Moves - Imperial Swing Dancing

Bonus Supplement for:

Imperial Swing Dancing (Errata plus Additional ‘Moves ’ and Learning T i p s)

By Henry H. Culver, Jr. Certified Swing Dance Instructor

Bonus Supplement Henry H. Culver, Jr. Certified Swing Dance Instructor

Metal Sculpture of Club Logo Created by Chuck Shramitaro

I wrote Imperial Swing Dancing and this accompanying Bonus Supplement for dancers of every skill level in order to preserve St. Louis’ unique style of East Coast Swing known as ‘the Imperial.’ My manual, together with its bundled DVD performed by Matt and Crystal Auclair, describes and demonstrates how to perform this popular dance which, over the past five decades, has become an integral part of our nation’s rich, cultural heritage. I hope that Imperial Swing Dancing will perpetuate ‘the Imperial’ by promoting its enjoyment and by encouraging its instruction at all swing dance clubs located throughout the United States. Henry H. “Skip” Culver, Jr., Author

Copyright © 2008 - 2011 by Henry H. Culver, Jr. DBA: Flight Information Publications Company. All Rights Reserved Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of the Bonus Supplement may be reproduced or distributed in whole or in part, in any form or by any means, without prior written permission of the author. The copyright specifically covers all of the proprietary wording used in this First Edition booklet, the FlipsCo logo artwork, the photographs and the graphics that are an integral part of this publication. Address all inquiries to: Flight Information Publications Company, 643 Old Riverwoods Lane, Chesterfield, MO 63017–2220. First Edition E-Book ISBN: 0 – 9601062 – 5 – 1 Printed in the United States of America

Tips On Using Your Imperial Swing Manual The best way to learn how to swing dance is to take private lessons with one of the many professional, swing dance instructors in St. Louis like Matt Auclair. Private lessons are the fast track to proficiency but they are expensive. Most people learn how to swing dance by joining a club and then taking the club’s weekly group dance lessons. Since only certified instructors teach at those clubs affiliated with the Midwest Swing Dance Federation, their structured lessons are excellent. The Imperial Swing Dancing manual and its accompanying supplement are comprehensive reference texts that will help you remember how to perform the swing moves that you are taught in class. As you progress from the Basic through the Advanced classes, these texts will introduce you to hundreds of new moves. Below are five useful tips on how to use the manual while you are learning how to swing dance: Tip #1:

For an overview of Imperial Swing dancing in St. Louis, read the Preface, Author’s Comments, Table of Contents and the Foreword at the beginning of the manual. Afterwards, familiarize yourself with the Index at the back of the manual so that you can locate the page numbers of the specific moves that you are learning in class.

Tip #2:

Review the Basic I Lesson Plans in the Appendix of the manual then read the Imperial Swing Syllabus in the middle of this supplement.

Tip #3:

Begin by watching the moves that Matt Auclair teaches on the DVD before you read their descriptions in the manual. To learn a move, begin by remembering its entry position and initial hand-lead.

Tip #4:

Read the beginning of both the Basic III section (on page 51) and the Intermediate section (on page 203). Newer dancers tend to become preoccupied with the Basic I section of the manual and neglect to read about the various hand-leads and breaksteps.

Tip #5:

Read the colorful History of Imperial Swing in the manual’s Appendix.

Additional ‘Moves’ and Learning Tips (for the Imperial Swing Dancing manual)

The miscellaneous dance moves discussed on the following pages are not presented in any particular order. Although most of these moves are already described in the manual in much greater detail, I am revisiting them here either to highlight specific points that I may not have sufficiently emphasized in the text, or to add entry or exit embellishments that will make them more versatile, and therefore easier to integrate into an extended pattern. Move #1:

Hammerlock Hug Return (into the Closed Position): The male dancer begins this move in the open position by leading his partner into a crossover into a left over right hand lead. On the next six counts of the music, he leads her into the beginning of a “Hammerlock Hug” that is described on page 171. As he brings his partner’s left hand over his head with his left hand, he drops her hand as he simultaneously positions his right hand at the middle of her back and he picks up her right hand into the closed position.

Move #2:

Man’s Hammerlock Return: On the 1 and 2 count, male dancer uses a left hand lead in the open position to move his partner into a basic crossover. On the 3 and 4 count, he rotates clockwise and turns himself into a “Man’s Hammerlock Wrap” (see page 173). With his left hand hammerlocked behind his back, the male dancer pulls his partner around clockwise as he brings his right hand over her head and he picks up her left hand in front of her. After stepping around a half-turn, he raises his right hand behind his partner’s head; he moves back-to-back behind her over to her left side, and then he brings his left hand over her head and leads her counterclockwise into the closed position.

