Need help for story. Need names of Waltz moves

[Tomh1966]

I get that the basic move is a box step but in the bigger sense...

Specifically, I was looking on YouTube at a channel called Wedding Dance Online at a video Waltz No.2 Dmitri Shostakovich. I didn't make a link because I am pretty sure they are not allowed.

It seems roughly every four or five of the complete box steps they have completed a circuit. or roughly an irregular circle made up of 4 or 5 box steps. What is that circle called? This seems to take approximately 40 seconds each.

What is it called when the dancers part then come back together while still holding both hands? For clarity, both sets of hands stay together. They part and then come closer again. On the mentioned video it is 24 seconds or so in.

What is the thing called when she twirls around?

What is it called when they part one hand and do the flourish thing at about 1:06. The end up facing the same way, hold one hand, but the other hand goes to the side opposite the partner.

Trying not to screw up the story with a bunch of dead wrong terms and names.

 

[Djmac1031]

I'd think Google might be far more informative than any of us here.

Although I suppose we could have a few dancers in the group?

 

[Bamagan]

Dance terms with definitions

 

[MrPixel]

Although I suppose we could have a few dancers in the group?

No, but we do have members here who have performed the aforementioned Waltz No. 2. It's cool. Very cool. Arrangement I have on hand puts the opening saxophone solo in the bassoon as a high-register challenge in tenor clef.

The other instrumental musicians on here are probably running for the exits. 'Cept the cellists. They see tenor clef every day.

 

[Tomh1966]

The list is very long and I was hoping to not put the wrong terms to the moves if I am guessing.

 

[Altissimus]

Ok, so...

There's essentially three types of waltz.

1) Vienesse Waltz - this is a circular dance in which the couples 'travel' (move around the edge of the ballroom) (natural turn / reverse turn) while occasionally moving into the centre to 'spin' (fleckerl/reverse fleckerl) on the spot. Good example here: 2009 International Note that from a variety-of-step perspective, the Vienesse Waltz is highly limited. It's also danced to a faster tempo than other waltzes
2) English Waltz - also known as the 'Slow Waltz' or just the 'Waltz' (it's the de facto when you hear 'Waltz' in competitive dance) - has a large variety of moves. While you are correct that the 'box step' is the basic move, in competitive dance it would never be used - the natural or reverse turns would be used instead, because four natural turns makes a box (not that you'd ever...). A properly-danced natural turn really travels, covering significant ground - see the vid. When I say 'significant' I mean 'easily across twelve feet or more'. Other key steps are the Chasse, Whisk, Natural and Reverse Turns, and Fallaways. Good example here: 2014 International The dance is a lot slower than the Vienesse and can allow for much posing, hesitation, and a combination of faster and slower movements.
3) American Smooth - Ugh. In competitive circles this is anathema. It is also the dance you have selected in your OP. It combines elements of four of the five main ballroom dances (Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep, and Vienesse Waltz) typically (but not exclusively, because it's such a adulterated dance) excluding only one (Tango) because the rhythm is so different (as an aside, note that 'Tango' in this context means 'International Tango', not the 'Argentine' that is the focus of street corners and jazz bars (very different, both very fun); note also that International Tango is a 'ballroom' dance but Argentine Tango is a 'latin' dance - a critical distinction). The step you refer to in your video isn't anything, technically; it's more of a transition to an Open Promenade but it's not a very good one. Typical American Smooth steps include Walks, Promenades, Underarm Turns, Sways, Pivots, Dips. A good example is here: Open Professional American Smooth It has a lot less rules defining what constitutes legitimate steps than the two above.

Critically, Waltz and Vienesse Waltze are danced in 3/4, whereas all the others mentioned here are 4/4. American Smooth, therefore, can be danced to either - it's an American Smooth Waltz if it's 3/4, otherwise it's not. It's a bastardisation, and, as a purist, IMO it can fuck right off.

See also Foxtrot, International Tango and Quickstep; a brief review of these will show a lot of the moves used in American Smooth.

