Natural and reverse turns

A natural turn is a dance step in which the partners turn around a common center clockwise. Its near-mirror counterpart is the reverse turn, which is turning counter-clockwise.^[1]

This terminology is used mainly in the "International Standard" group of ballroom dances.^[2] "Natural turn" and "reverse turn" are names of syllabus figures in waltz, Viennese waltz, foxtrot, quickstep. In addition, the words "natural" and "reverse" are used in some other figures that amount to turning to the right or left, respectively, e.g. natural twist turn in tango and foxtrot.

The name "natural" has two explanations. In a standard ballroom closed dance position the partners are somewhat shifted to the left with respect to each other, which makes the right turn easier.^[3]^[4] The second reason is related to progress around the floor along the counter-clockwise line of dance. Turning to the right is partly compensated for by the line of dance's leftward curve, so that it takes less effort to stay on line of dance while turning to the right than while using opposite footwork and turning to the left, especially at the corners.

Natural turn

Leader (man)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Right foot forward	Facing diagonal wall	Begin to turn right	Heel – toe
2	Left foot side	Backing diagonal center	1⁄4 between 1 and 2	Toe
3	Right foot closes to left foot	Backing line of dance	1⁄8 between 2 and 3	Toe – heel
4	Left foot back	Backing line of dance	Begin to turn right	Toe – heel
5	Right foot side	Pointing diagonal center	3⁄8 between 4 and 5, body turns less	Toe
6	Left foot closes to right foot	Facing diagonal center	Body completes turn	Toe – heel

Follower (lady)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Left foot back	Backing diagonal wall	Begin to turn right	Toe – heel
2	Right foot side	Pointing line of dance	3⁄8 between 1 and 2 (body turns less)	Toe
3	Left foot closes to right foot	Facing line of dance	Body completes turn	Toe – heel
4	Right foot forward	Facing line of dance	Begin to turn right	Heel – toe
5	Left foot side	Backing center	1⁄4 between 4 and 5	Toe
6	Right foot closes to left foot	Backing diagonal center	1⁄8 between 5 and 6	Toe – heel

^[5]

Other "natural" figures

Reverse turn

Leader (man)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Left foot forward	Facing diagonal center	Begin to turn left	Heel – toe
2	Right foot side	Backing digonal wall	1⁄4 between 1 and 2	Toe
3	Left foot closes to right foot	Backing line of dance	1⁄8 between 2 and 3	Toe – heel
4	Right foot back	Backing line of dance	Begin to turn left	Toe – heel
5	Left foot side	Pointing diagonal wall	3⁄8 between 4 and 5, body turns less	Toe
6	Right foot closes to left foot	Facing diagonal wall	Body completes turn	Toe – heel

Follower (lady)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Right foot back	Backing diagonal center	Begin to turn left	Toe – heel
2	Left foot side	Pointing line of dance	3⁄8 between 1 and 2 (body turns less)	Toe
3	Right foot closes to left foot	Facing line of dance	Body completes turn	Toe – heel
4	Left foot forward	Facing line of dance	Begin to turn left	Heel – toe
5	Right foot side	Backing wall	1⁄4 between 4 and 5	Toe
6	Left foot closes to right foot	Backing diagonal wall	1⁄8 between 5 and 6	Toe – heel

^[1]

Other "reverse" figures

Chasse reverse turn
Open reverse turn
Pivot reverse turn
Basic reverse turn
Checked reverse turn
Reverse corte
Reverse pivot
Fallaway reverse
Reverse wave
Double reverse spin
Quick open reverse
Reverse top
Natural basic movement (I.S. samba)
Double reverse wing
Swivel reverse
Reverse lock (turn)
Telemark is a basic reverse-turning figure as well
Reverse barrel roll
Reverse fleckerl

References

^ ^a ^b "Reverse turn". BallroomDancers.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
^ International Dance Syllabus
^ "What Is Natural About A Natural Turn?". Round Dancing. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
^ "How to do a Dance Turn: Reverse and Natural Turns". SocialBallroom.dance. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
^ "Natural turn". BallroomDancers.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.

External links

Basic Figures Waltz (1) on YouTube (natural turn at 1:07 and reverse turn at 2:13)

[reverse-1] "Reverse turn". BallroomDancers.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.

[2] International Dance Syllabus

[3] "What Is Natural About A Natural Turn?". Round Dancing. Retrieved 2020-04-30.

[4] "How to do a Dance Turn: Reverse and Natural Turns". SocialBallroom.dance. Retrieved 2020-04-30.

[5] "Natural turn". BallroomDancers.com. Retrieved 2020-05-02.

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[2]

[3]

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[5]

v t e International standard waltz
Pre-Bronze	Change step Natural and reverse turns Natural spin turn Whisk Chassé from promenade position
Bronze	Closed impetus Hesitation change Outside change Reverse corte Back whisk Basic weave Double reverse spin Reverse pivot Back lock Progressive chassé to right
Silver	Weave from promenade position Closed Telemark Open Telemark and cross hesitation Open Telemark and wing Open impetus and cross hesitation Open impetus and wing Outside spin Turning lock Drag hesitation
Gold	Left whisk Contra check Closed wing Turning lock to right Fallaway reverse and slip pivot Hover corte Fallaway whisk
Other standardized ballroom dances	Tango Viennese waltz Foxtrot Quickstep