The "Where to place the gent's hand for a swing" is a curious problem for me. I've generally been told I have a good swing, but every once in a while I'll be dancing with someone who insists/demands I move my hand further up on the back or much lower. I do what I'm asked to do. I hesitate to suggest to anyone that swinging involves "leaning back." As for body tension/giving weight, I suggest they use the guide that one uses for gardening and even child rearing -- firm but gentle. Tension but not stiff or rigid. You can do both. I also find myself when dancing with new dancers telling them to relax, body rigidity or stiffness is not the answer and it doesn't help them or the person their dancing with at that moment. Relax. Firm but gentle. Let me know you're there, Thanks.
On Wed, Feb 19, 2014 at 9:33 AM, Harold E. Watson <[email protected]> wrote: > Sometimes we'll hold a quick swing teach during a break. I've always > taught the gents to place their right hands between the ladies shoulder > blades. This provides support for the ladies' backs so they can lean back > into it to balance with swing and it doesn't hurt their back. (We have > some gents that insist on swinging at around 90 RPM.) One of the more > difficult thing I've had to teach beginner ladies is get used to leaning > into that hand. They have a tendency to tightly grip my right shoulder > rather than relax. It can be a difficult concept for a newbie. > > Harold > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] On Behalf Of Les Addison > Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 5:33 PM > To: Caller's discussion list > Subject: Re: [Callers] Height diffferential > > I recently danced with a neighbor who always had his hand perfectly on my > scapula. It was like there was a magnet between his hand and my back, and > i loved it. When I had a chance, between dances, I let him know how much I > appreciated it, and asked him what his trick is, hoping that I could > emulate it. He had no idea, and suggested that maybe I'm just the right > height/size for dancing with him. > > (though if anyone has tips for hand placement as a gent during a swing, > I'm all ears.) > > Les > > > On Tue, Feb 18, 2014 at 3:24 PM, Dale Wilson <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > An interesting topic. > > > > We have women at both ends of the height spectrum. I don't (as far as > > I > > know) have trouble with the short ones, but it took me a while to > > adapt to dancing with women who were considerably taller than I am. > > > > Finally I just asked some of them, "Where should I put my hand to > > support you best during a swing." > > > > The answers varied from one woman to another, and they might well vary > > based on my height, weight and style, but I will say that asking > > worked well. > > > > Dale > > > > > > On Tue, Feb 18, 2014 at 8:23 AM, George Mercer <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > > > A number of years ago I danced a number of times with a woman who > > > was > > much > > > shorter than me. I am about 5'6" or so on a good day. She was > > > probably 4'8" give or take an inch. When we'd go into a swing, as my > > > arm went > > around > > > her to her back, she'd lock her left arm down so that I could hardly > > > get > > my > > > right hand past her side. At first I thought it was bad form on her > > part, > > > but let it be. Then as I watched her dance with others, I realized > > > that when her co-swinger managed to get his arm around her to the > "normal" > > place > > > it had the result of lifting her left side up to what appeared to me > > > to > > be > > > a discomfort level. The taller the man, the further her left side > > > was forced to go. I had to learn a new approach to entering a > > > swing, even to lean toward bad form when the height of the other > > > dancer led me to an adjusted approach. I'm not suggesting we should > > > teach this, but thinking about how your technique (good or bad) can > > > cause another discomfort is worth thinking about. Over the year > > > I've danced enough with men that > > I've > > > also experienced discomfort with this height differential. Just > > > thinking out loud. Thanks. > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Callers mailing list > > > [email protected] > > > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > *So if you knew what was broken...how long would it take you to fix > > it?* _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >
