Natural and reverse turns

A natural turn is a dance step in which the partners turn around a common center clockwise. Its near-mirror counterpart is the reverse turn, which is turning counter-clockwise.^[1]

This terminology is used mainly in the "International Standard" group of ballroom dances.^[2] "Natural turn" and "reverse turn" are names of syllabus figures in waltz, Viennese waltz, foxtrot, quickstep. In addition, the words "natural" and "reverse" are used in some other figures that amount to turning to the right or left, respectively, e.g. natural twist turn in tango and foxtrot.

The name "natural" has two explanations. In a standard ballroom closed dance position the partners are somewhat shifted to the left with respect to each other, which makes the right turn easier.^[3][4] The second reason is related to progress around the floor along the counter-clockwise line of dance. Turning to the right is partly compensated for by the line of dance's leftward curve, so that it takes less effort to stay on line of dance while turning to the right than while using opposite footwork and turning to the left, especially at the corners.

Natural turn

Leader (man)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Right foot forward	Facing diagonal wall	Begin to turn right	Heel – toe
2	Left foot side	Backing diagonal center	1⁄4 between 1 and 2	Toe
3	Right foot closes to left foot	Backing line of dance	1⁄8 between 2 and 3	Toe – heel
4	Left foot back	Backing line of dance	Begin to turn right	Toe – heel
5	Right foot side	Pointing diagonal center	3⁄8 between 4 and 5, body turns less	Toe
6	Left foot closes to right foot	Facing diagonal center	Body completes turn	Toe – heel

Follower (lady)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Left foot back	Backing diagonal wall	Begin to turn right	Toe – heel
2	Right foot side	Pointing line of dance	3⁄8 between 1 and 2 (body turns less)	Toe
3	Left foot closes to right foot	Facing line of dance	Body completes turn	Toe – heel
4	Right foot forward	Facing line of dance	Begin to turn right	Heel – toe
5	Left foot side	Backing center	1⁄4 between 4 and 5	Toe
6	Right foot closes to left foot	Backing diagonal center	1⁄8 between 5 and 6	Toe – heel

^[5]

Other "natural" figures

• Natural spin turn
• Natural pivot turn
• Natural promenade turn
• Natural twist turn
• Natural ronde turn
• Fallaway natural turn
• Natural weave
• Natural Telemark
• Natural hover Telemark
• Natural zig-zag
• Natural hover
• Natural lock hover
• Natural hover whisk
• Natural fallaway whisk
• Natural fallaway
• Natural hairpin
• Natural top
• Natural opening out
• Natural roll
• Natural basic movement (I.S. samba)
• Impetus is a basic natural-turning figure as well
• Natural fleckerl

Reverse turn

Leader (man)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Left foot forward	Facing diagonal center	Begin to turn left	Heel – toe
2	Right foot side	Backing digonal wall	1⁄4 between 1 and 2	Toe
3	Left foot closes to right foot	Backing line of dance	1⁄8 between 2 and 3	Toe – heel
4	Right foot back	Backing line of dance	Begin to turn left	Toe – heel
5	Left foot side	Pointing diagonal wall	3⁄8 between 4 and 5, body turns less	Toe
6	Right foot closes to left foot	Facing diagonal wall	Body completes turn	Toe – heel

Follower (lady)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Right foot back	Backing diagonal center	Begin to turn left	Toe – heel
2	Left foot side	Pointing line of dance	3⁄8 between 1 and 2 (body turns less)	Toe
3	Right foot closes to left foot	Facing line of dance	Body completes turn	Toe – heel
4	Left foot forward	Facing line of dance	Begin to turn left	Heel – toe
5	Right foot side	Backing wall	1⁄4 between 4 and 5	Toe
6	Left foot closes to right foot	Backing diagonal wall	1⁄8 between 5 and 6	Toe – heel

^[1]

Other "reverse" figures

• Chasse reverse turn
• Open reverse turn
• Pivot reverse turn
• Basic reverse turn
• Checked reverse turn
• Reverse corte
• Reverse pivot
• Fallaway reverse
• Reverse wave
• Double reverse spin
• Quick open reverse
• Reverse top
• Natural basic movement (I.S. samba)
• Double reverse wing
• Swivel reverse
• Reverse lock (turn)
• Telemark is a basic reverse-turning figure as well
• Reverse barrel roll
• Reverse fleckerl