Wow! We sure covered a lot of stuff last night! I didn't realize it till Laona and I danced all of the Swing material at the end of the night. So let's take a look at all that we've done thus far . . .
1) Country 2-Step: We reviewed last week's material, which was the basic step, and the prep to outside turn, and the prep to inside turn. Remember - you always turn (prep) her into the opposite direction of where the actual turn will be going.
>> Prep to outside turn & shoulder catch: Starts the same as the regular outside turn, except this time the girl turns 1 + 1/2 turns ending with her back to her partner. Once she arrives at this position, he "catches" her by placing his R hand on her L shoulder. Her turns (3 - 1/2 turns) happen on Q, Q, S. Then they both step forward on the last S (note: he is slightly behind her & to her L).
>> Dance a basic step forward (QQSS), and on the last S - prep her to the inside . .
>> Then turn her into an inside turn on the next QQ - picking up her L hand into your R as she turns. She will end up in a 'wrap' position on your R side.
>> Both do a forward basic
>> Unwrap her to face on the next QQ, and now in closed position again - Man steps forward on the 2 S's, and girl steps back 2 steps.
>> Hammerlock: Keeping his R hand down & allowing it to wrap around and behind the girl's waist, the Man raises his L hand & turns the girl 2 full turns into a hammerlock position. (remember - each of her turns is 1/2 of a turn, so she is turning 4 times). She will end up facing him when in the hammerlock. Keeping this position, he could do a basic - him going forward & her stepping backward.
>> Then he will turn her (inside turn) to face him, releasing his R hand & bringing his L elbow in to his L side - this is to bring her directly back in front again, as when in the hammerlock she is off to his R side.
2) Swing: After reviewing the outside & inside turns in the Swing dance - with our without sharp turns for the gal - her choice, and the Slip to the Eggbeater . . .
>> Kicks (or 'flicks') - After a rock step, the Man lowers slightly &(very small) kicks L, step, R, step, L, step, R, step - (girl is R,L, R,L). He then pulls his L hand back to his L hip to stabilize the girl, and they both do 4 more kicks outside & inside of each other's legs - facing each other. Then a rock step.
>> After the rock step, the man will shape his body to the L to bring the girl around in front w/a rotational movement - on the 1&2. Couple reasons for this - it looks sharp & stylish; and it makes it easy for him to pick up her L hand into his R (no fuss, no muss) - just slides right in. Then they do the 3&4 facing each other, and a rock step. Then he will travel forward past her L side (which looks R of her from his perspective), keeping the R hand down & raising the L hand to allow her to pass under. He turns to face her on the 3&4 (now in a hammerlock), and then he 'expands' to step back into a rock step and at the same time sending her back into her rock step (expand & contract). When he contracts (on the forward step of the rock step), he will brace his L arm in front of his waist (to brace her into a stationary position), and then they both do 4 kicks. She is on his R side when they do this. Rock step . . . and then unwind her in the next pattern.
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Blog Archive
We have 3 Friday night parties during every 10 weeks of lessons. They are not open to the public, thus no witnesses. Ha! You can personally invite your friends or family members though. I often advise you of other dances offered in the Lower Mainland as well.
