On 4/10/2013 7:25 AM, John Sweeney wrote:
When I do I often find that other men appear to be uncomfortable with a close-hold swing. I normally now go for a Galway Swing when I meet another man for a swing: Start with an Allemande Right hold, hook your left fingers around the other man's right elbow and buzz-step - makes for a great symmetrical swing.
One thing that contributes to confusion in a same-gender-role swing is that the standard swing isn't symmetrical, so there's that moment of negotiation as both parties try to figure out who takes which position in the swing. That can be either a fun interaction or, as others have pointed out, a moment of stress. Using a symmetrical swing like this one is a great way to ease that moment of indecision. John, do you ever take left hands directly underneath the right-allemande grip instead of cupping elbows? Both grips seem strong and stable, and I don't know whether one works better in the context of the dance.
And I'm coming late to this discussion and just getting caught up, so I apologize if somebody else has already made this same point.
Kalia
