Whisk (ballroom dance)

The whisk is a ballroom dance step used in the Waltz or Viennese Waltz. It is one of several ways to get into promenade position and is used to turn dancers around corners or change their direction on the dance floor. It is often performed after a complete reverse turn.^[1]

Footwork

The basic whisk is only three steps. As in most Waltz steps, the body rises on the second beat and lowers on the third.

Man (Leader)

Move the left foot forward, facing it diagonally to the wall while slightly raising the body (Heel-toe).
Move the right foot to the side and slightly forward (toe). Push a little bit forward from the left foot while swaying the body to the left. Slightly raise the body.
Cross the left foot behind the right foot, facing the wall diagonally (toe-heel). The step finishes in promenade position.

Woman (Follower)

Move the right foot back, facing it diagonally to the wall while slightly raising the body (toe-heel).
Move the left foot diagonally to the back while swaying the body to the right. Slightly raise the body (toe).
Cross the right foot behind and slightly to the left of the left foot. The step finishes in promenade position (toe-heel).

Back Whisk

The back whisk is a variation on the basic whisk. It is very similar to the basic whisk except that it progresses backward rather than forward. The back whisk begins with the leader backing diagonal center against line of dance and finishes with the follower in promenade position.

Left Whisk

The Left Whisk is a Gold syllabus variation on the whisk. ^[2]

Leader (Man)

Step #	Foot Position	Alignment	Amount of Turn
1	RF fwd and across in PP and CBMP	FDW, moving along LOD
2	LF to side and slightly fwd	Pointing DW	Body start to turn L
3	RF crosses behind LF	FDW	Body turn to L

Follower (Lady)

Step #	Foot Position	Alignment	Amount of Turn
1	LF fwd and across in PP and CBMP	Facing DC, moving along LOD	Start to turn L
2	RF to side and slightly back	BDW	1/4 btwn 1-2
3	LF back in CBMP	BLOD	1/8 btwn 2-3

There are two variations on the Left Whisk. One begins with the man moving backward on the right foot. The other is a Left Whisk on the first beat.

References

External links

Demonstration of Basic Whisk at BallroomDancers.com

International Standard Waltz
Pre-Bronze	Closed Changes Natural Turn Reverse Turn Natural spin turn Whisk Chasse from Promenade Position
Bronze	Closed Impetus Hesitation Change Outside Change Reverse Corte Back Whisk Basic Weave Double reverse spin Reverse Pivot Back Lock Progressive Chasse to Right
Silver	Weave from PP Closed Telemark Open Telemark and Cross Hesitation Open Telemark and Wing Open Impetus and Cross Hesitation Open Impetus and Wing Outside Spin Turning Lock Drag Hesitation
Gold	Left Whisk Contra Check Closed Wing Turning Lock to Right Fallaway Reverse and Slip Pivot Hover Corte Fallaway Whisk
Standard Dances	Tango Viennese Waltz Foxtrot Quickstep

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