How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Swingout
Useful swingout tips from Joel & Melanie and Sean & Tonya:
Lean back into lead's arm on 3 & 4, but lean back and up, not down (makes you heavier and less maneuverable).
Rock-step with hips--whole center--not just legs. This keeps your rock steps from being too big and putting you off balance.
Try rock-stepping back or in place instead of travelling forward on 1 & 2. This gives you more travel-space on the triple step.
Try ending the swing-out with hips parallel to the line of dance, rather than facing partner. Then if you turn to face partner on next 1 & 2, it automatically inserts swivels.
Variation: on 1 & 2, cross right leg over left and hop R, L.
Bobby & Kate showed us out to mix up our Lindy with 6-count East Coast Swing. Combination: swingout, tuck turn, pass turn, Lindy circle
In the interests of completeness, here's what we're working on in our Thursday night classes with Peter and Erica:
Texas Tommy: instead of the lead placing the follow's hand behind her back, he should draw it out and "toss" it, letting it swing into place on its own, so as not to wrench her arm out of her shoulder socket.
Texas Revenge: J-lead, out and to the lead's left (follow's right hip). Follow should lift left arm over her head to get it out of the way, keeping it close to her head so as not to catch lead in jaw. (Of course, if he screws up the Tommy beforehand, he can talk to the elbow.)
Lean back into lead's arm on 3 & 4, but lean back and up, not down (makes you heavier and less maneuverable).
Rock-step with hips--whole center--not just legs. This keeps your rock steps from being too big and putting you off balance.
Try rock-stepping back or in place instead of travelling forward on 1 & 2. This gives you more travel-space on the triple step.
Try ending the swing-out with hips parallel to the line of dance, rather than facing partner. Then if you turn to face partner on next 1 & 2, it automatically inserts swivels.
Variation: on 1 & 2, cross right leg over left and hop R, L.
Bobby & Kate showed us out to mix up our Lindy with 6-count East Coast Swing. Combination: swingout, tuck turn, pass turn, Lindy circle
In the interests of completeness, here's what we're working on in our Thursday night classes with Peter and Erica:
Texas Tommy: instead of the lead placing the follow's hand behind her back, he should draw it out and "toss" it, letting it swing into place on its own, so as not to wrench her arm out of her shoulder socket.
Texas Revenge: J-lead, out and to the lead's left (follow's right hip). Follow should lift left arm over her head to get it out of the way, keeping it close to her head so as not to catch lead in jaw. (Of course, if he screws up the Tommy beforehand, he can talk to the elbow.)