If dance is a language, then the steps form part of the syllables of the language. Dance is the interaction through movement from stillness to stillness, from poise to poise. A moment of stillness occurs within the dancer and this serves to give them time to re-assess the situation.

This may be a momentary thing, as in the pause formed by a longer step, or turn. Or it maybe a moment that is choreographed into the dance, as in the sequence step,stop, step stop. Perhaps the trailing foot approaches the standing foot. Beratis has this step in its beginning. We step forward on the right and bring the left to it. We halt momentarily. Such a halt brings a moment of silence in the dialogue of continuing movement.

In this section I will look at different steps and perhaps the nomenclature of steps from different traditions.