International Waltz: Basic Steps For The Follower

Step 1: Closed changes and change steps

These steps together are also referred to as the box step. To start with, we will break them down slowly.

A quick tip before you begin - don't worry too much about directions - it's the leaders job to guide you around the floor!

Step back onto your left foot, then side onto your right and close your left in.

Then step forward onto your right, side onto your left and close in with your right.

Finally, step forward onto your left foot, side onto your right and close in with your left.

Now pick up the pace slightly:

Back left, side right, and close. Front right, side left and close. Front left, side right and close.

Step 2: The whisk and chassis

Step back onto your right foot and then side onto your left.

From here, cross the right behind the left - this is the whisk - then step forward onto the left foot.

Now to finish with the chassis - step side onto the right, close the left in and step side onto the right again.

Now try the steps a little faster:

Back right, side left, cross right. Front left, side right, close left, side right.

Step 3: The hesitation change

Step back onto the left foot, side onto the right and close the left in.

Now step forward onto the right, side onto the left and here drag the right in - this is the hesitation change.

Finally step back onto the right, side onto the left and close with the right.

Here are the steps a little faster..

Back left, side right and close. Forward right, side left, drag right. Back right, side left and close.

Step 4: Change steps to finish

Step forward onto your left foot, side onto your right and then close the left in.

Now step back onto the right, side onto the left, close the right in and you're ready to start again stepping back onto the left.

Now pick up the pace:

Forward left, side right and close. Back right, side left and close. And you're ready to start again stepping back onto the left.

If you're interested in seeing this from your partner's point of view, watch our video on the basic steps for the leader. And don't forget to follow the complete series of films on the waltz to learn more key moves, about the dos and don'ts and how to improve your technique.