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.^[1]

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.^[2]

Closed Telemark

The closed Telemark can be followed by a natural turn, natural spin turn, hesitation change, or forward lock.^[1]

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.^[1]

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