American style ballroom syllabus
Alan MacInnes
Arthur Murray Bronze Syllabus
The bronze syllabus includes ten dances. Each dance is broken up
into ten "school figures," and each school figure has one or more
variations. In addition, the syllabus lists ten "showtime" steps,
meant primarily for performances (not included).
Foxtrot
-------
1. Magic step forward
a. Magic step backward
b. Swing step
c. Swing step with nightclub styling
d. Box rhythm
2. Magic left turn
a. Left rock ending
b. Promenade ending
3. Promenade walk
a. Promenade to underarm turn
b. Promenade check
4. Junior walk
a. Senior walk
b. Grapevine
5. Magic right turn
a. Right rock ending
b. Promenade ending
c. Cambio
6. Progressive forward walks
a. Box rhythm
b. Swing and run
7. Forward twinkle
a. Back twinkle
b. Parallel twinkle
8. Passing twinkle
a. Fallaway ending
9. Corkscrew
a. Parallel ending
10. Continuity magic step
a. Continuity box
b. Continuity left turn
Tango
-----
1. Tango walk
a. Promenade walk with left turn
b. Promenade walk with right turn
c. Parallel walk
d. Argentine walk
2. Tango rocks
a. Rock turn
b. Shadow rocks
c. Left turning rocks from promenade
3. Medio corte
a. Medio corte outside partner
b. Cambio
c. Medio corte with leg crawl and oversway
d. Gaucho styling
4. Flare promenade
a. Outside underarm turn
b. Inside underarm turn
5. La Puerta
a. Triple fans
b. Slow and quick fans
c. Rock to La Puerta
6. Argentine links
a. Promenade link
b. Brush tap
7. La Lanzadera
a. La Vid
8. Paseo ocho
a. Promenade vuelta
b. Ronde to leg crawl
9. Doble corte
a. Progressive half turns
10. El Abanico
a. Ronde to fallaway 4 step
Waltz
-----
1. Left box turn
a. Underarm turn right
b. Right box turn
c. Cross lead
2. Closed hesitations
a. Arthur Murray turn
b. Kathryn Murray turn
c. Hesitation to underarm turn right
3. Forward change step
a. Back change step
b. Parallel changes
c. Left side by side changes
4. Parallel hesitations
a. Promenade hesitation
b. Promenade develope
c. Viennese hesitations
5. Two way turn
a. Cross lead to break away
b. Parallel right turns
c. Advanced left turn
6. Streamline
a. Hesitation and run
b. Run and box
7. Spiral
a. Spiral turn
b. Spiral turn and develope
8. The Pivots
a. Checked ending
9. Spin turn
a. Continuous lilt
10. Open left box
a. Left cross turn
Cha Cha
-------
1. Cha cha basic turning
a. Progressive basic
b. Cuban basic/chicken scratch
c. Twisty basic/hip bump
d. Cross body lead
2. Crossover break and walk-around turn
a. Crossover double rock
b. Crossover to double walk-around
c. Parallel to crossover
d. Crossover and hand change
3. Open break and underarm turn
a. Left side-by-side break
b. "L" to inside turn
c. "L" to peek-a-boo
4. Sweetheart
a. Change of places
b. Shadow sweetheart/man's fake
c. Traveling sweetheart
5. The chase
a. Check and pop
b. Point
c. Flick
6. Crossover swivels
a. Knee kick
b. Double knee kick
7. Half moon
a. Half moon on right
b. Check and pop
8. Cha cha snap
a. Cuban ending
9. Triple progressive
a. Figure 4
b. Back to back triple
10. Spot release
a. Opening out
Mambo
-----
1. Turning basic
a. Progressive basic
b. Cross lead
c. Back break
2. Crossover break
a. Crossover hand change
3. Open break and underarm turn
a. 2nd position break
b. Armcheck
c. Left side-by-side break
4. Promenade scallop
a. Scallop from underarm turn
5. Cross basic
a. Chase with spin
b. Shine challenge
c. Flick
6. Crossover swivels
a. Figure 4
7. Half moon
a. Half moon hand change
b. Half moon on right
8. Back spot turn
a. Forward spot turn
b. Outside parallel check
9. Cross pause
a. Cross pause and walk-around
10. Alternate left side
