A natural turn is a
dance step
Dance moves or dance steps (more complex dance moves are called dance patterns, dance figures, dance movements, or dance variations) are usually isolated, defined, and organized so that beginning dancers can learn and use them independently of each ...
in which the partners turn around each other clockwise. Its near-mirror counterpart is the reverse turn, which is turning to the counter-clockwise.
This terminology is used mainly in the
"International Standard" group of
ballroom dances. "Natural turn" and "reverse turn" are names of syllabus figures in
waltz
The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position.
History
There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the w ...
,
Viennese waltz
Viennese waltz (german: Wiener Walzer) is a genre of ballroom dance. At least four different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in b ...
,
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
Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries as the result of a combina ...
and foxtrot.
The name "natural" has two explanations. In a standard ballroom closed
dance position
Dance position is a position of a dancer or a mutual position of a dance couple assumed during a dance. Describing and mastering proper dance positions is an important part of dance technique.
These dance positions of a single dancer may be furt ...
the partners are somewhat shifted to the left with respect to each other, which makes the right turn easier. 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)
;Follower (lady)
Other "natural" figures
Reverse turn
;Leader (man)
;Follower (lady)
Other "reverse" figures
References
External links
* (natural turn at 1:07 and reverse turn at 2:13)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Natural And Reverse Turns
Social dance steps