Re: [Callers] Buzz Step Swing

Yes, of course I always tell dancers that they can walk instead of buzz, but the buzz-step is so much more fun that it seems crazy not to teach it when every dance is going to have a swing and usually two. <Digression:> Yes, I love swinging, and have been loving it for fifty years now, but why does every new dance have to have two swings? Oh no, not Neighbour Balance & Swing, Circle Left 3/4, Partner Swing again - that's half the dance gone with nothing new or interesting in it! (And changing the Circle Left 3/4 to Men/Ladies Allemande 1 & 1/2 does not make it more interesting!) I write lots of dances with one or zero swings - a zero-swing dance can have so much good stuff in it that the dancers don't even notice there is no swing; they are having too much fun. It always puzzles me when people take a great one-swing dance and re-choreograph it to add a second swing, losing part of what made it a great dance just for the sake of even more swinging. <End of digression.> I found it interesting that Ron said, "the buzz-step swing gets axed if I'm short on time". If I only had time to teach one thing then the only thing I would teach would be the buzz-step swing, and how to finish it so you end up in the right place. I can't think of anything else that newcomers can't learn during the walk-throughs. Question: If you were calling for a group with a dozen newcomers in the hall out of 100 people, and the organizers said you could have two minutes teaching before you started the first walk-through, what would you teach? For me the answer is obvious, every dance has a buzz-step swing; teach a buzz-step swing. Another reason for teaching swinging is that there are a significant number of "experienced" dancers who have bad swinging habits. I dance all over the USA and the UK and wherever I go there are always some people who: - grip, clamp, squeeze, hang, press - hold their partner in the wrong place so it is uncomfortable - use too much strength and try to do silly things like making their partners feet leave the floor - lean sideways or backwards - start twirls too late and when they are facing the wrong way so that they end up in the wrong place - etc. If just a couple of those dancers pick up on any of these points and improve their swinging then you have done good work! Yes, I hate it when callers talk too much and take time out of dancing time. But this can be really short: Sample teach: = = = = = = = = Hi, I'm John. We have some new people here today and they are going to spend half an hour swinging tonight, so please let's spend a minute or two on showing them how it's done. And all you great dancers out there why not see if you can't make your swing even better for you and your partners. This is called a buzz-step swing. First, let go of you partner completely. Put your left toe just behind your right foot like this. Now walk fast on the spot. Now push with your left foor as though you were on a skateboard and turn clockwise by yourself on the spot. Relax your knees so you don't bounce up and down. See how smoothly.you can turn with the minimum of effort. Now take your partner in a ballroom hold - the man's hand on the lady's shoulderblade - it is far more comfotable for the lady if you hold them up high. Now relax - make sure you are not pressing on any part of your partner. And swing - it should be a gentle embrace where, as a single counterbalanced unit, you glide smoothly and effortlessly around. Smile at your partner and you won't get dizzy. Now think of your joined hands as an arrowhead and finish pointing at the other couple. If you are having trouble with the buzz-step then you can always just walk. = = = = = = = = I just timed that and it took less than 90 seconds. Surely that is worth doing! Yes, some of them won’t get it, but for those who do you have just greatly enhanced their enjoyment of the evening. Anyway, that's what I think. :-) Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent