, and at arm’s length. 

Closed vs. Open Foot Positions

Several of the difficulties in communication that I experienced revolved around the concept of Closed and Open foot positions.  I had to call up a couple for dancing International Foxtrot in an American heat (something I have previously written about).  Neither describing American Foxtrot as having “closed foot positions” or referring to Slow Fox as “passing the feet” effectively communicated what I was trying to say.  Smooth does have its own terminology for passing the feet – continuity styling – but I didn’t think using it would be helpful in this case.  The couple and I managed to get on the same page after some demonstration.  Demonstration is always essential as an Invigilator, but I found myself wishing I had a clearer way to make myself understood. 

In a similar vein, I talked to a couple who danced an Open Box in Bronze Rumba as opposed to the regular, and permitted, Closed Box.  Again, language became a barrier.  Even after I demonstrated what I meant, the vocabulary itself was still getting in the way, as one of the dancers asked me, “But we’re dancing in Closed, right?  How is that Open?” 

Closed vs. Open Age and Level

Typically competitions are organized by levels and age classifications as part of keeping things fair and equal.  Bronze dancers compete not just against other Bronze dancers, but dancers of approximately the same age.  Having Gold dancers compete against Bronze or eighty-five year olds against twenty-five year olds would be unfair.  Occasionally, though, competitions offer special events in which such restrictions are reduced.  As an example, “Master of Syllabus” events sometimes crop up at Amateur competitions.  In such events, anyone of any age or level can enter, so long as they stick to the syllabus in question.

  

Fair warning: I’m going to get pretty philosophical (and slightly less objective) here.  

Sometimes the language we use makes sense.  NDCA and USA Dance both say of Bronze Waltz that “feet must be closed on three.”  That seems straightforward to me.  However, we cannot effectively use a count to talk about Foxtrot.  Restrictions of “No Continuity Styling in Bronze” and “No Open left or right box turns” help only so much.  To make things even more confusing, Open Left Turns ARE allowed in Bronze Tango. 

Add into the mix the fact that International Waltz does not make a general shift from closed to open footwork as you increase level, but does add figures in which you don’t close on three, and International Foxtrot starts, middles, and ends with open footwork, and you have one incredibly potentially confusing system.  Then on top of that you have the Latin Rumba Basic, which doesn’t close, and the Rhythm Rumba Box, which does at Bronze but doesn’t have to at higher level.  It’s enough to give anyone a headache.

So my question is: How might we more effectively discuss and describe the various things we describe as “Closed” and Open?”    

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[i] “Normal Hold” as described by the Latin Technique books: “The Man’s right hand is placed on the Lady’s left shoulder blade and the Lady’s left arm rests lightly on his right arm following the curve of his arm to the shoulder.  The Man’s left hand is raised in a gentle curve to the level of the eyes.  The Lady’s right hand is placed in the Man’s left hand with her fingers between his thumb and first finger.  The hands are lightly clasped.”

[ii] Latin American Dance Faculty Committee. Latin American Rumba. London: ISTD, 2003.

Cross-Style Dancing: Specific Figures, Smooth/Standard

Still having video issues, and completely swamped this week.  I will work on getting the videos for last week and this week ASAP.  

Besides observing the syllabus, transferring from American Smooth to International Standard has one ferociously obvious restriction that should be easy to follow: don’t break frame.  In some ways, though, this makes transitioning between Standard and Smooth more potentially confusing than between Rhythm and Latin because differences in similar figure are more subtle. 

Waltz

In a Chasse from Promenade Position in International Waltz, the Lady closes to the Man by the end of the figure; in American Style, the Lady remains in Promenade Position.  Furthermore, the Chasse from Promenade is the ONLY syncopation allowed at Bronze in American Style.  International Style includes syncopated figures Progressive Chasse to the Right and a Back Lock in Bronze as well.

Another stipulation of Bronze American Waltz is that feet be closed on the three (Chasse from PP is the exception).  This restriction means that an International Style Whisk is not permitted in American Style.  Instead, you must dance a Twinkle, where the feet close on three.

A simple Grapevine or Zig Zag is allowed in Bronze American Waltz but does not exist anywhere in the International Waltz syllabus.

Finally for Waltz, American Style allows a Forward Twist Turn to the Left from Promenade Position.  A twist action, turning right, is provided in the International Syllabus only as a possible Follow for the Left Whisk in Gold.  It does not exist as a figure on its own.  

Though Tango has a different basic action between styles, and Foxtrot is a completely different dance, I want to mention a few figures specifically anyway because a slight amount of figure overlap does occur.

Tango

In Bronze American Tango, you may dance a Twist Turn Left OR Right from Promenade Position.  International Style’s Twist Turn does appear in Bronze, but only turns to the Right.  

Right Side Fan is a Bronze figure in American Tango but does not appear until Silver in International Style, where it is called an Outside Swivel.  There are four methods of dancing an Outside Swivel; Right Side Fan most closely resembles Method Three.  Most importantly, a Right Side Fan contains two swivels danced back to back but an Outside Swivel may not Precede or Follow itself. 

Foxtrot

Where Foxtrot is concerned, American Style does allow two figures in Bronze that have similar “friends” at Gold in International Style.  Twist Turn to Left from Promenade Position and Zigzag/Grapevine are both Bronze for American Style Foxtrot.  Figures called Natural Twist Turn and Natural Zig-Zag from Promenade Position exist in Gold Foxtrot, but as I have noted before, are very different stylistically due to the strong difference of character between American and International Foxtrot.  Additionally, Natural Twist Turn comes equipped with four specific endings (and of course turns Right, as is indicated by the word “Natural”).