Leaders - how many fingers do you use in open hold?

[huey]

How many fingers of the left-hand do you hook under in 'open hold'?

And which ones?

Are there any websites giving more information on this?

[Sagitta]

As many as I feel like. It also depends on the follower. Some need the reassurance of more and some are fine with less.

[DWise1]

I assume that by "open hold" you mean the basic swing hand-hold. I haven't thought about it much, but I think that in Lindy I normally use three (index, middle, ring) and often in WCS I'll drop that down to two (index & middle) or even on rare occasion to one (index). It depends in part on the move and in large part on how heavy or light the follow is.

Darn it, now I'm going to be self-conscious about how many and which ones I use.

[Vince A]

. . . from Victor Eijkhout:

2.1 On Hand Tone
In an Open hold, don't squeeze your partner's hands or crush her with your thumb.
Followers, a firm squeeze of your my partner's hand , arm or right shoulder can be used as a collision warning if he's about to back into someone else.

In any hand hold, partners should not grip one another tightly - The _general_ idea that I like the best for describing hand contact while dancing is to imagine that you are washing each other's hands. If I dance with a woman who hangs too much from me, or uses her thumb to grip me, I'll release all hold, put my hands on top of hers, and use only the skin friction to lead. I can do pushes and left and right passes this way without ever giving her the opportunity to apply the grip of death, if you know what I mean. The next-to-worst injuries I've received while dancing (the worst being stepped on with high heels) have been the results of tight grips... like a grip upon my thumb while my partner was trying to spin. Uh, my thumb - he don't revolve! Ever have a partner clamp down on your upper arm in closed dance position like she was as if hanging on for dear life or trying to pinch it off? Owww!!! It's hard to smile when you're wearing a tourniquet...

[Doug]

I always use a "pistol grip" with index finger extended straight out, thumb up and not touching anything, and middle, ring and little fingers forming the hook. Thus although I nominally contact with only three fingers, the index finger can be placed along side her hand to provide additional lateral guiding if required.

[Swingolder]

As a follower, I am asking, have you leaders ever been guilty of that death grip? And how does a follower let you know that it hurts? Pull my hand away? wiggle my fingers (if possible)? say "that hurts"?

[huey]

I always use a "pistol grip" with index finger extended straight out, thumb up and not touching anything, and middle, ring and little fingers forming the hook. Thus although I nominally contact with only three fingers, the index finger can be placed along side her hand to provide additional lateral guiding if required.
Well, that's more or less the position that prompted this thread. I was shown it by a California-based teacher called Andrew Sutton last weekend for the first time (he actually used 2 fingers - the middle one and the fourth). Last night I was alternating between 3 fingers and 4 fingers. Still haven't decided which I prefer. All the other leaders I observed last night used 4.

[huey]

As a follower, I am asking, have you leaders ever been guilty of that death grip? And how does a follower let you know that it hurts? Pull my hand away? wiggle my fingers (if possible)? say "that hurts"?
You mean gripping much too hard? I am sure I have. I think it usually shows fear and inexperience, and should be expected by anyone who dances with inexperienced dancers.

What should a follower do when she feels this and it's hurting? I suppose you could say 'my hand hurts when we grip like this, could we do it like this?' I might do the same if I feel pain with a follower. Saying it in a friendly way is usually best :wink:

[Vince A]

I would say just say it . . . I used to have a bad habit of using my thumb, with very slight pressure on the back of the followers hand. One of my "Hustle" coaches told me about it everytime I danced with her and I used my thumb. It ook a good month or so to break me of that. But she just very politely mentioned 'the thumb.'

[Flat Shoes]

I always use a "pistol grip" with index finger extended straight out, thumb up and not touching anything, and middle, ring and little fingers forming the hook. Thus although I nominally contact with only three fingers, the index finger can be placed along side her hand to provide additional lateral guiding if required.
Well, that's more or less the position that prompted this thread. I was shown it by a California-based teacher called Andrew Sutton last weekend for the first time (he actually used 2 fingers - the middle one and the fourth). Last night I was alternating between 3 fingers and 4 fingers. Still haven't decided which I prefer. All the other leaders I observed last night used 4.
I use the pistol grip too. Once I was shown it, I've never gone back. Don't ask me why, just feels natural.

How many of the fingers I use, I've never thought about. The grip is in the middle finger and the forth. What I do with the little finger, I think is irrelevant.

When it gomes to hard grips, I have on a couple of occasions been told to easy up on the thumb. But this is mainly when 'holding hands' in class. I don't squeeze while dancing (I think).

