Travelling Turn
A turn that moves through space — the couple rotates together while travelling across the floor.
Prerequisites
The travelling turn combines rotation with linear movement. It’s an essential skill for navigating the dance floor dynamically. Traveling turn is accomplished by doing a 360-degree Compass StepCompass Step.
Let’s consider the case of doing one solo traveling turn on a boom chick chick. Notice that the LineLineThe direction of travel or path used as a reference for a particular movement for a particular duration of the music.
Part of Lines stays the same. Because it’s a 360 degree pivot, the ending LineLineThe direction of travel or path used as a reference for a particular movement for a particular duration of the music.
Part of Lines is the same as the starting LineLineThe direction of travel or path used as a reference for a particular movement for a particular duration of the music.
Part of Lines.
The traveling turn needs TorsionTorsionHow the twist of the body communicates movement in Zouk. in order to be executed properly. The torsion can be self-generated or led depending on the context.
In Partner
One common way to lead a traveling turn is via the LungeLungeA preparatory step used as an entry to other movements.. We will give the example of doing a left traveling turn of the follow. This means the follow is beginning the projection step with the left leg. This is the Blue FootBlue FootLead's right and follow's left - the first foot that moves in the boom of the second half basic. Part of Stepping, meaning it takes place during the Blue PhaseBlue PhaseThe second 'boom chick chick' in the music, and every subsequent even phase. Part of Music & Rhythm.
In order to get into this position, we will close the lateral step but on the opposite side to when we Exit into BasicExit into BasicExiting lateral back into basic back-and-forth by stepping into the follow's line on the blue phase of the lateral. Part of Lateral from LateralLateralA side-stepping movement that creates a lateral travelling pattern across the floor.. Normally when we exit to basic, we do so on the Blue PhaseBlue PhaseThe second 'boom chick chick' in the music, and every subsequent even phase. Part of Music & Rhythm, so that we start back with the regular basic on the Red PhaseRed PhaseThe first 'boom chick chick' in the music, and every subsequent odd phase. Part of Music & Rhythm. However, as you will find out, given the momentum and position generated by the traveling turn, it flows gracefully into basic when done on the traveling turn itself is done on the Blue PhaseBlue PhaseThe second 'boom chick chick' in the music, and every subsequent even phase. Part of Music & Rhythm.
As the lead is moving to their left and the following is moving to the right of the lead, the lead steps into the line of the follow, facing the follow. This completes the full Red PhaseRed PhaseThe first 'boom chick chick' in the music, and every subsequent odd phase. Part of Music & Rhythm. Now the lead is directly facing the follow.
Back to our foundational concept of Communicating IntentionCommunicating IntentionUsing body structure and energy to transmit movement information., we need to:
- Indicate Communication IntentionCommunication Intention through direction
- Indicate rotation in the compass step through torsion
To accomplish this, The lead will do what can be referred as the J shape. This is a technique used to accomplish both displacement and rotation. It’s called J because from the top it looks like a J shape. Right as the push is happening the lead gives the signal to “come to my direction” while stepping back. Just before the follow’s control step, the lead leads TorsionTorsionHow the twist of the body communicates movement in Zouk. using the hand connection with the follow. The follow interprets this as a signal to go forward, creating a new LineLine in that direction, then they feel the torsion, and know to pivot left in the Compass StepCompass StepThe fundamental footwork mechanic of stepping and pivoting on the ball of the foot to change direction.. Because of the concept of Communicating IntentionCommunicating Intention, the follow knows the lead is directly in front, and so, in order to seek this connection, the follow needs to turn 360 degrees. This is the only way to reconcile Communicating IntentionCommunicating Intention with the torsion the lead is giving them.
While the follow is turning, the lead is stepping back. After the turn, the lead can continue to step back into a normal Basic Back and ForthBasic Back and ForthAdding forward-and-back to the basic step pattern.. Ideally, as the follow completes their turn, lead and follow can come into Close EmbraceClose EmbraceBody-to-body contact with chest and hip connection Part of Different Holds & Embraces.
Note: You may be wondering why we’re emphasising the Blue PhaseBlue PhaseThe second 'boom chick chick' in the music, and every subsequent even phase. Part of Music & Rhythm in particular for entry into traveling turn. The same move can be done on the Red PhaseRed PhaseThe first 'boom chick chick' in the music, and every subsequent odd phase. Part of Music & Rhythm as well, doing a right turn. If you play it through, however, you will find that the graceful version of this move ends with an inverted basic - basically the lead stepping back and follow stepping forward on the Blue PhaseBlue PhaseThe second 'boom chick chick' in the music, and every subsequent even phase. Part of Music & Rhythm rather than the red. This is not wrong, but is actually quite advanced.
Wifi Leading Concepts for Traveling Turn
From a WiFiWiFiNo connection points
Part of Different Holds & Embraces standpoint, actually in the above preparation for the traveling turn, the J turn is not really necessary at all. This is because the follow should automatically move towards the lead anyway by the concept of Seeking Chest ConnectionSeeking Chest ConnectionThe follow continually tries to seek chest connection of the lead
Part of Communicating Intention. The follow would also naturally do a left turn being on their left if there is room to do so. This is part of the aspect of setting off forwards on the left foot, as it would create an inverted basic otherwise. (I think)