Contra body movement

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Contra body movement (CBM) is a term used in ballroom dances, such as Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Quickstep. It describes a specific coordination of the movement of a dancer's body when doing or preparing to do a step which involves rotation. CBM is turning the right side of the body towards a left moving leg or turning the left side of the body towards a right moving leg. The body and the leg must move at the same time, and not one after the other. CBM occurs on forward or backward steps only (or diagonal steps which still feature forward or backward movement), and not on side steps. Thus, CBM occurs in the following four scenarios:

The left leg moves forward as the right side of the body moves forward (the torso rotates to the left)
The left leg moves backward as the right side of the body moves backward (the torso rotates to the right)
The right leg moves forward as the left side of the body moves forward (the torso rotates to the right)
The right leg moves backward as the left side of the body moves backward (the torso rotates to the left)

The overall effect and intention of CBM is smooth transition from linear to rotational movement.

One occurrence of CBM can be observed in a left rock (adlib) turn in American Foxtrot. As the leader takes his second step (the second "slow"), CBM occurs as the right leg moves backward and the left side of the body moves backward, causing the body to begin rotation to the left. Similarly, as the follower takes her second step (the second "slow"), CBM occurs as the left leg moves forward and the right side of the torso moves forward, causing the body to begin rotation to the left.

An exaggerated CBM is the basic of some specific dance moves, e.g., Chicken Walks in Jive and East Coast Swing.

The Contra body movement position (CBMP) is the foot position achieved when the moving foot is placed on or across the line of the standing foot, in front of or behind it.

The term is slightly verbose in an attempt to make it self-describing and to stress the similarity of the dancer's feet position with respect to the body as if a step with CBM was performed.

However the most important usage of this term in Ballroom dancing is to describe steps when a foot moves across the standing foot, while the torso moves in the same direction as the moving foot without rotation. CBMP is routinely used in steps taken in promenade position or outside partner step. CBMP helps to maintain dance position of the couple: CBMP allows the dancers to make these steps without shifting or rotating with respect to each other.