Hola all, 

So Amy's followup to her "Is this a new dance" query brought up something i've been thinking about for a while. (Amy & Tom - i'm collecting it with Tom's B2 modification and attributing it as Wimmer, variation Hinds.) 

A 16-count swing does go on forever. But it is also awesome - and i mean truly awesome - to have a full 12-count swing plus 4 counts to pull off one of the more time consuming flourishes (like the ripcord twirl, seen in the wild here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVpR6SxWsM4&list=RDIVquC0jqCXs&t=2m2s and taught here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbyoOPc0rHQ, one of my favorite swing ending flourishes but one that takes too much time to be executed in an 8-count swing window). 

I know attitudes on twirls vary, so i should state clearly my opinion: i think flourishes, while neither traditional nor intrinsic to our dance form, add a lot to contra when they are executed safely, consensually, and in a manner mindful of the foursome and set as a whole. That to me implies that when and how to use twirls well - and how to time them - can be a potential style point when dances allow for them, particularly where a 16-count swing may bore or tire dancers, yet allows plenty of time to flourish and arrive on time for the next move. We could, as choreographers, maybe even write more 16-count swings for use with the crowds that love to flourish. Less subtle: If you're calling a 16-count swing, why not point out to the dancers there's no excuse for arriving late after a flourish?

The A1 placement of the partner swing in Amy's dance "Feelin' the Bern" also appeals to me for a quite specific reason. Some callers are of a mind that every dance should end with a swing, while others (this camp including myself) feel that getting back on the microphone to change the final B to accomplish that is bad form, but do appreciate the elegance of being with or at least aimed toward your partner at the end of a dance and try to facilitate that effect when possible, and others don't give a crap about where dancers are facing when the music stops. (NOTE: This is to acknowledge the various camps, not to launch a thread on which approach is better!!!) Flowing from this, i fully support A1 partner swings, because it's another way to accomplish the aimed-toward-partner-when-dance-ends thing that doesn't involve an A1 circle L or slide. ;-)