Move #3:

Opposed Hammerlock Wrap Exit (into the Closed Position): This exit is the new Exit #8 that follows Exit #7 described in the manual on page 234. The male dancer may begin this eight-count move by leading his partner into the “Opposed Hammerlock Wrap” position using any one of the fifteen entries presented on pages 226 – 232. Let’s assume that he enters the wrap using Entry #1b on page 226; i.e., that he uses a two-hand lead in the open position to rotate her into the wrap with an in-place turn. On the 1 and 2 count, the male dancer leads his partner into the “Opposed Hammerlock Wrap.” On the 3 – 4 count, which is verbalized as “Walk – Walk,” he continues to hold her in the wrapped position while he leads her into a clockwise, half-turn rotation. As he begins his two step “walk,” he simultaneously raises his left hand (holding her right hand) up to his neck. On the 5 and 6 count, he drops his partner’s

left hand (behind her back); he rotates around counterclockwise, in-place next to her holding only her right hand at his neck which he drops shortly after beginning his turn, and then he either picks up her right hand again as he faces her in the open position, or he positions his right hand behind her back as he holds her in the closed position where they execute their 7 – 8 count breakstep. Move #4:

Tuck with a Half-Turn (into the Closed Position or into a Satellite): This move, which is also called a “Rotating Tuck and Turn,” begins in the closed position. On the 1 and 2 count, the male dancer tucks his partner in front of him. On the 3 and 4 count, he raises his left hand and he rotates her in-place into a clockwise a half-turn. Simultaneously, he executes a counterclockwise, half-turn bringing her right hand down in front of him as he leads her around into the closed position again with his right hand behind her back. The male dancer may use this move as an alternative entry into a “Satellite” (see page 194). From his closed position stance, he tucks his partner in front of him, he picks up her left hand with his left hand at his right shoulder and then he leads her half-turns alternating his left hand from behind his head to in front of him.

Move #5:

Up-Yours Position into a Man’s Neck Wrap (into the Closed Position): The male dancer rotates his partner counterclockwise so that he holds her in the “up-yours” position. Simultaneously, he rotates clockwise through the gap in their arms into (almost) a “Man’s Neck Wrap”; afterwards, he drops his partner’s left hand, he picks it up her right hand with his left hand as he simultaneously positions his right hand behind her back in the closed position.

Move #6:

“She Goes / He Goes” (with a Man’s Clockwise Turn): This move, like the basic “She Goes / He Goes” described on page 16, begins in the open position. On the 5 – 6 count, the male dancer executes a left breakstep to make room for his partner in the slot. On the 1 and 2 count, the male dancer uses a left hand lead to move her forward in the slot, past his right side, and into a counterclockwise, half-turn. As he leads her she goes turn by raising his left hand and circling it around her head, he begins a clockwise, quarter turn rotation so on the “2” count, he momentarily faces across the slot with his partner on his right. On the 3 and 4 count, the male dancer executes his he goes turn by simultaneously positioning his left hand (holding his partner’s right hand) at the base of his neck by his left shoulder; he hooks his left foot behind his right foot, and then he rotates clockwise, one-and-a-quarter turns to face her again in the open position. While the male dancer executes his turn, his left hand brushes round his neck. As he completes his

Move #63:

Overhead, Inside, Illusion Turn (with a Left Over Right Hand Lead): To create a pattern by adding another move after exiting the “Straight Jacket,” the male dancer may lead his partner into the “Overhead, Inside, Illusion Turn (with a Left Over Right Hand Lead)” that is described on page 282. On the 5 – 6 count he executes a left breakstep. On the 1 and 2 count, the male dancer uses his left over right hand lead to rotate his partner counterclockwise into an overhead, illusion turn. He leads this by positioning his right (lead) hand, holding her right hand, above his left hand, holding her left hand, as he rotates her around with his right hand into her continuous, inside turns. When her right hand breaks against the top side of his left wrist with each rotation, he momentarily lets go of her hand as it contacts his wrist, and then he immediately picks her hand up again on the other (bottom) side of his left wrist with his right hand. Afterwards, the male dancer completes the pattern by picking up his partner’s right hand (into a left hand lead) in the open position where he leads her into their 5 – 6 count breakstep.

