1

Answers to Faq of Dance

Standard Ballroom

Rise & Fall

by GoVnu

Contents at a Glance
Preface Introduction Terminology Types of rises Types of Fall General concerns

Table of Contents
Preface About this booklet How the booklet is organized Preface to the first edition Introduction Terminology Leg Time Rise and Up Types of rises Group 1 (Turning outside of the circle) Types 1 Types 2 Types 3 Group 2 (Turning inside of the circle) Types 4 Types 5 Types 6 Types of Fall General concerns

Preface
About this booklet
This booklet is a collection of some interesting and important, for my own opinions, information about Rise and Fall in Standard Ballroom dance. And hopefully it is useful for other International Ballroom dance enthusiasts.

How the booklet is organized

This booklet is divided into several parts. Each part consists of a series of answers. Each answer responds to a question or an informative point. You might have known or might not have known those answers. Each answer is managed to keep it not more than ten lines for clarity purpose. The title of an answer is cataloged with three different colors, namely blue, purple and red. Both blue and purple colors represent right ways to dance, but the answers with purple color are beyond basic level; whereas red color represents wrong ways to dance.

Preface to the first edition

Rise and Fall is one of the four major components of swing dances, the other three are Swing, Turn and Sway. The material presented in the following sections will discuss the definitions of some useful terms for Rise and Fall, and the most common types of Rise and Fall patterns. This information may assist us to dig more treasure from the technique books.

Introduction
Rise and Fall are only applicable to swing dances
Since only swing dances, Waltz, Slow Foxtrot, Quickstep and Viennese Waltz, have Rise and Fall, the other standard dance, the Tango, is inapplicable to the Rise and Fall techniques.

There are two major parts of our bodies involved Rise and Fall
The two major parts of our bodies involved Rise and Fall are our knees and ankles. The other minor parts of our bodies, for examples are our hips and toes, definitely not our chests. We classify the Rise and Fall from the ankle upward as Body Rise; and from the ankle downward as Foot Rise. The major contribution to rise in Body Rise is the knee; the major contribution to rise in Foot Rise is the ankle.

Terminology
Leg Standing leg or supporting leg
The standing leg or supporting leg is the leg that all weight of the body is on at the beginning of a step. For example, if a lady has a hundred pounds, on her standing leg there is ninety seven pounds. For example, at the beginning of the Natural Turn in Waltz, the mans left foot is the supporting leg.

Moving leg or working leg

The standing leg or supporting leg is the leg that it is ready or free to move on the next step. For example, at the beginning of Natural Turn, the mans right foot is the moving leg which is ready to forward.

To distinguish a standing leg or supporting leg

Normally we define a leg is a moving leg when the leg is free to move; in other words, another leg is supporting leg. For example, in the middle of the 1st step of Chasse from PP in Waltz, the weight of the man distributes partially on right foot, the mans left leg is still the supporting leg and the mans right leg is still the working leg. Another example, at the very end of the 3rd step of Natural Turn in Waltz, most of the weight of the man is already on his right foot, but the mans right leg is still the working leg and the mans left leg is still the supporting leg until the mans left leg is ready to move. Until the beginning of the following step, the mans left leg is a moving leg and his right leg is a supporting leg even if the following step is a hesitation step.

Time The moment of the end of a step for a forward step

At the moment of the moving leg just passing through the supporting leg. For example, lower at the end of step 6 of Reverse Turn in Slow Foxtrot, when the mans right foot just passes his left foot, he starts lowering.

The moment of the end of a step for a backward step

At the moment of the moving leg just passing through the supporting leg.

For example, lower at the end of step 3 of Reverse Turn in Slow Foxtrot, when the mans left foot just passes his right foot, he starts lowering.

The moment of the end of a step for a side step

It is the moment when the moving leg just travels half the distance of the stride. For example, lower at the end of step 4 of Chasse from PP, the mans left foot slims the floor approximate half the distance of the stride, he starts lowering.

The importance of the end of a step

The most common usage of it is lower at the end of a step. We should make clear when we lower. Another common usage of it is rise at the end of a step. At that moment, we brace our related muscles of our calves and thighs to initialize the rise.

Rise and Up Rise

Rise means we brace the muscles of our standing legs. We can feel a group of muscles of our standing legs harden which the braces spend energy.

Commence to rise
Some technique books call it as Start to rise. Just as a train starts to move, we may not feel the train is moving. Likewise, Start to rise has a very rise; the muscles of our standing legs just start to brace.

Up preceded by a step with Rise

The dancer is still rising with the momentum generated by previous Rise. In order words, the height of the dancers head is increasing without spending any upward energy. For example, the 2nd step of Feather Step in Slow Foxtrot, the height of the mans head is increasing from the 1st step to 2nd step, right foot to left foot.

The difference between Rise and Up preceded by a step with Rise

In both cases, the height of our heads rise, but the Rise needs upward energy, the other without.

For example, an airplane its engine is turned on and it climbs up, after a while, engine is turned off, the airplane is still climbing up. Rise is same as the airplane climbing up by engine; whereas Up preceded by a step with Rise is same as the airplane climbing up by the momentum generated by the previous step Rise.

Up preceded by a step with Up

On the current step with Up, the dancer head is on the same in height as the previous step with Up For example, the 3rd step of Feather Step in Slow foxtrot, the mans head is on the same in height as the 2nd step.

A measurable difference between Commence to rise and Rise

In Commence to rise, our heels are still contact with the floor; whereas in Rise, our heels leave the floor. For example, the Natural Turn in Waltz, Commence to rise at the end of step 1 means at the end of step 1, our heels are still contact with the floor, our heels will leave the floor later; the Natural Turn in Slow Foxtrot, Rise at the end of step 1 it means at the end of step 1, our heels leave the floor. We can say the Commence to rise delays the rise a little bit with respect to Rise.

A measurable difference between Continuous to rise followed by Continuous to rise and Continuous to rise followed by Up
The main difference is the height of the dancer when the following step starts to move. In Continuous to rise followed by Continuous to rise case, as the foot of the following step starts to move, the height of the dancers head is not yet reached the maximum point. In Continuous to rise followed by Up case, as the foot of the following step starts to move, the height of the dancers head is already reached the maximum point.

An example for above point

For example, the 2nd step and 3rd step of the Right foot Forward Closed Change in Waltz, the fall and rise pattern for man is Continuous to rise followed by Continuous to rise, when the man starts to move his right foot, the 3rd step, lets say at that moment the height of his head is six feet, the height of his head is increasing afterwards, six feet and one inch, six feet and two inch etc.

Whereas, the 2nd step and 3rd step of the Weave from PP in Waltz, the fall and rise pattern for man is Continuous to rise followed by Up, when the man starts to move his right foot, the 3rd step, the height of his head is already reached the maximum point, lets say at that moment the height of his head is six feet and four inches, the height of his head will keep on six feet and four inches as his right foot continues to move.

10

Types of Rise
There are six major types of rise
Those six types are categorized into two groups, when turning outside of the circle and inside of the circle; three for each turning. The forward, backward or sideways movements most likely have same type of rise as turnings. The rise may be within a bar or across two or more bars.

The reasons why we should master all types of rise

If we maneuver all major types of rises, we can focus on other aspects of the figure as we learn a new figure. Just as if we can write all twenty six alphabets of English language, we can focus on the usage of a new vocabulary; but outside English, we may need to learn how to write the foreign languages alphabet, such as a 180 degrees rotation of y or a dot or two dots over the o. In the competition perspective, if a judicator finds the man is unable to master the type of rise in the 1st to 3rd steps of Reverse Turn in Slow Foxtrot, the judicator will not appreciate as he dances the open figure, Three Fallaways. The reason is that the 1st and 3rd Fallaways have the same type of rise as in the 1st to 3rd step of Reverse Turn. The man most unlikely can master that type of rise in more advanced figure if unable in basic figure.

There crucial principles

Surely we cannot list all types of rises here, the principles are we master each individual rise, such as Up or Commence to rise and how to present from one kind of rise to another kind of rise, such as from Commence to rise to Continue to rise or Rise to Up. For example, if we have mastered the rise pattern (A), 1. Commence to rise, 2. Continue to rise, 3. Continue to rise and the rise pattern (B) 1. Commence to rise, 2. Continue to rise, 3. Up, we have no problem to handle the new rise pattern 1. Commence to rise, 2. Continue to rise, 3. Continue to rise, 4. Up because we just apply the way to present the 1st to 3rd step of the rise pattern (A), then the 2nd to 3rd step of rise pattern (B). Literally, the new rise pattern is for the Chasse from PP in Waltz for the man.

11

Group 1 (Turning outside of the circle)

Types 1
Illustration figure
The mans 1st to 3rd steps of the Natural Turn in the Waltz

Rising pattern
1. 2. 3. 4. The man commences to rise at the end of the 1st step, the leading step. Continues to rise the foot and body on the 2nd step Continues to rise the foot and body on the 3rd step Lower the foot and body at end of the 3rd step

An illustration example
Assumption: The man is six feet in height and His feet are a foot in size. At the point 1 the height of his head is five feet. In the interval 2, the height of his head is up from five feet to five feet and five inches. In the interval 3, the height of his head is up from five feet and five inches to six feet and four inches, the maximum height. The rise accelerates until at the end of downward swing; then decelerates until at the end of upward swing.

Other cases
The ladys 4th to 6th steps of the Natural Turn in the Waltz The mans 1st to 3rd steps of the Reverse Turn in the Waltz The mans 1st to 3rd steps of the Forward Lock Step in the Quickstep

12

Types 2
Illustration figure
The mans 1st to 3rd steps of the Reverse Turn in Slow Foxtrot

Rising pattern
1. 2. 3. 4. The man rises at the end of the 1st step, the leading step. Up the foot and body on the 2nd step Up the foot and body on the 3rd step Lower the foot and body at end of the 3rd step

An illustration example
Assumption: The man is six feet in height and His feet are a foot in size. At the point 1 the height of his head is five feet and two inches where the lowest height of his head from the last step of the previous step to point 1 is five feet. In the interval 2, the height of his head is up from five feet and two inches to six feet and four inches, the maximum height. The momentum is generated by previous rise. In the interval 3, the height of his head keeps on the maximum height, six feet and four inches until the lower action at the end of the 3rd step.

The similar rise patterns

Some figures continue with a few Ups after the pattern, the height of the dancers head keeps on the maximum height within those few Ups. For example, the Four Quick Run in Quickstep, there are additional three Ups from the 4th step to 6th step where in all three Ups, the mans head keeps on the maximum height.

The feeling of the pair rise at the end and Up

We can dance the man step of the Open Impetus Turn in Waltz where the kinds of rise for 2nd step and 3rd step are rise at the end of 2nd step and Up on 3rd step. The man will not move his left foot forward until he rises to the maximum height with his closed up toes.

Other cases
The mans 1st to 3rd steps of the Closed Telemark in the Waltz The mans 1st to 3rd steps of the Natural Turn in the Slow Foxtrot

13

The mans 1st to 3rd steps of the Double Reverse Spin in the Quickstep

14

Types 3
Illustration figure
The mans 1st to 3rd steps of the Weave from PP in Waltz

Rising pattern
1. 2. 3. 4. The man Commence to rises at the end of the 1st step, the leading step. Continues to rise the foot and body on the 2nd step Up the foot and body on the 3rd step Lower the foot and body at end of the 3rd step

An illustration example
Assumption: The man is six feet in height and His feet are a foot in size. At the point 1 the height of his head is five feet. In the interval 2, the height of his head is up from five feet to six feet and four inches, the maximum height. The momentum is generated by both previous rise and the left leg of the 2nd step. In the interval 3, the height of his head keeps on the maximum height, six feet and four inches until the lower action at the end of the 3rd step.

Other cases
The ladys 1st to 3rd steps of the Weave from PP in the Waltz The ladys 1st to 3rd steps of the Outside Spin in the Waltz The mans 1st to 3rd steps of the Hover Telemark in the Slow Foxtrot

15

Group 2 (Turning inside of the circle)

Types 4
Illustration figure
The mans 4th to 6th steps of the Natural Turn in the Waltz

Rising pattern
1. 2. 3. 4. The man commences to rise at the end of the 1st step NFR, the leading step. Continues to rise the foot and body on the 2nd step Continues to rise the foot and body on the 3rd step Lower the foot and body at end of the 3rd step

The difference between the type 4 and the type 1

The only difference is on point 1 there is only body rise without foot rise. Frequently in a figure, the type 1 is for mans steps and the type 4 is for ladys steps or vice versa, such as the Natural Turn in Waltz.

Other cases
The ladys 1st to 3rd steps of the Natural Turn in the Waltz The mans 4th to 6th steps of the Reverse Turn in the Waltz The ladys 1st to 3rd steps of the Forward Lock Step in the Quickstep

16

Types 5
Illustration figure
The ladys 1st to 3rd steps of the Reverse Turn in Slow Foxtrot

Rising pattern
1. 2. 3. 4. The lady rises at the end of the 1st step NFR, the leading step. Continues to rise the foot and body on the 2nd step Up the foot and body on the 3rd step Lower the foot and body at end of the 3rd step

An illustration example
Assumption: The lady is six feet in height and Her feet are a foot in size. At the point 1 the height of her head is six feet where her right knee is straight. In the interval 2, the height of his head is up from six feet to six feet and four inches, the maximum height. The momentum is generated by both previous rise and current rise. In the interval 3, the height of her head keeps on the maximum height, six feet and four inches until the lower action at the end of the 3rd step. This rise pattern is mostly for ladys steps

Other cases
The ladys 1st to 3rd steps of the Natural Weave in the Slow Foxtrot The ladys 1st to 3rd steps of the Natural Turn in the Slow Foxtrot The ladys 1st to 3rd steps of the Open Telemark in the Slow Foxtrot

17

Types 6
Illustration figure
The mans 4th to 6th steps of the Weave from PP in Waltz

Rising pattern
1. 2. 3. 4. The man Commence to rises at the end of the 1st step NFR, the leading step. Continues to rise the foot and body on the 2nd step Up the foot and body on the 3rd step Lower the foot and body at end of the 3rd step

The difference between the type 6 and the type 3

The only difference is on point 1 there is only body rise without foot rise. Frequently in a figure, the type 3 is for mans steps and the type 6 is for ladys steps, such as from the 1st step to the 3rd step of Fallaway Reverse and Slip Pivot in Waltz.

Other cases
The mans 1st to 3rd steps of the Outside Change in the Waltz The ladys 1st to 3rd steps of the Closed Wing in the Waltz The ladys 1st to 3rd steps of the Hover Telemark in the Slow Foxtrot

18

Types of Fall
There is only one major type of Fall
Not as the rise which has six major types, there is only a major type of Fall, namely Lowering at the end of a step.

19

General Concerns
Same figure may have different Rise and Fall pattern in different types of dances
Some figures we obviously acknowledge they have different Rise and Fall patterns in different types of dances, such as Natural Turn in Waltz and Slow Foxtrot, because one is closed ending and another open. However, some figures which their structures are very similar may be mistakenly interpreted with other dances Rise and Fall pattern, such as the Fallaway Reverse and Slip Pivot in Waltz and in Foxtrot; in Waltz, the 1st and 2nd step are Commence to rise at the end of step 1 and Continue to rise on step 2 in foxtrot, however, the 1st and 2nd step are Rise at the end of step 1 and up on step 2. Definitely, there are some figures have same Rise and Fall pattern for different types of dance, such the Double Reverse Spin or the Telemark in Waltz, Foxtrot and Quickstep.