Swing Tips

Every class is working on or finishing up their Swing section.  Here are a few tips to help you make your Swing feel and look better:

1.  Remember to keep your knees softened.  Those knees are "shock absorbers" and it's impossible to move quickly with locked knees. 

2.  Keep arms at waist level unless you're doing an underarm turn.  For men, this means no dangling of the free arm --- you want to look enthusiastic and it's much easier to get into a double hand hold.  Women need to keep their arms at waist level too --- you know he's going to lead something so keep the arm in easy reach and you'll also have an easier time giving him that tone or resistance he expects when he leads.

3.  If you are leading or following an underarm turn, remember to keep your arms relaxed!!  Don't make it tougher on yourself or your partner by lifting too high or pushing or locking your elbow.

4.  Remember that Swing is a rhythm dance.  That means NO HEEL LEADS!!  All steps should be taken with the weight forward on the ball of the foot, just as you would do if you were involved in a sport that required fast weight changes.  Just as in other rhythm dances, keep the toe of your shoe in contact with the floor rather than picking up completely off the floor.  This avoids the little wooden soldier look.  We're not doing competition Jive and we should not have a "pump the knees" look.  In Social Swing you want to look confident, relaxed, and as if you are having fun.

5.  Rock steps are not a 5th position break.  Women are especially guilty of turning the foot or hooking the foot behind in Open Position.  This skews your body position ---- instead think of remaining square to your partner.  He's going to lead something and you want to be able to respond quickly.

6.  Men need to understand that leads need to come at the correct time and clearly.  It isn't good enough to "approximate"...leading too late causes the lady to always feel like she is playing catch-up, while giving the lead too soon at the very least causes confusion and at worst catches her on the wrong foot. 

7.  Keep those triples under control!!!  Beginners usually start with large triples that cover a lot of ground.  That's not the goal and you are tiring yourself out unnecessarily.  A good rule of thumb is to try to keep the triples about the width of your partner's shoulders.  Sometimes a pattern will be more easily accomplished if the triple doesn't travel at all and stays in place.

8. A triple step is side-together-side.  That means do not travel forward and back for a normal triple step whether you are a leader or a follower.  If you are a leader, you may find yourself feeling off balance; a follower who does a triple backward is generally moving away from her partner.

9. Avoid the "Skippety-Do's Syndrome"!!  What's a skippety-do?  That's a triple with one foot in front and the other always behind, more in keeping with Promenade in Polka!  Ladies who have a habit of using the skippety-do's find it difficult to get around for turns.  Sometimes a pattern requires a triple moving forward but this should be a triple with each foot passing the other slightly.....what we call a "progressive triple".  You can actually get somewhere with a progressive triple!

10.  Remember that Swing is supposed to be fun!!  If you make a mistake, just laugh and try to recover.  The goal is not perfection, the goal is to enjoy dancing and make it enjoyable and fun for your partner.

11.  Some of you are beginning to learn Lindy timing.  I used to introduce Lindy,  and then turn and see a big "blink-blink" in everyone's eyes, but these days most of my students are familiar with some West Coast.  And even if you've never done West Coast Swing you know this rhythm already  --- you do 8 count Cha Cha patterns!

12.  Men please remember that leading is not pushing, pulling, yanking, or verbally telling your partner what to do!!  The Lady does NOT follow your feet  ---- she follows your specific and well-timed hand leads, your change of frame, and your body movement.  A good leader makes sure the Lady has something to follow!

Next time.......Rhumba!