General Notes

Approved by the Australian Dancing Board

New Vogue Sequence Dancing was developed in Australia during the 30's, and is now a very important part of the competitive scene with equal standing to the competition dances of Standard and Latin-American.

New Vogue Sequence Dancing has so much to offer the social dancer. Unlike Standard and Latin-American where a beginner tends to feel incompetent because of the limited knowledge of variations they can perform, after just a very short time of learning to dance this style they feel more than adequate while dancing among people who have been enjoying this style for years.

Being sequence dances there is just one routine lasting for either 16 or 32 bars of music.

These scripts have been written especially for the social dancer keeping everything as simple and concise as possible but still complying with the correct technique of New Vogue Sequence Dancing.

All of the 15 Championship Dances have been scripted. It is important you familiarise yourself with the General Notes and Holds before attempting to read these scripts.

These General Notes are given to enable you to study the scripts more easily and it is advisable to study carefully before attempting to learn the dances.

ABBREVIATIONS - FEET

Abbrev

Meaning

Explanation_of_the_abbreviations

R.F.

Right Foot

L.F.

Left Foot

H

Heel

Step forward on Heel, and although toe lowers to floor, there is no rise.Taken on all forward steps where the following step is also Heel.

T

Toe

Step is taken on toe only and Heel does not lower to floor.

B

Ball

As 'Toe', but with slightly less rise.

HT

Heel,Toe

Step onto Heel first, then lower to Toe and lift heel from floor.

TH

Toe,Heel

Step onto Toe first, then lower Heel.

HB

Heel,Ball

As 'Heel,Toe' with slightly less rise.

BH

Ball,Heel

As 'Toe,Heel' with slightly less rise.

HTH

Heel,Toe,Heel

As 'Heel,Toe' then lower the Heel again.

THT

Toe,Heel,Toe

As 'Toe,Heel' then rise onto Toe again.

WF

Whole Foot

The foot is placed flat on floor neither Toe nor Heel touching first.

i.e.

Inside edge

'i.e.T' only the inside edge of Toe (without weight) is on floor.

o.e.

Outside edge

'o.e.T' only the outside edge of toe (without weight) is on the floor.

w/o w.

Without weight

One foot closes to the other without changing the weight.

ABBREVIATIONS - ALIGNMENTS

LOD

Line of Dance

The Line of Dance is an anti-clockwise direction of travel around the dance floor.

C

Centre

The Centre is the position at right angles to the Left of LOD.

W

Wall

The Wall is the position at right angles to the Right of LOD

Diag.

Diagonally

Diagonally to Wall is the position centred between Wall and LOD. Diagonally to Centre is the position centred between Centre and LOD.

All of the above alignments can be preceded with:

1.

Facing

'Facing LOD';'Facing W';'Facing Diag.W' etc.

2.

Backing

'Backing LOD';'Backing C';'Backing Diag.C' etc.

3.

Pointing

The body has not made the same amount of turn as the foot.

The word 'Against' is used when in positions opposite to those of the LOD.

e.g.

'Backing Diag.C Against LOD' is used when a step is being taken backwards when you are 'Facing Diag.W'.

'Facing Diag. W Against LOD' is used when a step is being taken forwards when you are 'Backing Diag.C'.

Special Notes

1.

An alignment is given in the direction a foot is travelling, and not where the body is facing.

2.

When dancing the Tango rhythms a description of 'Down LOD Facing Diag.W' may be given which means that the body remains facing Diag.W while the foot is travelling Down LOD.

ABBREVIATIONS - OTHER

fwd

Forward

bck

Backwards

p.p.

Promenade Pos.

Man and Lady are in Ballroom Hold in a 'V' Shaped position with Man's Left and Lady's Right sides open and the other sides in contact.

c.p.p.

Counter p.p.

Man and Lady are in Ballroom Hold in a 'V' Shaped position with Man's Right and Lady's Left sides open and the other sides in contact.

o.p

Outside Partner

Man steps outside Lady's Right side with Right foot or outside Lady's Left side with Left foot.

p.o.

Partner Outside

Lady steps outside Man's Right side with Right foot or outside Man's Left side with Left foot.

bpm

Bars per Minute

Technical Terms

AERIAL

A position in which the foot is off the floor. Having taken a forward step to precede an aerial, the foot which is making the aerial will firstly be drawn to the supporting foot with just the toe on the floor then the foot is lifted from the floor by bending the knee and lifting the knee to an almost parallel position with the hip. The lower leg will bend sharply from the knee and tension should be felt at the ankle to keep the toe pointed towards the floor.
This movement may be danced with rise on the supporting foot in which case the highest point of the aerial coincides with the highest point of the rise. From this position the foot making the aerial then swings into the next step after lowering the supporting heel. Or it can be danced without rise on the supporting foot in which case, after making the aerial, the toe will lower to the floor without weight.
Generally speaking, if the aerial is part of the timing of the preceding step then rise is made.
If the aerial has a definate timing of it's own (e.g. 'Slow' or '123') then there is no rise.

BRUSH

A Brush is where the moving foot is taken from one open position to another open position but firstly closing to the supporting foot without weight first.

CHASSE

A series of three steps moving either sideways to Left or Right, or Forwards and Backwards.
The first step will move towards the direction of travel, the second step will then close and the third step moves in the same direction as the first.

CHECK

This stops the normal progressive movement and then reverses the alignment.

CONTRA CHECK

Serves the same purpose as 'Check', but this is taken 'in line' with partner and as the Man steps forward Left foot, he turns his body slightly to Left and the Left toe turns out in line with the body. The Lady's Right toe will turn in while her body follows the same line as the Man's. The Man's Left and the Lady's Right knees will be slightly flexed with pressure retained on the other foot.

CURTSY

The Curtsy is an acknowledgement to the Man by the Lady. For curtsy to Left, Man holds Lady's Left hand in his R.Hand facing each other. The Lady steps to the side with the Left foot then places the Right foot well behind the Left foot then flexes both knees slightly. For the curtsy to Right, Man holds Lady.s Right hand in his Left hand and then procede the same but with the other foot.
The body should be kept upright and not be allowed to bend at the waist.

OVERSWAY

This movement is danced by firstly Man taking a step back with Left foot with Lady in line then before the weight is transferred to that foot it swivels sideways. The heel of that foot then lowers to the floor and the Left knee bends slightly. The Right leg is extended to side with the toe pointed on the floor without weight. The Lady's Right leg will also be bent in relation to the Man's with her Left leg extended to side with toe pointed on the floor without weight. The Lady's Right leg will be on the inside of the Man's Left leg lightly pressing against it.

PIVOT

The pivot is danced on the Ball of one foot while holding the other foot in it's relevant position to the body throught the turn.

RONDE

A circular movement of the leg and foot during the positioning of that foot. Full weight being retained on the supporting foot.

SPIRAL

The spiral is a step which, with feet apart, turns very sharply to Right or Left on the Ball of one foot while keeping the other foot in place. At the end of the spiral the foot which has been left in place will end loosely crossed in front of the spiralling foot.
A spiral to Right is taken by turning on the Ball of Left foot.
A spiral to Left is taken by turning on the Ball of Right foot.

SWIVEL

A swivel is a turn made with pressure on the Ball of foot but keeping the foot flat on the floor, also pressure on inside edge of ball of the other foot.