So whether in the Beginners class or right at the start of your intermediate class, chances are that cha-cha and rumba will be the first new rhythms that you'll learn. Sometimes "rhythm classes" are offered in the sense that the year is divided in several periods and if you happen to wish to join at the time that a "foxtrot class", for instance, is being advertised in your area, do it. Although it is more rewarding in the short term to start with a Latin dance, it is not a MUST.

If, in your Beginners' class, you learned strictly Phase II (and, of course, those few two-step figures in Phase III), it is best to approach your new class as an entirely new field. Phase IV is a continuation of Phase III but Phase III is not a continuation of Phase II: it is a new ball game. This is not to say that the experience you gained at Phase II won't help. On the contrary it will be extremely useful because you have learned to react to cues, to always finish one figure before starting the next even if it is cued early, your sense of music has improved and you move around the floor in a much smoother way that you did at the Open House.

The bad news however is that you may also have acquired in your basic class certain habits that you will need to change in order to adjust to Phase III waltz and foxtrot. You are aware, no doubt, that from Phase III onwards the figures that round-dancing adopted come from ball-room dancing, hence the difficult names to remember, the emphasis on posture, the body mechanics.

One of the most difficult transitions will be to adjust to new facing directions. At Phase II you learned the four "straight" directions, in short: wall, center, line and reverse. At Phase III it is very rare to start or end the figures with the straight facing directions. You will start and end almost everything on a diagonal; for example, the normal facing direction to start a Hover or a Whisk is diagonally between the wall and line of dance (DLW). The same Hover and Whisk will end in semi-closed position both partners facing diagonally between line of dance and the center (DLC). There is a good reason for that: you benefit from an angle that gives you the right orientation for the NEXT figure, and that figure will therefore be easier to execute. Until now, you have been used to end "2 Right Turns" and "2 Left Turns" facing the wall: habit no. 1 to get rid of. From now on you must get used to finish facing DLW.

Another habit that dancers have a hard time fighting is the exaggerated BANJO, SIDECAR or SEMI-CLOSED position. At the intermediate level you will learn that Banjo, Sidecar and Semi-Closed are NOT body positions but "head and foot" positions. To understand this, it is best to grab your partner in closed position facing wall and continue reading over her/his shoulder. If the gentleman would now leave his heels in place but turn the toes slightly to the left (toes pointing DLW) (leaving your shoulders and hips in place!) and if they would also turn their head left towards line of dance (leaving the shoulders and hips in place!) they would have achieved their part of either BANJO or SEMI-CLOSED position, which happen to be the same for the man. As to the ladies, they'll turn their toes and head to the left to be in BANJO position and turn them to the right to be in SEMI-CLOSED POSITION. Again, there is a good reason for this: with their bodies nicely facing each other (and NOT side by side) and their shoulders parallel, it is much easier for the couple to move in unison.

I hope I have not discouraged you from learning Phase III waltz. It is true that it takes some training and that you have to be patient with yourselves, but the reward is exhilarating. Soon you won't believe how easy it is to do a beautiful Spin turn or Impetus.

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