International Ballroom Dance Syllabus
INTERNATIONAL BALLROOM DANCE SYLLABUS
Combined ballroom dance syllabus listing of the ISTD and
IDTA
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Standard Syllabus
This is the ISTD syllabus as given in The Ballroom Technique, June 1993
edition (ISTD, London). Also included is the IDTA syllabus as given in
Technique of Ballroom Dancing by Guy Howard (1992, Guy Howard, ISBN No.
0 900326 19 0). Figures that are specific to one syllabus are followed
by '(ISTD)' or '(IDTA)' as appropriate. Figures with different
levels are listed under their ISTD level with a note indicating their IDTA
level (such as '(IDTA: silver)'). Figures in the IDTA book under
"figures common to more than one dance" that are not given a level designation
are not listed here unless mentioned in the IDTA book and are noted as
'(IDTA: common figure).
Waltz
Bronze
Back whisk
Backward lock (IDTA: silver)
Basic weave
Chasse from PP
Closed changes
Closed impetus (IDTA: common figure)
Double reverse spin (IDTA: silver)
Hesitation change
Natural spin turn
Natural turn
Outside change
Progressive chasse to R
Reverse corte
Reverse pivot
Reverse turn
Whisk
Silver
Closed telemark
Cross hesitation
Drag hesitation (IDTA)
Forward lock (IDTA)
Open impetus
Open telemark
Outside spin
Turning lock
Weave from PP
Wing
Gold
Closed wing
Contra check
Fallaway natural turn (IDTA)
Fallaway reverse and slip pivot (IDTA: common figure)
Fallaway whisk (IDTA)
Hover corte (ISTD)
Left whisk
Running spin turn (IDTA)
Turning lock to R (IDTA: silver)
Tango
Bronze
Back corte
Closed promenade
Natural promenade turn
Natural twist turn
Open promenade
Open reverse turn, partner in line, closed finish
Open reverse turn, partner outside, open or closed finish
Progressive link
Progressive side step
Progressive side step reverse turn
Rock turn
Rocks on RF and LF
Walks
Silver
Back open promenade
Brush tap
Fallaway promenade
Four step
Four step change
Outside swivels
Promenade link
Gold
Basic reverse turn (IDTA: bronze)
Chase
Contra check
Drop or tilt oversway (IDTA)
Fallaway four step
Fallaway reverse and slip pivot (IDTA: common figure)
Five step
Mini five step (IDTA)
Oversway
Viennese Waltz
Bronze
Natural turn
Reverse turn
Forward closed change: natural & reverse
Silver
Backward closed change: natural & reverse
Gold
Natural fleckerl
Reverse fleckerl
Contra check
Fox Trot
Bronze
Basic Weave
Change of direction
Closed impetus
Feather step
Natural turn
Natural weave (IDTA: silver)
Reverse turn and feather finish
Three step
Silver
Closed telemark
Hover cross (IDTA: gold)
Hover feather
Hover telemark
Natural telemark
Open impetus
Open telemark and feather ending
Open telemark, natural turn, outside swivel and feather ending
Quick natural weave (IDTA)
Quick open reverse (IDTA)
Reverse pivot (IDTA)
Reverse wave (IDTA: bronze)
Top spin
Weave from PP
Gold
Back feather
Bounce fallaway with weave ending (ISTD)
Curved feather
Curved three step (IDTA)
Extended reverse wave (IDTA)
Fallaway reverse, slip pivot
Natural hover telemark
Natural twist turn (IDTA: silver)
Natural zig zag from PP
Quickstep
Bronze
Backward lock step
Chasse reverse turn
Closed impetus
Double reverse spin (IDTA: silver)
Forward lock step
Natural pivot turn
Natural spin turn
Natural turn
Natural turn and backward lock (IDTA: silver)
Natural turn with hesitation
Progressive chasse
Progressive chasse to R
Quarter turn to R
Reverse pivot
Running finish
Tipple chasse to R
Silver
Closed telemark
Fishtail
Four quick run
Quick open reverse (IDTA: bronze)
Running right turn
Tipple chasse to L (IDTA)
V6
Gold
Cross swivel (IDTA: silver)
Hover corte
Rumba cross
Running spin turn (IDTA)
Six quick run
Tipsy to R and L
Latin Syllabus
This is the ISTD latin syllabus as given in The Revised Technique of Latin
American Dancing (1983, ISTD, London) with some additions from a syllabus
listing. Figures from this listing that aren't in the book are followed
by a '(*)'. Also included is the IDTA syllabus as given in Technique
of Latin Dancing by Walter Laird (1992 Walter Laird, ISBN 0 900326 21 2).
Figures that are specific to one syllabus are followed by '(ISTD)'
or '(IDTA)' as appropriate. Figures with different levels are listed
under their ISTD level with a note indicating their IDTA level (such as
'(IDTA: silver)').
Cha Cha
Bronze
Alemana
Basic in place (*)
Basic movement
Closed hip twist
Fan
Fwd. & Bkwd. runs (*)
Hand to hand
Hockey stick
Natural opening out movement (ISTD)
Natural top
New York
Open basic (*)
Shoulder to shoulder: simple method (*, ISTD)
Side step (*, ISTD)
Spot turns
Three cha cha chas (ISTD)
Time steps
Underarm turns (IDTA)
Silver
Aida (ISTD)
Curl (*, ISTD)
Open hip twist
Opening out from reverse top (ISTD)
Reverse top (ISTD)
Ronde chasse (IDTA)
Shoulder to shoulder (IDTA: bronze)
Spiral
Gold
Advanced hip twists
Cross basic (IDTA: silver)
Cuban breaks
Follow my leader (ISTD)
Foot changes (*)
Hip twist spirals (*)
Rope spinning (ISTD)
Split cuban breaks (IDTA)
Sweetheart (ISTD)
Turkish towel (ISTD)
Samba
Bronze
Alternative basic: natural & reverse
Basic movement: natural & reverse
Bota fogos to PP & CPP (IDTA: silver)
Corta jaca
Lady's spot volta (*)
Outside basic (ISTD)
Progressive basic
Reverse turn
Rhythm bounce (*, ISTD)
Samba walks in PP
Side basic (*, ISTD)
Traveling bota fogos: forward & backward
Voltas to R & L (*)
Whisks
Silver
Argentine crosses (ISTD)
Closed rocks (IDTA: bronze)
Shadow bota fogos
Side samba walk (IDTA: bronze)
Volta movements (Criss cross, Maypole, Solo spot volta)
Gold
Back rocks (IDTA: silver)
Contra bota fogos
Cruzado locks in shadow position (*)
Cruzados walks (IDTA)
Foot changes
Natural roll (IDTA: bronze)
Open rocks (IDTA: silver)
Plait (IDTA: silver)
Promenade & counter- promenade runs (*)
Rolling off the arm (ISTD)
Stationary samba walks (IDTA: bronze)
Traveling locks in open CPP (*)
Volta movements: (Closed volta, Traveling and circular voltas in R. shadow
position, Roundabout)
Rumba
Bronze
Alemana
Basic movement
Closed hip twist
Cuban rocks (*, IDTA: gold)
Cucarachas
Fan
Hand to hand
Hockey stick
Natural opening out movement (IDTA: silver)
Natural top
New York (*)
Progressive walks
Shoulder to shoulder (*, ISTD)
Side step (ISTD)
Spot turns
Silver
Aida (ISTD)
Curl (*)
Forward walks in shadow (IDTA)
Open hip twist (IDTA: bronze)
Open out from reverse top
Reverse top (IDTA: bronze)
Shoulder to shoulder from hockey basic (*, ISTD)
Spiral
Gold
Advanced hip twist
Alemana with R to R hand hold (*)
Alternative basic (on '*' list under bronze, IDTA: silver)
Continuous circular hip twist (IDTA)
Continuous hip twists (*)
Fallaway (IDTA)
Fencing (ISTD)
Kiki walks (ISTD)
Opening out to R & L (*, IDTA: silver)
Rope spinning
Sliding doors
Syncopated cuban rocks (*)
Three alemanas (*, ISTD)
Three threes (ISTD)
Underarm turns to R, L (*, IDTA: bronze)
Paso Doble
Bronze
Appel
Basic movement
Chasses to R & L
Deplacement, including the attack
Drag (*)
Fallaway ending to separation
Huit (cape)
Promenade (*)
Promenade close (IDTA)
Promenade link
Separation
Separation with lady's caping walk (*)
Sixteen
Sur place
Silver
Ecart (fallaway whisk)
Grand circle
La passe
Open telemark (ISTD)
Promenades (IDTA: bronze)
Twist turn (*, IDTA: bronze)
Gold
Banderillas (IDTA: silver)
Chasse cape
Coup de pique (ISTD)
Fallaway reverse (IDTA: silver)
Flamenco taps (*)
Fregolina, incorporating the farol (ISTD)
Left foot variation (ISTD)
Spanish line (*, IDTA: silver)
Syncopated separation (IDTA: silver)
Traveling spins from CPP
Traveling spins from PP
Twists
Jive
Bronze
American spin
Basic in place (*)
Change of hands behind the back
Change of places (COP) L to R
COP R to L
Chasses to L & R (*)
Fallaway rock
Fallaway throw away (IDTA: silver)
Kick ball change (*, IDTA: silver)
Left shoulder shove (*, ISTD)
Link & link rock
Walks
Whip
Silver
Double cross whip (IDTA)
Reverse whip (*)
Rolling off the arms (IDTA: gold)
Spanish arms (IDTA: gold)
Stop and go (IDTA: gold)
Whip throwaway
Windmill (IDTA: gold)
Gold
COP (R to L) with ladies double spin (*, IDTA: silver)
Chicken walks
Curly whip (IDTA: silver)
Flicks into breaks (ISTD)
Overturned COP (L to R) (*, IDTA: silver)
Simple spin (ISTD)
Toe heel swivels (ISTD)
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