How do you move (swing dances)?

[pruthe]

Yes, I would say that both the man and the lady need to be well versed in going shopping with a grocery cart . No joking aside.

This analogy works for both dancers in the partnership. My teacher used an office chair on wheels in the studio to explain the workings of the principle. We were then given the homework to go shopping in Sainsbury (grocery store in England).

Now talking about a perfect studio, it would be a perfect dance studio, if they had a grocery cart right there. That means the student could do their homework right there under the watchful eye of the teacher.

Dora+Satya Veda

Thanks for your comments above. I was also wondering . . . do you think it is a good idea for person who is grocery cart to also be in need of a small amount of oil in their wheels? That is, there is a small amount of resistance in the wheels turning. That would provide a small amount of forward resistance to the person (leader) who is pushing the cart and the effect is the follow is always slightly "into" the leader at his contact points when he is moving forward. Likewise, when the leader is moving backward would there be a slight resistance felt in leader's right arm/hand from follow's shoulder blade? Or are the roles reversed and the leader is the one who is providing resistance to follow who is stepping forward? Or is it the responsibility of the follow to be slightly forward "into" the leader as he is moving backward. Or maybe it's none of these concepts. (If you've already discussed this elsewhere, maybe you can direct me to it.) Thanks in advance for your views.

[Dora-Satya Veda]

Thanks for your comments above. I was also wondering . . . do you think it is a good idea for person who is grocery cart to also be in need of a small amount of oil in their wheels? That is, there is a small amount of resistance in the wheels turning. That would provide a small amount of forward resistance to the person (leader) who is pushing the cart and the effect is the follow is always slightly "into" the leader at his contact points when he is moving forward. Likewise, when the leader is moving backward would there be a slight resistance felt in leader's right arm/hand from follow's shoulder blade? Or are the roles reversed and the leader is the one who is providing resistance to follow who is stepping forward? Or is it the responsibility of the follow to be slightly forward "into" the leader as he is moving backward. Or maybe it's none of these concepts. (If you've already discussed this elsewhere, maybe you can direct me to it.) Thanks in advance for your views.

You are welcome. Now let me see if I can explain this in a simple manner.

Yes, there should be a slight resistance by the person going backward in the lowering and down part (no matter whether you are the male or the female). Once the down swing hits the bottom of the swing, then the resistance should ease up and the lady takes over the movement no matter whether you (the man) is going forward or backward. It should all be done in the body not in the arms, if you are doing the Body or Square School of Thought) and the arms are included (like you describe above) if you dance the Round or Traditional School of Thought.

I hope this explains my point of view on this matter.

Dora-Satya Veda

[elisedance]

interesting idea - dynamic changes on the upswing...
I suppose that is what we do - I mean when I am going backwards I have to feel the lead before I can put energy in...

[Dora-Satya Veda]

interesting idea - dynamic changes on the upswing...
I suppose that is what we do - I mean when I am going backwards I have to feel the lead before I can put energy in...

Yes I was always taught by all my teachers that the man is in charge of the downswing and the lady is in charge of the upswing. My main teacher used to say "the man goes down and the lady goes up, bringing the man back up again".

Dora-Satya Veda

[elisedance]

dance mirrors life... er, figuratively speaking of course...

obviously, we need a differennt topic for tango, but do we also need one for QS?  The latter is characterized as a 'swing dance' but I don't feel it nearly as swingy as W or FT...

[Dora-Satya Veda]

dance mirrors life... er, figuratively speaking of course...

It sure does....

[Dora-Satya Veda]

obviously, we need a differennt topic for tango, but do we also need one for QS?  The latter is characterized as a 'swing dance' but I don't feel it nearly as swingy as W or FT...

As far as I know, we do, do the same in Quickstep as in the other swing dances. We just don't have as much time and therefore it feels less swingy.

[pruthe]

You are welcome. Now let me see if I can explain this in a simple manner.

Yes, there should be a slight resistance by the person going backward in the lowering and down part (no matter whether you are the male or the female). Once the down swing hits the bottom of the swing, then the resistance should ease up and the lady takes over the movement no matter whether you (the man) is going forward or backward. It should all be done in the body not in the arms, if you are doing the Body or Square School of Thought) and the arms are included (like you describe above) if you dance the Round or Traditional School of Thought.

I hope this explains my point of view on this matter.

Dora-Satya Veda

Yes, this makes good sense to me. And when man is moving backward, after the initial resistance, should the man feel like a magnet to the woman during remainder of the downswing period to attract her to make her forward movement? Or is the woman more controlling the forward movement during downswing period?

[Dora-Satya Veda]

Yes, this makes good sense to me. And when man is moving backward, after the initial resistance, should the man feel like a magnet to the woman during remainder of the downswing period to attract her to make her forward movement? Or is the woman more controlling the forward movement during downswing period?

Yes, you could that analogy, if you think of the attraction of the opposite magnetic poles and not the repellent of the same poles. The man is always in charge of creating the downswing and the lady is always in charge of moving the upswing. Remember this of for the Body and Square School of Thought only.
 
Dora-Satya Veda

[Dora-Satya Veda]

Got it, thanks DSV.  I go OTT more often than I should.   

Not a problem. I know the feeling

[pruthe]

Yes, you could that analogy, if you think of the attraction of the opposite magnetic poles and not the repellent of the same poles. The man is always in charge of creating the downswing and the lady is always in charge of moving the upswing. Remember this of for the Body and Square School of Thought only.
 
Dora-Satya Veda

Yes, I was thinking magnets that attract. Again, many thanks for your comments. Pruthe.

[emeralddancer]

interesting idea - dynamic changes on the upswing...
I suppose that is what we do - I mean when I am going backwards I have to feel the lead before I can put energy in...

Yes I was always taught by all my teachers that the man is in charge of the downswing and the lady is in charge of the upswing. My main teacher used to say "the man goes down and the lady goes up, bringing the man back up again".

Dora-Satya Veda

my pro says this as well

[Sarosh]

I think she might realize it more than you think

[Sarosh]

Dora, you are a blessing to the dance world.  I think that  people are finally getting it.  It's such a simple idea and maybe that's why the whole concept is overlooked.  There seems to be an inclination to make things difficult when, in reality, it is all so simple.  Maybe that is the challenge of living on this plane of existence.  Maybe we are here to realize how simple life(dancing) really is..........

all the best, S

[elisedance]

As I see it, the main reason its so complicated is because we both expect, and are tought about steps and feet as the primary focus of dance when we should be tought body motion.

Just think, if your first lesson had been to hold each other and move your bodies forward (male) and backwards accross the dance floor.  The second lesson would be to do that stepping with music.  If we learned how to move together and then how to make that easier with ways to improve the connection etc this topic would not exist!