P.s. if you (or anyone interested) happen to be in the UK, tickets to the annual Ballroom and Latin championships at the Albert Hall need to be booked about 11 months in advance, but tend to be very cheap. The evening lasts from about 6pm to midnight.

 

[LetsMisBehave]

I recognise the temptation I have in my stories to get overly precise in relation to background details. The danger is that precision can get in the way of reader's enjoyment especially if they need to go back to google to understand what you are referring to.
Your call, obviously, but I would suggest that unless the story requires the protagonists to have a specialist knowledge of the terms it may be less jarring to describe what they do or refer to recognised cultural tropes such as Astaire and Rogers. Perhaps focus on the fact that the bodies are close together or that one or other of the parties recognises that the other is an expert and that helps them lose themselves in the dance.
If it helps in one of RKO movies Fred just tells Ginger to "twist" and then one of my favourite of their numbers "They all laughed " gets going.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Research is always good an’ that’s a fact! Still, I think you might be risking overcomplexity.

Chekhov’s Rifle advises writers against including unnecessary detail. If there is a need for detailed terms in your story, then go for it, of course, but is there a need? Will the story be enhanced by using what are for most people relatively unknown terms? Looking at it another way, if this story is to be submitted to the International Dance Instructors’ Review, then everybody will get it and the details would be appropriate. If it’s for a more general readership, then too much can be a distraction. My two kopeks, anyway. Good luck in any case.

 

[Bamagan]

The list is very long and I was hoping to not put the wrong terms to the moves if I am guessing.

I'd not worry overmuch about offending the waltzing crowd with imprecise terminology. They're all hat and no cattle, in my experience.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Pops used to waltz with me. I'm not sure how accurate it was, but when I watched the video of us and then of a waltz in a movie, I couldn't tell any difference. Not that that has anything to do with the names of waltzes, the steps you use, or much of anything else. There is, however, the Minuet, which is a French Waltz.

 

[Altissimus]

And I will add... I agree completely with my fellow authors on making th necessary judgement call on the amount of info needed to convey the story you want to convey.

That said, personally I think background research helps quite a lot, even if you end up using very little of what you learn.

I've just finished a romance that required knowledge of firefighting practices - something I knew nothing about - and spent three hours on google and YouTube.

I could've avoided the whole damn thing with some assumption artistic licence, but... I didn't.

Each to his own, eh?

 

[Tomh1966]

I need those moves specifically. I will let people imagine the other moves but I need the name of a complete circuit of the 4 or 5 box steps, the 2 handed separation then come back together move, the spin of the woman, and the move where they stay with one hand together but extend their other arms away move.

Those are the only ones I am going to name specifically but they are important parts of the story and I want to get those four correct because they are repeated multiple times. hence I even gave time stamps for them on the referenced video.

I would do image snips but I am pretty sure I would get nuked by Literotica for doing it and I have not seen images on the boards.

 

[Altissimus]

I need those moves specifically.

Yessir. Right away, Sir.

I will let people imagine the other moves but I need the name of a complete circuit of the 4 or 5 box steps

No such 'move', because it's several moves. Box steps, series of natural turns/reverse turns.

, the 2 handed separation then come back together move

Doesn't really exist as a named step. You could call it a 'transition' or a 'two handed closed hand fan' as the closest.

the spin of the woman

Underarm turn.

and the move where they stay with one hand together but extend their other arms away move.

That one is a fan.

 

[MrPixel]

Great rundown, Alt. Amazing what one can learn in this place.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I would do image snips but I am pretty sure I would get nuked by Literotica for doing it and I have not seen images on the boards.

Should be fine as long as it's relevant to the discussion and not promoting another site or breaching content rules. I've seen plenty of threads here with images and/or videos.

 

[SimonDoom]

It's been a long, long time since I've waltzed, but my recollection is that the distinctive thing about it is the way it flows, when you get into its 3/4 rhythm. While technically one should know the "box step" as its foundation, it's really more of a springboard to doing it the right and fun way, which is to flow. If you stay in the box you're not really waltzing.

If your story calls for technical details, then do your research, by all means, but if the technical stuff isn't necessary you might watch some videos of people waltzing and then describe it in a more metaphorical way in your story based on your impressions.

 

[WyreBendr0417]

I apologize in advance, but isn't there one called the 'Curly Shuffle'?

 

[Tomh1966]

Altissimus... AWESOME! I looked on YouTube for a good guide but all those wanted to teach me to dance, not describe it. Had it been there, I would have not bothered the boards because I would have had visual confirmation. The lists on the internet are LOOOOOOOONG and include hundreds of things that I may misinterpret.

Would the following verbiage be 'close enough' to be reasonable?

"We started our dance with our closer arms at each other’s shoulders like an English Waltz. Every third rotation of four box steps was followed by a turn and after, I will be in the close position of a Viennese Waltz with my hand at the small of her back."

Ignore my crappy grammar this is barely an alpha test. What do you think about my word rotation? Something else?

What style would you call that wedding dance video I mentioned besides professional? English, American?

Note I know there will be some oddity. I'm looking for 80%, not 100% to not be completely awful.

 

[Altissimus]

The hold for any ballroom dance (save for very minor changes for Tango) is the same. The gentleman supports the lady with his right hand just below her left shoulder. His left - and her right - hands clasp with his left arm extended loosely (incidentally you can drop this left-hand hold and it literally makes no difference to support or movement - frequently seen when practicing because folk are lazy ), key is keeping a relaxed line across the shoulders with the elbows mostly - but not rigidly - back, and then holding that position whatever move is made. It's the frame for the whole dance. For the lady, her left hand rests lightly on the man's shoulder, and her right hand obviously holds his left. At no point would his hand move to the small of her back while in a ballroom hold.

"...third rotation of four box steps..." feels like it's trying a bit hard.

"We started our dance with our closer arms at each other’s shoulders like an English Waltz. Every third rotation of four box steps was followed by a turn and after, I will be in the close position of a Viennese Waltz with my hand at the small of her back."

So perhaps something like:

"I led her into the centre of the dance floor, conscious of those watching. As I turned to face her I slipped my hand behind her shoulder, drawing her to me, and our other hands reached out gracefully and clasped in the hold of a traditional waltz. I could feel the warmth of her skin beneath my hand, and when she arched her back slightly, extending away from me, I knew immediately she'd done this before. I started simply, leading into her some basic box steps while we grew accustomed to one another, then I extended into a natural turn and spun her across the floor. She followed my lead perfectly, gracing me with a smile of approval, and ..."

What style would you call that wedding dance video I mentioned besides professional? English, American?

Your video? American, but it doesn't need to be mentioned. What I just wrote? English. Still doesn't need to be mentioned.

If you want specifics, it's English until you break hold, then it's American.

 

[Tomh1966]

Thank you! That is exactly what I needed. My story won't be 100% accurate but Literotica is 90% absurd stories anyway. I just wanted the story to be understandable. Also, I realize that those dancers in that video are just a tiny bit better looking and dancing than the median... but just a tiny bit. OK she is gorgeous to the point of ridiculous and both their skill... I'm not a dancer and even I can tell they are very very good.

PS already wrote a credit to you for that help at the top. The story is really only about 40% done and no idea on the release date. Just one of a bazillion ideas I get in my head and write down.

 

[Altissimus]

PS already wrote a credit to you for that help at the top.

That's not necessary, but thank you.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Advance, attack, lunge, fent, en garde, flinch, parry, oh, wait, that’s fencing, not dancing, sorry.

 

[Altissimus]

Advance, attack, lunge, fent, en garde, flinch, parry, oh, wait, that’s fencing, not dancing, sorry.

If dancing is sex, fencing is BDSM.

 

[MillieDynamite]

 

[Tomh1966]

Altissimuss. Its a single line of thanks but that info you gave me is KEY. I wasn't going to load the story with 9028342098 waltz move names but I needed those.