Move #64:

Reverse Straight Jacket (into a Left Arm Duck-Under): This move, which is also called a “Reverse Straight Jacket Come-Around Exit (into the Open Position),” is preferred over its mirror opposite, twin move that is executed using a “Straight Jacket” because most leaders prefer to travel clockwise around their followers into the open position (see Alternative Exit #3, page 367). On the first six counts of the music, the male dancer uses a left hand lead to move his partner into a basic crossover with a hand change into a right over left hand lead. On the next 1 and 2 count, he leads her into another crossover as he rotates her clockwise into a “Reverse Straight Jacket.” In this position, the male dancer faces his partner’s back and his left hand rests on her right shoulder. On the 3 and 4 count, he steps clockwise around his partner, and when he passes abreast of her left side, he brings his right forearm over her head as he steps in front of her into the open position with a resultant left over right hand lead. Afterwards, the male dancer uses this hand positioning to lead his partner into their next move after they execute their optional 5 – 6 count breakstep.

Move #65

She Goes / She Goes (into a Left Arm Waist Wrap): This move is like the “She Goes / He Goes” (see page 16), except that after male dancer leads his partner into the crossover, he moves her forward again into a waist wrap. The male dancer begins the move in the open position while holding his partner with a left hand lead. After his 5 – 6 count left breakstep, he leads her forward in the slot on the 1 and 2 count with his left hand into a basic crossover. On the 3 and 4 count, after she moves past his right shoulder, he steps across the slot to his right with his raised left hand extended to his

she continues to rotate another half-turn to face him in a “Reverse Neck Wrap” as his right hand hammerlocks her left hand behind her back. On the next 1 and 2 count, the male dancer leads (pushes) his partner straight down the slot past him. On the 3 and 4 count, he steps across the slot over to his right with his right foot while he turns counterclockwise a quarter-turn to face across the slot. Simultaneously, he raises both of his hands above his head (keeping his right arm below his left arm) and he brings them over to his left shoulder into the “up-yours” position which rotates his partner counterclockwise a half-turn (see page 263). On the next 1 and 2 count, the male dancer uses this hand positioning to throw his partner out into another neck or waist wrap (see page 231). Move #96: Shake and Wrist Lead into “Backwards Neck Wraps”: This move begins in the open position. On the first six-counts of the music, the male dancer leads his partner into a crossover with a hand change into a left over right hand (or shake and wrist) lead. On the following 1 and 2 count, he raises his left hand (leaving his right hand at waist level) and he pulls his partner around clockwise a half-turn into a “Backwards Neck Wrap”.*1 In this position, he holds his partner’s left hand (palm-out) with his left hand (palm-in) at the right side of her neck, and he holds her right hand with his right hand at the left side of her waist. On the 3 and 4 count, the male dancer drops his partner’s right hand at the left side of her waist and then, using his left hand at the right side of her neck, he pulls her around clockwise one-and-a-half turns into a left arm “Hammerlock Wrap.” Simultaneously, he steps around clockwise a half-turn in the slot and picks up his partner’s right hand with his right hand over on his left side in front of him. On the 5 – 6 count the male dancer leads her into a breakstep as they step in-place. into the second “backwards neck wrap”: On the next 1 and 2 count, the male dancer raises his right hand (holding his partner’s right hand) and, holding her left hand at waist level, he steps around counterclockwise a half-turn in the slot as he pulls her around counterclockwise one-and-a-half turns into a second “Backwards Neck Wrap.” Simultaneously, and he ends up holding his partner’s right hand with his right hand at the left side of her neck and he holds her left hand with his left hand at the right side of her waist. On the 3 and 4 count, the male dancer raises his right hand positioned at his partner’s neck (holding her right hand) and then, while he steps around clockwise a half-turn, he uses his left hand at her waist to pull her around clockwise into a left arm “Hammerlock Wrap”.*2 On the 5 – 6 count, he leads his partner, who stands on his right, into their breakstep.