[Doug]

I think of using 4 fingers as dancing with mittens on, and I think does promote the occasional use of the thumb on the back of the follow's hand to provide additional control. Using 2 or 3 fingers in the hook with the index finger along the side of the follow's hand, and not part of the hook, creates a much more flexible and dynamic hand connection that I feel allows me considerable control and precision without any grippiness to the connection.

[blue]

have you leaders ever been guilty of that death grip? And how does a follower let you know that it hurts? Pull my hand away? wiggle my fingers (if possible)? say "that hurts"?
One of the teachers I've taken classes for pointed out that quite often, the follower has a part in this too. If the leader feels that her hand is very loose and could slide off more or less any second, he might unconciously try to hold her hand in place. In addition to telling him about it, it could be a tip to give him a little bit more solid feeling in the hand.

[d nice]

I use all five. That is after all what they are there for. The key is surface tension. The more surface we have touchiong the more information that is transmitted both ways. Now the main part of the energy is derived from the middle two fingers, but the index and little finger both provide sensitivity and assist in control. I also use the sides of certain fingers as well as the palm. The more surface the more better, but the "power fingers" if you will are the middle two. Depending on the size of your follows hand you may be forced to have a few fingers hanging in the air... but becareful about the pistol grip, or any other grip that puts the index finger along the side of the followers hand... Most leaders fingers are long enough that in this place an uncomfortable amount of pressure can be applied to the followers hand from the side that can cause wrist pains.

[swinginstyle]

I typically use four fingers. The thumb is there, but not to active, meaning I'm not applying pressure with it. My middle finger and ring fingers are the main ones I used, but I have found that a deep four finger grip is best. Paul Overton also mentioned that this minimizes use of your forearm.

[tsb]

I always use a "pistol grip" with index finger extended straight out, thumb up and not touching anything, and middle, ring and little fingers forming the hook. Thus although I nominally contact with only three fingers, the index finger can be placed along side her hand to provide additional lateral guiding if required.
Well, that's more or less the position that prompted this thread. I was shown it by a California-based teacher called Andrew Sutton last weekend for the first time (he actually used 2 fingers - the middle one and the fourth). Last night I was alternating between 3 fingers and 4 fingers. Still haven't decided which I prefer. All the other leaders I observed last night used 4.
I use the pistol grip too. Once I was shown it, I've never gone back. Don't ask me why, just feels natural.


i think part of it is that:
- we can increase the clarity of the lead by how we use the index finger along the side of her hand;
- if our arms are poised like we're pointing our finger like a gun barrel, our natural inclination is to keep our hands near waist level, which eliminates one common beginner error in holding our hands too high;
- i feel like i have a more fluid range of motion in wrist rotation (like looking at my watch) with an extended index finger vs. a closed fist;
- except in the case of extreme beginners who tend to do the death grip around the middle & ring fingers, all it takes is a slight nudge downward with my thumb on the base of her middle finger to prompt the follower to reshape her hand into a mutually comfortable grip if she initially curls her fingers into more of a fist;


How many of the fingers I use, I've never thought about. The grip is in the middle finger and the forth. What I do with the little finger, I think is irrelevant.


that's where i hang my tea bag.


When it gomes to hard grips, I have on a couple of occasions been told to easy up on the thumb. But this is mainly when 'holding hands' in class. I don't squeeze while dancing (I think).

in normal hold my thumbs do not make contact; i tend to use the thumb primarily in 'compliance' technique:
- to prompt my partner to shift her grip because it's currently uncomfortable for me;
- i'm trying to influence her wrist to rotate to prompt her to straighten her arm (kind of an aikido technique);
- i'm trying to influence her wrist to rotate to prompt her to minimze her body movement - example: if she's taking a HUGE rock step, i try to move the hands apart as far as possible & point her palms downward to minimize her range of motion. this is also effective in salsa.

[twnkltoz]

Ok, granted I'm primarily a ballroom dancer, but I do take WCS from actual swing dancers. When I lead, I basically use the pistol grip...but I tuck my index finger loosely underneath her hand, as long as it doesn't interfere.

I lead with primarily one finger--my middle finger. It's centrally located on my hand and gives the lady a concentrated lead. As a follower, I don't like holding the man's whole hand...it feels clunky and...well, yucky. I get all I need from that one finger. Sure, the other ones are there, but that's all...just there.

[Flat Shoes]

I get all I need from that one finger. :oops: :lol:

[twnkltoz]

I get all I need from that one finger. :oops: :lol:

:P