Ballroom Blitz #025

Video

youtu.be/ot7cJO7Hn4k

Transcript

Ian: Hey random dancer on the internet. My name's Ian,

Lindsey: and my name's Lindsey,

Ian & Lindsey: and this is a Ballroom Blitz.

Ian: Welcome back blitzers to another Ballroom Blitz Demystification. Today we're talking about the term "Open" in Modern Ballroom. Let's get talking about it!

So, the term "Open" has a number of different meanings depending on the context that you are talking about it in. Which, considering how often it is used in a ballroom setting, is to be quite frank; a pain in the ass. So, we're going to talk about the 2 [two] major ways the term open is used, and then you will have a better understanding of some of the contexts that it's [used] in and at least have a few guiding lights for when you find it in something that you don't know exactly what it means.

So, the first context, or the first meaning that the term "Open" can be, basically refers to promenade. Or sometimes you can think of "Ending in Promenade". So if we take the term, or take the figure, an Open Impetus [Turn] or an Open Telemark; in this case the term open means you're going to end that figure in Promenade Position. So you have opened the frame for want of a better analogy really. And those are the ones where usually if it precedes the name of a figure that's kind of a good rule of thumb, and there are many other ways that you can or many other figures that you can find that in.

Why some of them are called open and the others are called ended in Promenade who kind of knows? Someone somewhere in a stuffy jacket and the top hat decided that that's the way it was going to be shoved it in a book and that's how we all reference them now. But, that is one major way that we use this term "Open" kind of as a replacement for "Ended in Promenade Position.

So, as an example Lindsey and I are going to do a Closed Telemark

[Demonstration]

And we keep [stay] in a closed position. If we do an "Open" Telemark we will end up in the Promenade Position.

[Demonstration]

And that makes it an "Open" figure.

Ian: The other major way that we use the term "Open" is more of a reference to the feet. If we take an "Open" Natural Turn for example, an Open Natural Turn doesn't end in promenade position; but, it doesn't close the feet through the figure either. So, the feet remain "Open" for want of a better phrase. At no point do they actually close together you don't chasse through them at all. It's just a bit more like walking and when you walk down the street you don't step close step close you just walk one foot then the other.

This then causes problems when you have open turns in Quickstep, because they're often called "Running" turns and so some of them you just have to learn that open in this context means don't close your feet and running means the same thing but in a different dance. Then there's all sorts of other crossovers like a running chasse where you don't cross your feet but you close your feet because it's a chasse but you don't because it's running and it's just a bit of a hot mess. So, you kind of just have to learn a few of those exceptions as well. But, the other major one the take home from today is the "Open" in this context means you don't close your feet throughout the figure.

If Lindsey and I now do a Chasse Reverse Turn

[Demonstration]

At every point we have closed our feet.

If we do an "Open" Reverse Turn.

[Demonstration]

At no point have we closed our feet.

Ian: So, that is it a rough and ready smashing through the idea of what open means in Modern Ballroom. We haven't touched on Latin and we haven't really touched on New Vogue and sequence either; they have their own terminologies unto themselves. I hope this has helped clarify a few [things]. I hope you find the exceptions. Let us know in the comments whether you have any of these types of terminologies that you would like clarifying or if what's your experience of the term open whether it's helped or confused you when you're trying to work out certain figures. If you like this content smash the like button don't forget to subscribe all those fantastic things and we will see you in the next one.