Telemark (waltz)

The Telemark is a ballroom dance step; in waltz competition, it is in the Silver syllabus. Telemarks are reverse turns where the follower (the lady) does a heel turn as the leader (the man) travels around her. There are similar Telemarks in foxtrot and quickstep.

The term Telemark is borrowed from skiing, in which a turn is generated by a forward leg motion. The closed Telemark and open Telemark are fairly similar. However, the closed Telemark ends in closed position, while the open Telemark ends in promenade position.

Closed Telemark

The closed Telemark can be followed by a natural turn, natural spin turn, hesitation change, or forward lock.

Leader (man)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Left foot forward	Facing diagonal center	Starting to turn left	Heel – toe
2	Right foot to side	Almost backing line of dance	Slightly less than 3⁄8 between 1 and 2	Toe
3	Left foot to side and slightly forward	Pointing diagonal wall	Slightly over 3⁄8 between 2 and 3; body turns less	Toe – heel
1	Right foot forward in contra body movement position (CBMP), outside partner (OP)	Facing diagonal wall		Heel

Follower (lady)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Right foot back	Backing line of dance	Starting to turn left	Toe – heel
2	Left foot closes to Right foot (heel turn)	Facing line of dance	3⁄8 between 1 and 2	Heel – toe
3	Right foot to side and slightly back	Backing diagonal wall	3⁄8 between 2 and 3, body turns less	Toe – heel
1	Left foot back in CBMP	Backing diagonal wall		Toe

Open Telemark

The open Telemark can be followed by an open natural turn, a chassé from promenade position, cross hesitation, wing, or left whisk from promenade position.

Leader (man)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Left foot forward	Facing diagonal center	Starting to turn left	Heel – toe
2	Right foot to side	Backing diagonal wall	1⁄4 between 1 and 2	Toe
3	Left foot to side and slightly forward in promenade position (PP)	Pointing diagonal wall, body facing wall	1⁄2 between 2 and 3, body turns less	Toe – heel

Follower (lady)

Beat	Foot position	Alignment	Amount of turn	Footwork
1	Right foot back	Backing diagonal center	Starting to turn left	Toe – heel
2	Left foot closes to right foot (heel turn)	Facing line of dance	3⁄8 between 1 and 2	Heel – toe
3	Right foot diagonally forward and slightly to right in PP, right side leading	Facing line of dance	Slight body turn to left	Toe – heel

External links

• Demonstration of closed and open Telemarks