Bosson Dance & Fitness

🔥 CHA CHA CHA: THE UNDERARM TURN — PART 1

These post are aimed at our beginners who have already learnt the foot positions and work along side our classes.

The Underarm Turn is one of the classic Cha Cha Cha actions. It gives the Follower the opportunity to turn while the Leader maintains a clear connection and continues to dance the rhythm.

🎵 The rhythm:

2 – 3 – 4 & 1

The turn is normally danced within the basic timing, so the rhythm doesn’t stop just because the Follower is turning.

💃 For the Follower:

The important thing is to keep the steps small and underneath the body while rotating around your own axis.

Don’t try to travel around the Leader.

Think:

Step → prepare → turn → complete the weight change

🕺 For the Leader:

The lead comes from the connection and the raised hand/arm, creating space for the Follower to rotate underneath.

💡 Key thought:

The arm doesn’t turn the Follower.

It creates the pathway for the turn.

🎯 Practice tip:

Practise the Follower’s turn without a partner first.

Find your own balance and axis, then add the connection.

✨ Keep the feet small, the rhythm clear and the body controlled.

Tomorrow’s post: Cuban motion, spotting and how to stay balanced during the turn.

💃 If you could instantly master ONE dance skill, what would it be—and why?

🩰 WALTZ: THE REVERSE TURN — PART 3

These post are aimed at our beginners who have already learnt the foot positions and work along side our classes.

The Reverse Turn is a great test of partnership and balance.

A beautiful left turn shouldn’t feel as though one partner is dragging the other around.

The rotation should be created together.

🤝 For the Leader:

• Maintain a consistent frame
• Initiate the leftward movement through the body
• Keep travelling while turning
• Avoid throwing the left shoulder backwards
• Keep the centre balanced throughout

🤝 For the Follower:

• Maintain your own balance and posture
• Allow the rotation to develop through the connection
• Don’t anticipate the turn
• Keep your steps controlled and underneath you
• Continue moving rather than resisting the rotation

💡 One of the biggest mistakes:

Trying to create the turn with the upper body alone.

This often produces a twisted frame and makes the movement feel heavy.

Instead, think:

Body leads → legs support → feet complete the movement.

🎯 Coaching image:

Imagine the couple is travelling along a curving path.

You aren’t turning first and then travelling.

You’re travelling while the path curves.

✨ Your goal:

The Reverse Turn should feel:

🩰 Smooth
🩰 Progressive
🩰 Balanced
🩰 Rotational
🩰 Light
🩰 Connected

And remember:

Don’t force the turn.
Don’t stop the travel.
Let the rotation happen through the movement.

When the footwork, rise and fall and partnership all work together, the Reverse Turn becomes one of the most beautiful travelling actions in Waltz. 🩰

Today we have been looking back 10 years. 🕣🕦🕟
AND
hoping we will have just as much fun at Jan’s 60th as we did at her 50th.

Where you there?

🩰 WALTZ: THE REVERSE TURN — PART 2

These post are aimed at our beginners who have already learnt the foot positions and work along side our classes.

Now let’s look at what gives the Reverse Turn its smooth Waltz quality.

The three big ingredients are:

Footwork • Rise & Fall • Rotation

🦶 Leader’s footwork:

On the first half of the Reverse Turn: Leader

1 — Heel, Toe
2 — Toe
3 — Toe, Heel

Second half

1 — Toe, Heel
2 — Toe
3 — Toe, Heel

The Follower’s corresponding backward action uses:

1 — Toe, Heel
2 — Toe
3 — Toe, Heel

The forward

1 — Heel, Toe
2 — Toe
3 — Toe, Heel

The feet should remain underneath the body, allowing the movement to travel rather than becoming a series of large steps.

✨ Rise & Fall

As with other Waltz figures, the movement begins from a lower position and develops through the first and second steps.

Allow the body to rise gradually.

Don’t jump upwards or try to manufacture the rise with the shoulders.

Think:

Lower → Rise → Float

Then continue into the next movement.

💡 Rotation

The left turn should develop progressively.

The body turns, the legs turn and the feet support the rotation.

🚫 Avoid:
❌ Spinning on the spot
❌ Throwing the shoulders around
❌ Taking an enormous side step
❌ Rising too early
❌ Stopping on count 3

✅ Instead:
• Keep the knees soft
• Use the floor
• Allow the rise to develop
• Keep the rotation progressive
• Continue travelling through count 3

🎯 Practice tip:

Dance the Reverse Turn at half speed.

Try to make the rise and rotation feel like one continuous movement.

Then gradually return to the music.

Smoothness comes from continuity, not from slowing the dance down.

Tomorrow: partnership, connection and avoiding the common Reverse Turn mistakes.

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