Ballroom Blitz #017

The Reverse Turn in Samba - Mar 23, 2023

Transcript

Ian: Hey guys and girls of the interwebs I'm Ian,

Lindsey: and I'm Lindsey,

Ian & Lindsey: and this is the Ballroom Blitz.

Ian: On Blitz today blitzers we are returning to the world of Samba, that progressional dance that takes us to South America with such fun bounce and verve. We're going to do the Reverse Turn; let's have a look.

[Demonstration without music]

Ian: So, as you can see in a very a ballroom-esque manner the reverse turn turns reverse just like other ballroom dances, which means it's going to turn to the left. And for the keen-eyed among you that have done some other versions of the reverse turn you will notice that the forward portion has a cross of the foot, so it's not quite a mirror image. Let's break it down have a look at both halves and get you dancing it.

For whoever is dancing forward as we've said we're going to turn reverse or leftwards which means you are coming forward on the left foot and there will be a cross of the feet towards step three. So, we are going to progress forward on the left in a very Samba fashion 1 [one]. Commencing to turn over that step coming around your partner in a nice Samba frame 'a', and then closing the feet in a crossed fashion 2 [two] achieving about 3/8s [three eighths] of a turn in that portion.

[Demonstration of forward portion with counts]

Ian: The rear portion is not quite the natural opposite because it won't have a cross of the feet. But, it does [can] progress from that forward portion. So, you have just danced a left-a-left going forwards, which means you're going to dance a right-a-right going backwards. Of course if you commence going backwards you're just gonna to start with that because that's what you've got to start with.

So, whether you have started without cross feet or you're in the middle of the figure and you have crossed feet that really doesn't matter. You're going to progress back on the right foot doing all the similar things as we did on the forward half. Taking back 1 [one], over the next step we're going to achieve our turn in a very Samba fashion about 3/8s [three eighths] 'a' and then closing the feet 2 [two].

[Demonstration of backward portion with counts]

Ian: It is very important in this figure because of that more open Samba Latin frame that our legs travel under us as we go. Don't take side steps either going forwards or backwards to try and cheat the turn, it just makes it harder on your follower. Allow your frame to contract if you want [it] adds a little bit of styling and makes the turns a little bit smaller but just remember to go forwards and backwards and dance all the steps.

Don't overturn the figure start out with two lots of 3/8s [three eighths] making it 3/4s [three quarters] as you go, and then as you get better you can increase it to 7/8s [seven eighths] or a full turn, but that has implications for what you're going to follow it with.

So, all together starting with the forward half

[Solo Demonstration with counts]

Ian: And all together starting with the backward half.

[Solo Demonstration with counts]

[Partner Demonstration with counts]

Ian: And that is a very basic Blitz on the reverse turn in Samba. There's loads more that we can do without adding bounce and technique and various styling changing the timing and even looking at the natural version as well.

But, for now, that will get you started it's a really good one for relaxing those legs getting you a little bit further around the floor and a break from some of that bouncing action so, I really encourage you to put it into your Samba when you're on the social floor. Try it out, give it a go, let us know how you went, and we will see you in the next one.