Re: [Callers] American with style

Here is my pitch for teaching the buzz step: 1) If you watch what happens to a person's body when you say the word "walk", a non-dancer will automatically lean forward and catch their weight on a foot thrust forward, without regard to which foot. This is bad for swing in two ways: the weight is now on their partner, and the inside foot might or might not be tracing a smaller cycle than the left. Believe me when I say that a big guy leaning on a smaller woman and pulling her off center by walking with evenish steps is unpleasant, even painful. 2) if you teach the walk, and people become accustomed to it, even doing it badly, why would they change to a buzz step? 3) a buzz step is rhythmic, right foot landing on the heavy beats. Walk swing is often not as done by new dancers. You can teach the buzz step easily and most dancers will be able to do it. The simple note that all energy that goes up and down is wasted energy gets all but the I curable hoppers to settle down. I always tell dancers that if they need to modify the swing step for whatever reason, be sure to continue allowing their mass to flow outward as is natural due to the rotational force, and to keep their right foot taking smaller pivoting steps past their co swinger's right foot. I personally add that a wide stance will pull coswinger of their center and thus strides should be kept tight. Aim high, and take the time and attention to give new dancers the skill to manage this most ubiquitous of dance calls. Their satisfaction and that of all their partners and neighbors will be much greater for it. Some may still settle on a walk swing, but proper teaching will have clued them in to how the swing should feel and you are less likely to have leaning and other bad habits. You have given them permission and tools to adapt as needed. Cheers, Andrea Sent from my iPhone On Mar 11, 2012, at 3:34 PM, Donna Calhoun <tncontracaller(a)gmail.com> wrote: