Cuban Salsa: Four step JANUS turn
The Janus Turn is surprisingly common but is strictly speaking junk when done on purpose because there are much better alternatives. If at all possible a Follow should always use the universal and versatile Three Step Turn technique, the only technique that works in almost any situation.
The Janus Turn is almost always something the Follow does by herself on purpose or even more common: Caused by a badly led Three Step Turn or caused by a bad weight transfer when the Follow try to do a Three Step Turn.
Both the Follow and the Lead should know why and when Janus turns sometimes happen by accident and why the Janus Turn is a bad idea on purpose whenever better alternatives are available and possible.
Description
The Follow steps forward on the first step and pivots around, and the second step lands either behind (ideal ) or beside the first foot. The Follow has now turned 180 degree. In order to complete the full 360, the Follow will normally step around on the third step of the three step turn or use spiral turn technique to complete the turn.
But instead the Follow steps forward or in place on step three or doesn’t move the foot at all, and complete the full circle with a forth step, spinning (Half Pirouette) around the step three foot.
I call this type of turn “Janus”, the name of a Roman God with two faces, because the Follow starts the first pivot facing forward and the second pivot facing in the opposite direction. And I call it “Four Step Janus Turn” because the Follow uses four steps to do a 360!
Pros and Cons
The Janus turn is a good Plan B Turn:
- It can be used to rescue a Three Step Turn gone wrong.
- A relaxed party option when there is no intention to take the dance to the next level.
- An easy and safe option if the Follow has a medical condition.
- A fun option of playfulness and musicality in stationary dancing.
The Janus Turn is a not a turn but a pseudo turn consisting of pivot and a Half Pirouette with a step in between. It doesn’t prepare the Follow for proper turns and is only useful as an exception to the rule. It has at least six disadvantages:
- It is stationary, taking two or three steps out of the forward motion.
- It makes double turns impossible.
- It only works in the beginning of a Count of Eight.
- If started on “3”, anything but Rodeo becomes clumsy after “7”.
- It conditions the Follow to homegrown “junk”.
- The Follow misses a chance to practice Three Step Turns.
- It could signals to the Lead: Don’t turn me for real.
Plan B
A Follow should know the Janus Turn technique but never use it when a proper Three Step Turn is possible. The Janus Turn is a “Plan B” turn only to be used in an emergency to save a Three Step Turn if the third step for some reason could not be completed. Or in some other situations listed above.
The reason for not being able to do the last part of a three step turn could be bad leading: The Leader was simply not properly positioned, when he led the Follow into the Three Step Turn forcing the Follow to do a “Janus”. Or the Follower had a bad weight transfer making it impossible to bring the leg around on step three.
Janus on purpose
Unfortunately many Follows think the Janus turn is great because it is easy and looks and works ok in a sub-set of situations. That is they don’t use Janus as a Plan B Turn but as their preferred way of turning and especially for the Setenta Hammerlock.
Advanced Follows, good turners, can switch between techniques, but most Follows always use one and the same technique whenever they turn. If they get into the habit of using Janus turns for Hammerlock they very likely also try to use Janus in other situations where it often fails, bring the Follow out of balance or result in bad positioning.
A good Lead test the Follow early in the dance to see if she uses proper turn techniques that make advanced dancing likely to succeed. If a Follow can’t even do a single turn with proper three step turn technique making double turns possible, it doesn’t make sense to lead the Follow into anything advanced.
Janus Turn examples
| 1 | Janus Turn done on Purpose (videos) |
END
SalsaSelfie.com 🇨🇺 