Re: [Callers] Symmetrical Swings

Kalia asked, re the Galway Swing, "John, do you ever take left hands directly underneath the right-allemande grip instead of cupping elbows?" Yes, and no. If I have just one symmetrical swing with each neighbour then I will tend to go for the Galway Swing every time - just force of habit. If I have a good partner, then I will do a different swing every time through the dance, especially if it is a balance & swing. I do a conventional ballroom-hold swing for the first one or two swings while we get used to each other, then I will start playing around. If you take left hands in an arm-wrestling hold below the right hands you get what I know as a Scottish Crossed Wrists hold. It is not one I use a lot - maybe I should try it a bit more. It is probably slightly more intuitive than the Galway Swing - when I start that I usually have to say, "take my elbow", and there can still be a slight delay as realisation dawns. In the Crossed Wrists hold I would be offering my left hand in an obvious way so maybe it would get the swing going sooner. It would also avoid the challenge of people either not cupping the elbow well and sliding away, or digging their thumbs into my elbow in an unpleasant way! Definitely worth trying. Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent