I really, really don’t like the term “giving weight”.  It is a technical term that is too easily misunderstood. As soon as you mention giving weight some people will start to lean or pull.  I don’t believe that leaning or pulling have any place in contra dancing.  All that leaning and pulling do is throw your partner off balance and tire them out.

I do actually use a lean sometimes in teaching first-timers:

“Make a circle, elbows down, hands up, now lean back very slightly. Can you feel a little tension in your arms? OK stand up straight and never, ever lean again! J  That little tension you felt was the kind of tension you need in your arms to feel connected to those on either side of you.”

I talk about connection rather than giving weight.

I don’t want your weight!

Please don’t give me any of your weigh!

You are responsible for your own balance..

On the other hand I am very happy to connect to you and create a gentle counterbalance so that we can rotate without flying apart.  I will happily use my muscles to counteract centrifugal force and control our combined mass. (No, I don’t normally talk about mass on the dance-floor!)

This applies to swings, allemandes, two hand turns and any other form of rotation.  It is not wrestling it is dancing.  Always start at zero tension and build up to the minimum that you need to do the move.

Someone said you should press back against your partner's hand in a swing.  Please don’t – all you will do is tire me out!  You connect to each other and make a gentle frame; as you speed up centrifugal force will try to pull you apart; you just apply your muscles to maintain the frame.  It may now feel like you are pushing against the hand, but you are not – centrifugal force is doing all the pushing – adding to it is unnecessary.

Some dancers also put their hand on your back and press to pull you towards them – again this is completely unnecessary and can be quite uncomfortable.

If I want someone to feel the connection I do a fast, skipping, two hand turn with them, or a zesty Galway Swing, generating enough centrifugal force so that they connect (“give weight”) automatically.

Jonathan’s description was good:

"They need to move their center of gravity backwards a little. This can be done by bending the knees and waist a very little, as if you were going to sit down.  That plus the rotation should provide enough force to provide the tension/counterweight.  So we may want the dancers to move the core of their body back a little, but not by leaning."

When you practice that sitting motion you should always do it individually so that you learn to keep your own balance.

            Happy dancing,

                   John

John Sweeney, Dancer, England   john@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574

http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs

http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent