Window
Beginner Level
The foundation — what every new dancer needs to know
A figure where both partners create a frame between them with their arms — like looking at each other through a window.
Beginner focus
Face your partner. Both partners bring their hands up to about face height, palms touching or loosely held. Elbows should be out to the sides, creating a diamond shape between your arms. Look at your partner through this frame. Hold the basic step. Stay here for 8 counts. The challenge is maintaining the arm shape while continuing to step — most beginners will let the frame collapse as soon as their feet start moving.
Tips
- •The arms should create a frame, not a barrier. Keep the touch light — you're resting against each other's hands, not pushing.
- •The window is about the eye contact it creates. If you're not looking at your partner through it, you're missing the point.
- •Enter and exit the window within 2 counts each. The power is in the held moment, not the transition.
Common mistakes
- •Pressing palms too hard against each other, creating tension instead of connection
- •Letting the elbows drop, collapsing the window into a handshake
- •Holding the window too long, making it feel stiff and choreographed
- •Avoiding eye contact, which defeats the entire purpose of the figure
Practice drill
Face your partner. On count 1, create the window. Hold for counts 2-4. On count 5, dissolve the window into a different figure. Repeat 10 times with a different exit each time. Focus on making the window appear instantly and beautifully, like a photograph snapping into focus.