On the next 1 and 2 count, the male dancer drops his partner’s left hand and he uses his right hand to rotate her counterclockwise, one-and-a-half turns into the open position. On the 3 and 4 count, he picks up a left hand lead and then, on the 5 – 6 count, he leads her into their concluding breakstep. *Note 1: In both a traditional neck wrap and in a backwards neck wrap, the male dancer’s hand is positioned palm-in (towards) his partner’s neck and he holds her hand positioned palm-out. The only difference between these neck wraps is that in the former wrap the male dancer stands in front of his partner and in the latter wrap, he stands behind her. In a reverse neck wrap, the male dancer stands in front of his partner but the positioning of their hands is reversed: his hand is positioned palm-out at her neck and he holds her hand positioned palm-in (see page 112). *Note 2: Pulling his partner around from her waist diversifies the move and makes it more interesting; however, the male dancer may optionally lead his partner from her second neck wrap into a “Hammerlock Wrap” by dropping her left hand at her waist and then pulling her around clockwise with his right hand at her neck. Last Move: Basic, Six-Count, Triple Step Facework: This final move in the Bonus Supplement is positively the most important because unlike all of the different footwork rhythms and handwork combinations incorporated into other moves, a dancer’s smile or his facework, telegraphs to everyone on the dance floor that he and his partner are having fun, and that is the ultimate goal of swing dancing!

Smile and Smile, Smile and Smile, Smile – Smile

“A Social Front Break” Copyright © 2006 Alex Forster and Skip Culver

Useful Tips for Learning the Imperial Tip #1: Basic Step (Male Dancer Leads with his “Body Frame”): When the male dancer leads his partner into their basic step footwork in the closed position, or he leads her into their basic step in the open position using a two-hand lead, he moves her with his ‘ body frame’ (see Appendix page A-15). When the male dancer leads his partner with a one hand lead in the open position, he uses her ‘arm frame’ to move her (see the article: “A Lesson From Barbie” in the next section of this supplement). Tip #2:

The “Chase Sequence”: When either dancer follows his or her partner down the slot, or a dancer’s non-lead foot follows (chases) his or her lead foot then the resultant travel is called a chase sequence. The important point is that the term “chase sequence” refers both to dancers following one another in the slot, and to the mechanics of their feet performing the basic step.

Tip #3:

Basic Step Executed Sideways (Open Position Only): New dancers must learn how to execute their basic footwork stepping sideways in addition to performing it only forwards and backwards or in a turn. When the male dancer executes a “Basic Crossover” (see page 14), for example, as he advances on the 1 and 2 count and he rotates clockwise a quarter turn (cross-slot) to face his partner’s shoulder, his forward momentum causes him to execute his footwork sideways. Afterwards, on the 3 and 4 count, the male dancer steps around behind his left foot with his right foot, and he faces his partner as he leads her into their 5 – 6 count breakstep.

Tip #4:

Rule of Thumb for the “Hammerlock Walk” (or Strut): Whenever the male dancer leads his partner into a “Hammerlock Walk (or Strut),” he is the ‘base’ of this move; i.e., the tip of the “L,” and he always faces cross-slot (sideways) when he leads her OUT and IN as they ‘walk’ down the slot together. If his partner is on his right side he begins stepping with his right foot and vice versa (see page 321); however, it may be very helpful to memorize the following rule of thumb: “whenever the male dancer leads his partner down the slot in

4. Step left or OUT with left foot on “and” count, and then step right or OUT with right foot on “5” count (feet straddle center). Step IN with left foot toward center on “and” count, then step IN with right foot on “6” count. The count is: “and 5 – and 6.” 5. Step FORWARD onto left heel on “and” count and then slide right foot FORWARD to left foot as dancer lowers the toe of his left foot on the “5” count. The count is “and 5.” Step BACK onto toe of left foot on “and” count and then slide right foot BACK to left foot as dancer lowers his left heel. The count is “and 6.” 6. Instructors demonstrate breaksteps most clearly when they step sideways (or sashay) to execute their 1 and 2, 3 and 4 counts. Tip #8:

Your Proficiency as Swing Dancer: The most important learning tip of all is shared by Gary Chaney who says “if you and your partner are both having fun, even though you are inexperienced and just practicing the fundamentals of the Imperial, then you two are the best dancers on the floor!” To determine your personal proficiency, read The Four Stages of Awareness that is included in the next section. To read other informative articles that I have written on swing dancing then visit: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=SkipCulver

Copyright © 2008 Snapple Beverage Corporation, Rye Brook, NY 10573

Elements of Music and Timing by Skippy Blair

These are one-line definitions, condensed as an outline for teaching. They are expanded in the Dance Terminology Not e book by Golden State Dance Teachers Association. With the exception of the 1st entry, everything below pertains to 4/4 time.

