Re: [Organizers] Tips for a swing workshop

The Lady/Raven/Right-hand person (“follow” is a completely wrong term in contra - let me know if you want my essay on that! :-) ) should support ALL of their own weight. I do NOT want to share your weight! Each person should be perfectly balanced. The thing you share is your reaction to centrifugal force - you counterbalance each other by a good connection so that you don’t fly apart. I’m not convinced that putting a hand on my back is going to prevent clamping. Far better to teach both parties not to clamp, hang, grip, pull, squeeze or anything else that could hurt the other person. I always start every swing workshop by saying that the best thing most people can do to improve their swing is to relax. Then I ask them to take a ballroom hold and let their partner know if they are feeling any unwarranted pressure anywhere. The man PLACES his hand on the lady’s shoulder blade and you are connected. The only thing anyone should use any muscles for after that is to counteract centrifugal force. I fully agree about shoulder problems. I have had two shoulder operations so far… :-( Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 http://contrafusion.co.uk/KentCeilidhs.html for Live Music Ceilidhs http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive DVDs From: bobfab(a)aol.com <bobfab(a)aol.com> Sent: 19 June 2019 11:59 To: john(a)modernjive.com; organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Subject: Re: [Organizers] Tips for a swing workshop Hand on back of shoulder prevents the dreaded elbow clamp, And reinforces that the follow needs to support SOME of their own weight. Both of those issues have caused me shoulder problems.