a. Continous parallel
Samba
-----
1. Samba basic: American caixo
a. Break away
b. Underarm turn
c. Brazilian caixo
d. Cuidado
2. Balancetes
a. Open balancete
b. Underarm turns right and left
c. Cross hand change
3. Copacabana
a. Reverse copa
b. Double copa with fan
c. Side samba walk
4. Two way com pasos
a. Curving com pasos
b. Back to back
5. Paulista
a. Open paulista
b. Shadow paulista
6. Volta release
a. Spanish arms
b. Parallel kick
7. Botofogo
a. Traveling botofogo
b. Counter promenade botofogo
8. Volta complete left
a. Cross lead
b. Leg ronde
9. Maxixe
a. Reverse copa and double maxixe
10. Copacabana com pasos
a. Back copa com pasos
b. Stationary copa to underarm turn
Rumba
-----
1. Rumba box
a. Underarm turn
b. Waterfall
c. Quick chasses
d. Cross lead box
2. Rumba breaks
a. 2nd position break
b. Progressive rocks forward and back
c. 5th position break
3. Cuban walks
a. Open cuban walk
b. Wrap around
c. Alternative wrap around
4. Open break and underarm turn
a. Open rocks
b. Alternate underarm turns
c. Shoulder check
5. Rio Grande
a. Curving chair
b. Curving chair to lady's turn
6. Lady's left and right spiral
a. With window rock
7. Back spot turn
a. Back spot with underarm turn left
8. Forward spot turn
a. Aida
9. Spot turn with breaks
a. Spot turns to parallel checks
10. Shadow turn
a. Figure 8
Merengue
--------
1. Merengue basic
a. Forward walk
b. Mark time left and right
c. Left rock turn
d. Stair step
2. Separation
a. Underarm turn right
b. The sweetheart
c. Underarm parallel walk
d. Side separation
e. Parallel walk
3. Fifth position break
a. Open break
b. Side break
c. Open break with crossover
4. Promenade swivels
a. Left spot swivels
5. Promenade conga
a. Conga cross
b. Side conga
c. Forward and back conga
6. Merengue freeze
a. Advanced freeze
7. Combination spot turn
a. Back spot and fallaway pendulum
b. Fallaway grapevine
8. Merengue glide
a. Open glide
b. Glide to surprise
9. Yale break
a. Overturned Yale break
10. The chopper
a. Reverse chopper
Swing
-----
1. Swing basic (3 rhythms)
a. Forward walk or mark time ending
b. 4 backward walks
c. 4 kicks
2. Swing release
a. Underarm release
b. Throwout
3. Underarm turn left
a. Underarm right
b. Hand slide
c. Back hand change
d. Alternate underarm turns
4. Sugar push
a. Double overhead
b. Reverse sugar push
c. Sweetheart
5. Tuck in
a. Tuck in and underarm turn
b. Circling tuck in
c. American spin
d. Continuous tuck in
6. Lindy turn
a. Continuous lindy
b. Inside and outside turns
c. Lindy whip
d. Side pass to check turn
e. Lindy wrap
7. Flirtation
a. Continuous flirtation
b. Flirtation roll out and spin
c. The bump
8. Hitch kick
a. Swing chasse
b. Underarm and triple kicks
c. Push 'N pull
d. The freeze
9. Swivels
a. The twist
b. Criss cross
10. Crossover back to back
a. With double kick
b. Fallaway
c. Flea hop
Hustle
------
1. Hustle basic
a. Time step
b. Traveling time step
c. Left side basic
2. Underarm turn left
a. Alternate turns
b. Back pass
3. Throwout
a. The loop
b. The hook
c. Continuous throwout
4. Overhead wrap
a. Half Nelson
b. Overhead wrap to window
c. Half Nelson to window
5. Sweetheart
a. Traveling sweetheart
b. Traveling sweetheart with free spin
6. Triangle
a. With lady's spin
7. Windmill
a. Butterfly
8. Back to back
a. Arm check
9. The explosion
a. The chopper
10. Man's flair
a. Double ronde
Arthur Murray Silver Syllabus
The bronze syllabus includes ten dances. Each dance is broken up
into ten "school figures," and each school figure has one or more
variations. In addition, the syllabus lists ten "showtime" steps,
meant primarily for performances (not included).
FOXTROT
1. Triple Twinkle
a. Syncopated Underarm Turn Right
2. Continuous Grapevine
a. Continuous Grapevine to Right
3. Open Left Box and Corte
a. Spot Run
4. The Terraces
a. Lilt Ending
5. Twinkle and Pivot
a. Flair and Ronde
6. Whiplash
a. Open Promenade Whiplash and Slip Pivot
7. Fallaway Grapevine
a. Alternate Grapevine
8. Explosion and Shadow Run
a. Ladies Underarm Turn Right
9. Fallaway and Spin and Oversway
a. Continuous Fallaway and Spin
10. Same Foot Lunge
a. Whiplash Ending
TANGO
1. Back Fans
a. La Cobra
b. Fans in Two Directions
2. La Habanera
a. Forward Attitude
3. El Gaucho
a. Turn and Foot Switch
b. Argentine Arms
4. Medio Corte Vuelta
a. Lady's Curl
5. Snap Change
a. Snap Change Turning
6. Pivote Doble
a. Fan Ending
7. Doble Cruz
a. High Ronde
8. Promenade Kick and Oversway
a. In and Out Promenade and Lady's Turn
9. Same Foot Walk and Rock
a. X Line to Skater's Walks
10. Corte and Back Pass
a. Ronde to Back Pass
WALTZ
1. In and Out Spiral Turn
a. Right Hand to Right Hand
b. Lady's Free Left Turn
2. Shadow Spirals
a. Check and Lunge
3. Continuous Twinkle and Natural Fallaway
a. Fallaway and Chasse
4. Crisscross Spirals
a. Forward Check
5. Double Spin and Twinkle
a. Open Spin and Twinkle
6. Fallaway and Corte
a. Fallaway Twinkle
b. Fallaway Slip Pivot
7. Promenades and Underarm Turn
a. Open Spin
8. Wing to Turn and Break
a. Explosion and Shadow Checks
9. Back Wing and Inverted Swivel
a. Alternate Turn and Kick
10. Contra Check
a. Oversway and Contra Check
SAMBA
1. Botofogo Com Batuque
a. Com Batuque
b. Roundabout Right and Left
2. Doble Volta
a. Separation Vuelta
3. Same Foot Com Pasos
a. Same Foot Walks
4. In and Out Runs
a. Lady's Free Turn Left
5. Shadow Botofogos
a. Attitude and Desplante
6. Truco
a. Truco in Shadow
7. Debaixo Rolunda
a. Advance Debaixo Rolunda
8. Classical Voltas
a. Volta Hop
9. Rolling Off the Arm
a. Right and Left Roll Out
10. Paulista Hand to Hand
a. Paulista Push
RUMBA
1. Cuban Promenades
a. Quick Spiral
2. Fiesta Break and Basket
a. Lady's Sit Break
3. Flirtation Turn
a. Solo Flirtation Turn
4. Back Roll
a. Banquera Wrap
5. Espiral
a. Sit Line
6. X Line to Underarm Turn Right
a. Point to Arm Circle
7. Paseo
a. Shadow Paseo
8. Circlette
a. Forward Attitude
9. Fallaway and Thread the Needle
a. Slow Oversway
10. Suavecito
a. Suavecito Turning
MAMBO
1. Alternate Twists
a. Alternate Walk Around
2. Forward Surprise
a. Check and Ripple
3. Shoulder Taps
a. Man's Twist Turns
4. Chase and Swivel
a. Spinwhip and Freeze
5. Kick and Ripple
a. Turn to Flick and Ripple
6. Double Underarm Hand Change
a. Right Spin and Continuous Scallop
7. Swing Rhythm
a. Arm Circles
8. Chasse and Ripple
a. Triple and Ripple
9. Shadow Cross Pause
a. Wrap and Figure 4
10. Shine Boogie
a. Shine Boogie with Desplante and Ripple
SWING
1. Check and Pull
a. Check and Head Wrap
2. Spin Whip
a. Lady's Spin
b. Freeze
3. Sailor's Shuffles
a. Shadow Shuffles
b. Shadow Shuffles and Tunnel
4. Twin Cities
a. Twin City Wrap
5. The Wheel
a. Same Foot Wheel
6. Banana Split
a. Double Loop
7. Right Hand Wrap and Roll Out
a. Wrap and Fleahop
8. Imperial Break
Balboa Kicks
9. Whip and Freeze
a. Freeze and Kick
10. Whip and Arm Catch
a. Arm Catch and West Coast Shuttle
CHA CHA
1. Passing Breaks
a. Shadow Opening Out
2. Rock and Roll and Checked Underarm
a. Swivel Ending
3. Left Side by Side Breaks
a. Grapevine and Surprise Break
4. The Puzzle
a. Same Foot Puzzle
5. Promenade Swivels
a. Sweetheart Right and Left
6. Shine Pull Back
a. Shine Pull Back Variations
7. Hook and Turn
a. Kick and Chopper