3/4 Time

3 quarter notes (beats) to a measure of music

4/4 Time

4 quarter notes (beats) to a measure of music

Accent

Firm sound or move on one particular note or count

a Count

The count just before the beat

and Count

The count just before the a count

Beat

1 quarter note of 4/4 time

Count

Includes the & and the a before the beats

Delayed Single

Delays count 1 steps on 2 = 1 step on the upbeat

Double Rhythm

Steps on both the Downbeat and the Upbeat (2 steps)

Downbeat

The 1st beat of a unit –1st & 3rd beat of a 4/4 measure

Half Note

1 note that equals 2 beats in 4/4 time

Major Phrase

4 sets of 8 or 6 sets of 8 in 4/4 time (or more)

Measure

4 beats of music in 4/4 time. Musicians count in measures

Melody

The Tune - the music line that follows the lyrics

Mini Phrase

4/4 time - one set of 8 beats of music (3/4 time only 6 beats)

Minor Phrase

4/4 time = less than 4 sets of 8, but more than 1 set of 8

Not e

The symbol on sheet music that tells how long to hold a beat and where it is on the scale (Time Value)

Pattern Count

The number of beats of music in a specific pattern

Phrase

Several sets of 8 that form a complete section of music

Pulsing

Accenting the Upbeat or Downbeat continually; also called a Recurring Accent

Quick Quick

2 steps or beats of music double rhythm

Quarter Note

1 beat of music in 4/4 time

Rhythms

Single, Double, Triple. All Rhythms in 4/4 time are confined to 2 beats of music

Rhythm Breaks

Repeating one rhythm over & over as a phrasing tool

Rhythm Pattern

The Rhythm without direction

Single Rhythm

One step only on the Downbeat

Slow

An acceptable call for Single Rhythm (only)

Syncopated Rhythm

A Rhythm that steps on the & or that counts in 2 beats

Syncopation

Rearranging the weight changes, stepping on the & or a counts

Tempo

The speed of the music (beats per minute)

Time Placement

Where the Dancer places his/her steps in a Rhythm count “&a1-&a2

Time Value

Notes a Musician uses to determine the duration of a sound

Timing

Ability of a dancer to transfer to CPB on the beat of the music

Triple Rhythm

3 weight changes to 2 beats of music

Unit

Smallest increment of Dance. 2 beats of music in 4/4 time

Upbeat

In 4/4 time = 2nd beat in a Unit –2nd & 4th beat of a measure

Whole Note

1 note that equals 4 beats of music in 4/4 time (Time Value)

Imperial Swing Syllabus 1st Lesson: Closed Position . . . Basic Step footwork (emphasize forward/back “travel”): p. 3 Turning Basic Step footwork (reverse direction in the slot): p. 6 Closed Position Stance (arms: “V” for victory / “W” for wicked “W”): p. 3 Dancer’s Arm Resistance (compression and resistance): p. A-3 Basic Step footwork with partner (in the closed position stance): p. 5 Glideaway (woman ‘glides away’ into the open position): p. 6 Open Position . . . Introduce the concept of ‘slot’ (and define its parameters): p. 3 Open Position Basic (with and without a ‘patty-cake’): p. 13 Crossover (right ‘side-pass’ with an underarm turn): p. 14 Closed Position . . . Return to Basic (with and without a quarter turn): p. 29

2nd Lesson: Closed Position . . . Turning Basic Step (review): p. 6 Glideaway (review): p. 6 Woman’s Underarm Turn (C outside turn into the open position): p. 10 Breakaway (man ‘breaks away’ into the open position): p. 6 Man’s Underarm Turn (CC outside turn into the open position): p. 11 Open Position . . . Crossover (into a shake hand lead): p. 16 Low lead “Catch ‘n Push” (shake hand lead / partner’s left side): p. 18 Hammerlock Catch ‘n Push (shake hand lead / partner’s middle back): p. 18 Crossover with a shake hand lead (into left hand lead): p. 52 High lead “Catch ‘n Push” (left hand lead / half-crossover then reverse): p. 18 Over-the-Head, Behind the Back (hand pick-up into shake hand lead): p. 28 Over-the Head “Catch ‘n Push” (with a shake hand lead): p.19 Basic Pass-by (with a shake hand lead into a left hand lead): p. 27 Over-the Head, Behind the Back (hand pick-up into shake hand lead): p. 28 Closed Position . . . Pass-by Return (shake hand lead / woman turns CC into closed position): p. 30

