Page:Social Dancing of To-day (1914) Kinney.djvu/30

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SOCIAL DANCING OF TO-DAY

on a separate slip, and keep it before him as he experiments with the translation of text and diagram into practice of the steps.

IIIIIIIVV

It will be seen that the designations of positions differ from those of the ballet in the respect that the feet "toe out" at an angle of 45° to an imaginary line of advance, instead of the 90° prescribed by the classic ballet. Modifications of the simple positions, such, for instance, as anterior or posterior position of either foot, open or closed position, etc., will explain themselves readily.

The relative positions of partners are (1) closed position, (2) side position, and (3) open position. Closed position is that of the individuals facing each other, shoulders parallel, each looking over the other's left shoulder, the man's left hand holding the woman's right hand, and his right hand on her back. Side position moves the figures (holding each other practically as before), each to his left or each to his right, far enough to take each away from in front of the other. Coming toward the spectator, the couple in side position shows the width of both bodies. Open position places the man and the woman side by side, facing in the same direction, joined by his hand on her waist, or by holding hands.

Necessary preliminaries disposed of, we are ready to