8. Syncopated Crossover
a. In and Out Crossover
9. Fallaway Swivel
a. Shadow Fallaway Swivel
10. Cross Contrast
a. Cuban Break and Military Turn
VIENNESE WALTZ
1. Turns and Curtsy
a. Canter Streamline
b. Box and Cross Lead
c. Reverse Sway
2. Right Spot Turn
a. Butterfly
3. Double Hesitation and Run
a. Spiral and Ronde de Jambe
4. Skater's Spiral
a. Forward and Back Skater's Spirals
5. Promenade Turns
a. Promenade Develope
6. Change of Pace
a. Change of Timing
7. Explosion to Open Run
a. Explosion and Left Spot Run
8. Promenade Kick
a. Sweetheart Kick
9. Canter Spirals
a. Crosshold Canter Spirals
10. Hinge and Develope
a. Canter Run
BOLERO
1. Basic Movement
a. Side Lifts
b. Forward and Back Walks
2. Open Break and Curving Walk
a. Open Position
3. Underarm Pass
a. Lady's Curl and Swilels
4. Lady's Wrap and Point
a. Shadow Stretch
5. Switch and Chase
a. Switch and Separation
6. Oversway and Lunge Roll
a. Syncopated Rock and Lady's Ronde
7. Double Cross
a. Alternate Twist
8. Side Pass to Right Side Break
a. Open Side Pass
9. Left Side Check to Quick Wrap
a. Left Side Check and Lady's Spiral
10. Contra Walks
a. Spiral Catch
Victor Eijkhout
--
Victor Eijkhout
"When I was coming up, [..] we knew exactly who the they were. It was us
versus them, and it was clear who the them was were. Today, we are not
so sure who the they are, but we know they're there." [G.W. Bush]
Robert Blank
the fact that the syllabus for Arthur Murray's American style is copyrighted
and that they are very pissy about who sees it should be a violent heads-up
to potential students of dance.
When you are approached (or when you approach) a chain studio, be aware of
these things:
1. they don't want you to interact with other dancers outside the chain.
For example, you are not allowed to comete in competitions, only in their
chain comps.
2. by making their syllabus secretive, it implies that your dancing will
not be usable with others in the world. The "magic step (!)" is not an Fred
Astaire step, etc. many folks who take lessons from these wla-mart style
chains often cannot dance with others from other chains. (Int'l style is
not like that of course - it is an open, standard syllabus, that is known
and taught througout the world).
warning warning warning
----
Bob Blank
Blank Productions USA
email: b...@blankproductions.com
website: www.blankproductions.com
203-938-7900 ext 319
YarrowBlac
not be usable with others in the world.
dance with others from other chains.
These three statements from your post struck me as being the ones I would most
disagree with. I have never had any trouble or negitive feed-back because I
dance many places besides the Arthur Murray Studio. I am quite open about the
places I dance.
In all my dancing I have never found that what I know is that different from
what is danced in Calif, Ore., Wash., New York, Va., or British Colombia. I
have danced in these different areas and always found many more things the
same. Usually it is small styling things that are different or the pattern
preference.
I am sorry if you have had bad experiences. But don't blame all for the
mistakes of some.
When people ask me about finding an instructor, I tell them to find a person
that they can enjoy learning from. That is the most important thing, in my
eyes.
Leanne
Jonathan Atkinson
it's about 10% better now. It's still under copyright. You might not
get into too much trouble posting it here anonymously, but don't ask me
to do it. (c:
Jonathan
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Before you buy.