Developing Swing

[catsmeow]

Rugby!..scandinavian! I think she is a druid. No matter, I have to partner her and she is a peach. That logical personality really works into her dancing.

[Dora-Satya Veda]

Rugby!..scandinavian! I think she is a druid. No matter, I have to partner her and she is a peach. That logical personality really works into her dancing.

Ah, so she is a sister of Data or maybe the offspring that Data was talking about in Season 7 of TNG.

It sure is easier when a logic and simple approach is taken in dancing. My teacher was a big advocate to staying logic, simple and stick to the basic rules.

[Dora-Satya Veda]

I just noticed that we have swung so far away from the topic that I think it is time to swing back to the topic of swing.

So where were we??   

[elisedance]

we were on 'types of swing' that D1 raised and I was holding my breath for the answer (I'm about to expire with the anticipation)

[emeralddancer]

Question Dora

in latin dances ... if 1 coach says swing side to side and 1 coach says figure 8. Are they both correct?

If so can you please explain or break it down? I ask because another dancer asked me (why I have no clue since I am NOT a latin dancer) So I thought to post the question here and maybe get your words on this and pass along AND it would help those here too that do latin.

Thanks.

[Some guy]

Swing in Latin?  Are we talking about the same hip-swing for the ladies in Standard and whether is applies to Latin? ...or is it just Latin hip movement we're talking about?

[Rugby]

Funny but I'm always telling people how latin and standard are the same and follow the same princiiples.  My Ten-dance instructors tell me this all the time too.  In some of the standard steps if I have trouble I think how I use my body to create the same action in latin.  In the rumba forward walk for example, I use a pendulum swing action with my hip and leg.  When you turn into a NYer you use a swing action.  If you go through many of your moves in all the latin you will realize that they are all swing dances.  You even have the same metronome, pendulum actions as in standard. 

[dancing1]

Movement principles are the same, no matter what kind of dance you do.  Gravity, momentum and the mechanics of the human body are the constants, but I think we speaking specifically about how to create swing in waltz. The big pendulum kind of swing that is characteristic of the dance done well. And can we talk about swing without talking about inside and outside of turn? Both partners can't swing the same way at the same time, or they would be in each others way.

[Some guy]

I agree Rugby, my coach tells me the same thing: no difference between Latin and Standard where the basis of movement is concerned.  Minor tweaks, but if you can do one, it's easy to do the other.

However, my question to emeralddancer was to figure out if we were talking about hip movement or whether she was talking about swing itself.  The reason I asked is because swing automatically creates hip movement, but whenever I hear things like "figure 8", I tend to think that the person asking is isolating their hip movement from the big picture and it's not coming naturally as an integral part of the movement.  I personally don't like to think of hips: they work, but I don't have to "do" the work.  So it may look like figure 8's but I don't believe that the dancer should have to consciously think about creating figues 8s with their hips when dancing.  Neither do they have to worry about side-to-side movement because the hips will work if you let them. 

So emeralddancer, my two cents: don't work the hips.  Just free them up and let them work for you. 

[TangoDancer]

Since the examining of technique subject seem to have been thoroughly dissected,  when we talk about swing, don't we have to talk about the different types of swing?  If we are trying to create a pendulumic swing, (Waltz) how does rotation work? Wouldn't rotation create another type of swing?

Perhaps, a wee biased     but I believe replies #6 and #12 respond to this.

[TangoDancer]

However, my question to emeralddancer was to figure out if we were talking about hip movement or whether she was talking about swing itself. 

The reason I asked is because swing automatically creates hip movement, but whenever I hear things like "figure 8", I tend to think that the person asking is isolating their hip movement

Yes, we must differ between movements. However, did you intend to say that hip movement creates swing? It could be a chicken/egg question, but I believe that there is hip movemnt which creates swing. This is supported when we understand that the hips actually precede the movemnt rather than follow (as many beginners believe to see). I know that you know this is why I ask.

[elisedance]

What I don't know is how you set up swing from a standing point without rotation.  It would seem to me that you would then have to use a different means to reserve the energy before you need it (after all thats what its about - saving energy during a step so that it can be expended later for a rise (or I guess a rotation).

Though, I suppose there is some minute degree of rotation, note a pro couple prepping to dance a slow fox at comp. The intent is to begin w/ a feather. They poise themselves, and the lead rises to begin on beat 8 from the rise in order to be in full 'swing' by the 1 or 1ere step of the feather. The swing is precipitated/preceded by the rise; not a rotation.

more thoughts on this.  DP and I have spent several hours trying to figure it out and it seems to us that swing is initiated not by rotation per se but by CBM during a lowering - thats what gives the energy for the swing and in W the swing causes the rise and also the shape.

[Dora-Satya Veda]

more thoughts on this.  DP and I have spent several hours trying to figure it out and it seems to us that swing is initiated not by rotation per se but by CBM during a lowering - thats what gives the energy for the swing and in W the swing causes the rise and also the shape.

I have one question for you! What is CBM?

[elisedance]

I smell a trap - but I suppose I put myself into it...

And I guess that another name for CBM (executed correctly) is......wait for it.... swing

[Some guy]

[crunching popcorn]