Re: [Organizers] Tips for a swing workshop

When teaching, I ask the ladies to place their left hand on the gent's shoulder and to support their own arm (i.e., not merely rest her arm on the gent's arm, but to actively feel her part of the subtle push-me-pull-you dynamic of the frame). When I run into a dreaded "clamper," I will in the case of a neighbor try to ignore the discomfort and enjoy the interaction. In the case of a partner, I will ask her, for me, to place her hand/arm as I described above. I make it a point that my request is about my own comfort, and other men may or may not experience the same discomfort. *clampers: people who lock down on my arm, in the process typically restricting my right elbow, with their left arm. This is sometimes accompanied by a hand gripped tightly around my arm between my bicep and my shoulder. These things I find uncomfortable (and I presume others do as well). I occasionally have someone who rests a lost of weight on my arm, in which case (if I choose to say anything), I again make it about me and my bodily limitations and comfort. I am currently strong and healthy, and can support a certain amount of weight and/or sloppy dancing, but I don't wish to encourage it. --Jerome Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com "Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe