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Teaching Open and Closed Figures
by Joe and Pat Hilton
The primary difference between an open and a closed figure is the
figure’s ending position. Quite often, the closed figure changes to an
open figure based on the amount of body rotation that occurs just
before the last weight change occurs. The increased or decreased body
rotation results in an ending position that allows the partners to step
outside each other on the first step of the next figure. The ROUNDALAB
Glossary provides dance position definitions and contains pictures
demonstrating the positions.
A good knowledge of the different positions, and the ability to
properly demonstrate and explain them, is critical to success in
teaching open and closed figures.
Back Waltz vs. Back Passing
Change
Comparing the Back Waltz and Back Passing Change is one of the simplest
ways to start teaching the difference between open and closed figures.
Because the two figures have no rotation, it is easy to demonstrate the
characteristic that open figures may be executed with all passing
steps. Start the Back Waltz in Closed Position (CP) by stepping back
left. The second step is back and slightly side right, and the third
step closes the left foot to the right foot ending in CP. The Woman’s
first two steps are forward right, then forward and slightly side left.
Finally, she closes her right foot to her left foot to end in CP.
When starting the Back Passing Change from CP, the Man must rotate his
body slightly to the right to achieve Banjo Position (BJO). He
maintains BJO throughout the figure. He steps back left with right-side
lead, back right, and back left ending in BJO. The second and third
steps are both passing steps. The Woman simply steps forward right with
left-side lead, forward left, and forward right with passing steps to
end in BJO. Because the figure only uses passing steps, there is no
turn.
Maneuver vs. Open Natural Turn
(Starting from SCP)
When teaching Maneuver, emphasize that the dancers must start their
right face (RF) body rotation when they start lowering (early body
turn) to move the Man’s right foot forward. This action results in the
foot making a small “J” motion instead of landing straight ahead on the
line of progression. Show the dancer that the RF rotation continues
between the first and second step, which causes them to be facing their
partner with the second step landing across the line of progression and
to the side of the first step. Finally, body rotation ends as the
dancers bring their feet together and take weight on the third step to
end in CP.
The first two steps of the Open Natural Turn are the same as the first
two steps of the Maneuver. The main difference for this figure is that
the third step is a passing step with RF body rotation causing the
figure to end in BJO with the Man’s right side leading. This allows the
partner to step outside of the leader on the first step of the
following figure.
Telemark to BJO (Closed
Telemark) vs. Telemark to SCP (Open Telemark)
Executing Telemarks requires strong left face (LF) body rotation
throughout the figure. Start teaching Telemark to BJO by ensuring that
the dancers know that they must start their LF body rotation after they
start lowering to move the Man’s left foot forward for their first
step. The LF rotation is maintained between the first and second step
causing the Man to step forward and side right around the Woman.
Explain that, when the figure definition says to step “around the
woman,” it means around the position she occupies at the start of the
figure. This move is achieved by the Man’s dancing through the space
the Woman was occupying. Another way to help the dancers understand
this figure is to say that the Woman appears to be a post around which
the figure revolves, and her “post position” is caused by her doing the
heel turn. Emphasize the point that the Man’s second step must land
close to the Woman's feet to facilitate her completion of her heel
turn. The strong LF body rotation must be maintained between step 2 and
step 3 to allow the Man to step forward and side left to end in a tight
BJO. The Woman also starts a strong LF body rotation as she lowers to
step back right to do a heel turn on her right foot bringing her left
beside her right with no weight. She continues the LF turn on her right
foot and changes weight to her left foot at the end of beat 2. Her
final step is back and side right to a tight BJO. A point to emphasize
to the Woman is that while the step is called a heel turn, her weight
is not solely on the heel of her foot. This also applies to the Man’s
heel turn during the Impetus figures.
When teaching the Telemark to SCP, use the same techniques as described
in the Telemark to BJO for the first two steps of the figure. Make the
point that the Man’s LF body rotation is reduced between steps 2 and 3
causing him to step side and slightly forward left to end in a tight
SCP. The Man must keep his left side toward the Woman and provide a
right-side stretch to cause the Woman to open her head and to rotate
slightly to her right as she steps side and slightly forward right to
SCP at the end of the figure.
Closed Impetus vs. Open Impetus
(Impetus to SCP)
An Impetus is a right-turning figure that usually starts in CP.
Therefore, early body turn is required to complete an Impetus
successfully. For the Closed Impetus, the Man can be seen as the post
around which the figure rotates. The Man initiates the figure by
commencing RF body rotation as he starts to lower to step back on his
left foot to turn his body to the right. He uses the same techniques
the Woman uses in the Telemark figures to complete a RF heel turn. He
steps back on his left foot bringing his right foot close to left and
changing weight to the right foot at the end of beat 2. The Man
continues his RF rotation on the ball of right foot and rises slightly.
He finally stops his body rotation to step back left in CP. The Woman
starts her RF body rotation as she lowers to step forward right between
the Man’s feet. The Woman uses the techniques described for the Man in
the Telemark figures to facilitate the Man’s heel turn. She continues
her strong RF body rotation to step forward and side left through the
Man’s starting position and across the line of dance. The Man’s rise at
the end of step 2 causes the Lady to brush her right foot against the
left before stepping forward and side on right between the Man’s feet
into CP.
When teaching the Impetus to SCP, use the same techniques as described
in the Closed Impetus for the first two steps of the figure. Make the
point that in the Impetus to SCP, the Man’s RF body rotation is
continued between steps 2 and 3 causing him to step side and slightly
forward left on step 3 to end in a tight SCP. The Woman also continues
her RF body rotation between steps 2 and 3 to step side on the right
foot to a tight SCP.
From notes
prepared for the RAL Convention, 2022, and reprinted in the DRDC
newsletter, September 2023.
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