syncopations in lindy footwork

New exciting (for me!) milestones reached. Wednesday was able to:

1) watch a Ryan and Jenny teeny (visually) and short (30seconds?) video clip and learn a new variation for the 7&8 in the swingout: standing knees and feet together and bending to L/R/L on 6/7/8

and then went out dancing and

2) was able to finally(!) get how to put scissors into the swingout so it now goes (when improvising, not being led) 5 6 7&8&1&2 3&4, starting kick to the left on 7 and doing two scissors, then resuming regular footwork (triple) on the 3&4.

This inspires me to pursue my impulse to ask other swing dancers to share syncopations, how they work, how you learned them. Yet I know this is difficult to do in words.

Swingin'Boo on Tango Argentino thread said:

Oy, I don't know how I could learn to dance from reading a detailed description. I realize there are times here when I ask how to do a certain move and I try to figure it out from there. That can even be difficult, and I have a background knowledge of the dance in which the question springs from.

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Please share your thoughts; is this a worthwhile way to support each others' creativity?

I know how difficult it was for us to talk about applejacks the other day!

Blessings,

Sue

Some people have a really great way of thinking and can break down moves well through the written word. I can do my best to follow what others have written. Unfortunately, I can't seem to explain things very well in writing. Heck, people ask me sometimes what it is I'm doing with my feet when I alter my swivels to a quick kick...and I've been completely oblivious to it. You know? It's like I dance, I don't think -- which probably won't help me in the long run.

I wonder if you were able to make any sense of the "scissors" variation...If it's too obscure for you I guess I'll just drop this attempt to widen the input stream.

Blessings,

Sue

The 'scissors' is a nice variation to the normal swingout. A kickout can be fun, too. The Can't Top the Lindy Hop workshop video has quite a few moves/steps that you can put in there. I believe the 'scissors' are in there, but it's been a while since I've watched it.

At the ALHC weekend I took a workshop called "Hollyvoy" combination of hollywood style lindy and savoy. We did a few syncopations that were fun, one of them being the scissors. We did another where the leader leads a lindy turn but lets the follower go straight back during the 5 6 7&8 and on the 6 you break with your feet apart like you are doing jumping jacks facing away from the leader, hold 7, and jump back in the middle for &8.

We did another where you twist your body, crossing steps with your feet on 7 8. Your weight is then on your right foot with the left hooked behind. You do your first swivel from the 8 on the right foot then step on the left for count two then complete the pattern with two triple steps.

It was a really neat workshop. It was taught by Sylvia Sykes. She's a really great dancer and fun teacher.

HepcatBob said:

The 'scissors' is a nice variation to the normal swingout. A kickout can be fun, too. The Can't Top the Lindy Hop workshop video has quite a few moves/steps that you can put in there. I believe the 'scissors' are in there, but it's been a while since I've watched it.

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I searched for the clip and found a short one...didn't see anything I could identify as a kickout. Can you break it down?

Thx

Sue

SwinginBoo said:

At the ALHC weekend

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How did you do in the jack n jill?

I took a workshop called "Hollyvoy" combination of hollywood style lindy and savoy. We did a few syncopations that were fun, one of them being the scissors. We did another where the leader leads a lindy turn but lets the follower go straight back during the 5 6 7&8 and on the 6 you break with your feet apart like you are doing jumping jacks facing away from the leader, hold 7, and jump back in the middle for &8.

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Okay I think I have this one...If I'm right, it gets led all the time and makes for fun in&out syncopated low jumps. I practiced it this morning unled and see where I can use it to improvise. Great.

We did another where you twist your body, crossing steps with your feet on 7 8. Your weight is then on your right foot with the left hooked behind. You do your first swivel from the 8 on the right foot then step on the left for count two then complete the pattern with two triple steps.

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This one is harder...with the left hooked behind I can swivel to the right on the 8. What my body wants to do more than anything after that is to suzyQ to the left! Stepping on the two and continuing the pattern feels awkward...any tips?

It was a really neat workshop. It was taught by Sylvia Sykes. She's a really great dancer and fun teacher.

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I agree...Sylvia is great. I had two classes with her at Camp H'wood and can't wait to be in her class--any class--again.

Blessings,

Sue

suek said:

SwinginBoo said:

At the ALHC weekend

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How did you do in the jack n jill?

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I had a lot of fun doing it. I got a couple of pretty good leaders, but there were so many couples dancing on the floor I have no idea how they decided who advanced and who didn't. :?

suek said:

SwinginBoo said:

We did another where you twist your body, crossing steps with your feet on 7 8. Your weight is then on your right foot with the left hooked behind. You do your first swivel from the 8 on the right foot then step on the left for count two then complete the pattern with two triple steps.

Click to expand...

This one is harder...with the left hooked behind I can swivel to the right on the 8. What my body wants to do more than anything after that is to suzyQ to the left! Stepping on the two and continuing the pattern feels awkward...any tips?

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I can totally understand wanting to start a Suzie Q after that. I'm still working on it. It is difficult to do if your leader is not paying attention to your footwork because if he pulls you forward then you lose your balance and can't do it. I guess that after you step on two remember that you're already at two and be ready to turn for 3&4. That's not really great advice, but the syncopations sometimes throw me off when I'm counting differently so thinking about where I should be on 3&4 helps.

suek said:

I searched for the clip and found a short one...didn't see anything I could identify as a kickout. Can you break it down?

Thx

Sue

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Sorry, my bad. The 'kickout ' isn't on Can't Top the Lindy Hop. It's on one of Frankie & Erin's videos.

It's pretty easy. Instead of doing swivels or a rock-step on beats 1 & 2, you turn your back to your partner and kick on 1, and then turn back facing your partner on 2.

Cool tip, HepcatBob! I bet I could adapt one of my WCS moves using your idea!

Jenn,
This past weekend they had several syncopations workshops. One of the workshops taught the leader and/or the follower to "hold" count 1, then step with a kick or a tap, counts & 2 rather quickly - kinda like a kick-ball-change feel to it. It can be done on a right side pass, a left side pass, a whip, and a push. It's easier for the follow at times, since with some of those moves, the lead doesn't always step backwards.

You can also do the "hold, & 2" thing at "hold, & 6."

SD took the class . . . I just watched as I hate taking the workshops. So, he can add more to this if you need it. I think the followers liked it more than the leaders, as it really changed the leaders footwork, although most leaders actually do this move at times without thinking about it.