To Curtsy or Point?

Another question we get a lot from our ladies at DK (especially close to Award Presentation time) is, “How to finish your dance: Curtsy or Point? “. Ballroom Instructor Cassie Tucker gives some simple guidelines to help you choose…

Every performance needs a clean finish; an opportunity for you to say “Ta Da! I am finished!”, while giving the audience their cue to applaud.

One of the most common questions I get from ladies is whether they should end their routine with a curtsy or a point. Both endings are used when doing composite medals.

Think Ballroom equals beautiful. If you have done a flowing dance or dance in close hold, you want to finish with a slower, more elegant ending, so we use a Curtsy.

Think Latin equals leg line. If you have done a straight legged dance such as Rumba or Cha Cha, or a dance that uses a lot of leg action such as Jive and Samba, then you are going to want to show off those legs to finish! So end with a Point.

The tricky one is New Vogue. Most New Vogue dances used for medals fall into the categories of Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango or Marches. (Quickstep, Rumba and Cha Cha New Vogue dances exist but are not as common for assessments). Because we are usually doing either a March or a Ballroom rhythm dance, we use a Curtsy.

Some dances such as Paso Doble end with their own finish such as a Press-Line. Advanced choreographed routines may have their own ending as well. In those instances you simply finish with that figure.

In short, everything boils down to this rule: If you are wearing a long skirt, curtsy. If you are wearing a short skirt, point!

Cassie