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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Hmm… I seem to have stirred up a hornet’s nest! It is great to see discussion on this important topic.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>There are two very different forearm holds.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>*** In front of the elbow ***:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>This is the MWSD version. Callerlab defines it as:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“<span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Forearm: The arms are held past the wrist but not past the elbow joint. Each dancer places the hand on the inside of the arm of the person with whom he is to work. The fingers and thumb are held in close. The center of the turn will be at the joined arms, so, while turning, each dancer is moving equally around the other.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>I think this is what Andrea is describing (my apologies if I am wrong).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>I don’t like this one. Sorry.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>The connection is not as good as it could be.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Good connection can often only be achieved by gripping the other person’s arm.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>It provides the opportunity to grip hard.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>I often find that, due to different arm lengths, the gap between by thumb and index finger is pressed against the inside of the other person’s upper arm. This can be uncomfortable.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>The one I do like is:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>*** Behind the elbow ***:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Put your thumb beside your fingers. Curve your hand. Place your forearms together. Place your curved hand behind your partner’s forearm, just above the elbow. Get close enough so that your upper arm is vertical.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>This is a great connection.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>There is no need to grip.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>You are close together so that you can turn really well.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>It is very effective for 1.5 turns.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Thumbs are not involved so the chance of gripping is greatly reduced.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>It can be achieved instantaneously.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>There is little opportunity to mess it up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>You can see it being used in this video: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_wncJcFPVo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_wncJcFPVo</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>There is a good example 5 seconds in - look at the second couple on the right (two ladies - one in grey).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>We use this hold for all sorts of dances in the UK. It is great for Strip the Willow and Lock Chain Swings (i.e. Grand Right and Left where you don’t pull by, instead you turn 1.5 times with each dancer).<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>I would thoroughly recommend this as an alternative Allemande style.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Try them and see what you think.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>(P.S. The really sad thing about that video Is the swings. If only the caller had told them to take the same forearm hold and join left hands underneath, then they could have had so much more fun swinging!)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>(P.P.S. I love this dance. Nottingham Swing. I spent my first 50 years in Nottingham, so I have been dancing this dance for nearly 50 years now and I still love it.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>(P.P.P.S. The dance is actually from Northamptonshire - 50 mile south.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> Happy dancing, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> John <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>John Sweeney, Dancer, England john@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>http://contrafusion.co.uk/KentCeilidhs.html for Live Music Ceilidhs <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent</span> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive DVDs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>