learn to lindy hop

My group lessons lasted 6 weeks. They were in LA-style lindy. I think this was what I needed to start getting the hang of this dance. I still have tons to learn, and I’m not sure I’m ready to take this goal off the list. The lessons were quite good overall, and I will probably take more with these instructors. The only thing I would change, and I think I will let them know this, is to do a short review of what we’ve learned at the halfway point and the conclusion of the series. This would take only 10 minutes or so, and I think it would have helped cement what we covered in my mind. For myself, I think next time I will keep some notes on what was covered in each class. Perhaps I will post them here.

The lessons were here: http://www.tokioswing.com/

My first (group) lesson was very informative. I like this instructor’s teaching style: he explains a lot of details, even about the most fundamental aspects such as hand grip, and he methodically builds on previous material. And he basically explained that just about every beat in lindy hop is led. That alone has helped a lot, and means I need to be more clear about every movement.

I’m signed up for a series of beginner lessons starting this week.

Balboa is another style of swing dancing, still not lindy hop but once again I am writing it here for future reference. I took a lesson on this prior to a dance a couple of months ago now. Balboa is usually danced to very fast music, where other swing styles would be difficult. Because of the very tiny steps used in balboa the fast dancing is easier.

This is the basic balboa step. The leader and follower start pressed tightly together. The follower is slightly offset to the leader’s right. In balboa, the follower really has no choice but to follow due to the close connection.

The dance has a startup phase before the basic step begins. Here is the startup phase:
1, 2: leader changes weight to left foot
3, 4: leader changes weight to right foot
5: leader changes weight to left foot
6: leader steps slightly back and to the right with right foot
7: leader slightly lifts left foot off the ground

Now the steady state part of the dance begins.
1: leader changes weight to left foot.
2: leader steps with right foot next to left foot.
3: leader steps with left foot diagonally in front of and left of where it was
4: leader raises right foot slightly off the ground
5: leader changes weight to right foot
6: leader steps with left foot next to right foot
7: leader steps with right foot diagonally behind and right of where it was
8: leader raises left foot slightly off the ground

Note that while the dance is going the couple seem to stay on a slightly diagonal track from upper left to lower right from the leader’s perspective. As the dance is going, an easy way to think of the rhythm is “step step step lift, step step step lift”. It looks a lot like taking little tiny steps on the diagonal and lifting one foot every 4 counts.

There is one problem with what I’ve described, and that is the startup phase doesn’t have the correct number of counts. I’ll have to research and see if I learned something wrong there or have already forgotten something important about it.

Took a short lindy hop lesson before a swing dance last night. For my own reference (and possibly others’ benefit, though it is very difficult to describe dancing) I will write what I learned here. As I am most familiar with east coast swing, my comparisons are to that. Lindy hop is a spot dance and similar to east coast swing. However, its basic “swing out” move uses 8 counts rather than 6 counts.

Start from open position.

The count is as follows:
1, 2, 3&4, 5, 6, 7&8

From the leader’s perspective:

1 – Left foot rock step (back step)
2 – change weight to right foot
3&4 – left foot step toward each other into closed position, doing a triple step with the 3&4. While attaching to follower, begin clockwise spin. On 4 should be facing opposite direction from start, in closed position, with weight on left foot.
5 – right foot step forward and to the left to pass follower. Continue spin with follower, especially on right foot plant. Between 5 and 6 begin releasing follower back to open position.
6 – left foot plant and finish spin, should now be facing original direction. Follower released and beginning to move away.
7&8 – right foot begins triple step to the rear. At end of 8 should be back to original open position and ready to begin rock step at count 1 again.

A variation on this basic figure is to remain in closed position for all 8 counts, with the follower ending up 90 degrees further around the circle than when going back to open position. This sets up to lead a tuck turn for the follower, which is very similar to the tuck turn in east coast swing.

What I don’t yet understand is that it seems that some figures are 8 counts and some are 6, and I don’t know how or if that is communicated.

I’m going to have to take some focused lessons to do this.
I think it’s more difficult than east coast swing, but
looks really nice too. And besides, all the hep cats are
doing it! :)