Imperial Swing Syllabus 3rd Lesson: Closed Position . . . Tuck and Turn (with one-hand and two-hand leads): p. 7 Traveling Basic Step with a “Tuck” (review turning basic step): p. 8 Tuck and Return (left hand C push-around into the closed position): p. 76 Tuck and Reverse (arm and waist catches): p. 9 Tuck and Release (a tuck not followed by an underarm turn): p. 9 Tuck into Caught-in-Cage (turning shoulder catches): p. 9 Tuck into a Neck Wrap / Exit: p. 8 / p. 169 Open Position . . . She Goes / He Goes (a crossover variation): p. 16 Crossover (into a two hand lead): p. 16 – p. 53 Body Wrap / Exit (woman enters under man’s left arm): p. 24 / p. 169 Sweetheart Wrap / Exit (man’s left arm rotates across woman’s face): p. 23 Moving Sweetheart Wrap / Exit (executed on man’s left side): p. 244 Woman’s Come-Around (into a left arm neck wrap): p. 121 Closed Position . . . Sweetheart Return (two-hand pretzel lead into one hand over-the head): p. 200

4th Lesson: Closed Position . . . Traveling Exit (opposing underarm turns into the open position): p. 11 Woman’s and Man’s Inside Turns (define inside / outside turns): p. 12 Open Position . . . Basic Inside Crossover (woman’s CC underarm turn on man’s right side): p. 14 Basic Crossover Variations (‘waist turn’ and ‘neck turn’): p. 14 Woman’s Outside Crossover (C underarm turn on man’s left side): p. 15 Man’s Inside Crossover (CC underarm turn on left side of slot): p. 15 Man’s Outside Crossover (C underarm turn on right side of slot): p.16 Tap ‘n Go (woman pushes off the palm of partner’s hand): p. 13 Push ‘n Turn (man pushes partner into “C” in-place turn): p. 17 Closed Position . . . Basic Inside Returns (with one-hand and two-hand leads): p. 30 Crossover Variation Returns (‘waist turn’ and ‘neck turn’): p. 14

A Lesson From Barbie . . . a woman’s “arm frame”?! When the male dancer leads his partner into her basic, triple step footwork in the closed position, or he uses a two-hand lead in the open position either to turn her, or to cause her to travel side-to-side, he uses his “body frame” to move her. Frequently, however, the male dancer must lead his partner without the stability of two points of hand contact; that is, without using his “body frame.” In this instance, which is typified by the male dancer holding his partner with a one-hand lead in the open position, he must rely upon her “arm frame” to transmit his subtle, tactile cues. The female dancer’s “arm frame” is shaped like a very narrow, vertical rectangle that extends above and below the centered, neutral position of her hand that the male dancer holds with his lead hand. Whenever he moves her hand to the left or to the right, outside of this narrow, vertical frame, she should move her body in response. Swing dance instructors sometimes dub this the “Barbie Doll Response” because you can move the toy doll’s arm up and down, but you cannot move it left or right, without moving her body. In other words, if the female dancer moves her arm either backwards so that her elbow travels beyond her body, or to the left or to the right of center without moving her body in the same direction then she is “breaking frame” and not giving her partner the arm tension that he needs to lead her into her turn. Arm tension has two components: compression or “push” and resistance or “pull,” and good arm tension conveys accurate lead and follow instructions. To conclude my Barbie analogy above, if the female dancer gives her partner too much arm tension then she has “Barbie Doll Arm” like the doll’s stiff, plastic little arm! Her excessive arm tension is detrimental because it overwhelms her partner’s intended lead and leaves her confused. To be a good “follower,” the female dancer has to relax her arm just enough to be sensitive to her partner’s leads without being too relaxed. If she does relax her arm too much then she gives her partner what dancers in St. Louis call “spaghetti (or noodle) arm” which also inhibits her from sensing, and thus responding to his leads. Finally, the male dancer, or “leader,” must remember that because the neutral position for his partner’s proffered hand is always tabletopped within her “arm frame” at waist level, he must hold her hand accordingly and not raise his lead hand too high above his waist. To be proficient, it is important that both dancers learn proper arm position and tension! If you want to learn more about the follower's arm frame or her partner's hand leads then you may buy "Dancing Barbie" on the internet and try pumping her for more information. Alternatively, you may resume taking the dance classes at your club. You know, those weekly lessons which you dismissed awhile back as being an unnecessary redundancy in your life because you already know how to swing dance, Right? Right! ______________________________________________________________________ Written by Henry H. “Skip” Culver, Jr., member of West County Swing Dance Club and author of the manual: Imperial Swing Dancing (visit: ImperialSwingDancing.com).

The Four Stages of Awareness . . . in learning how to swing dance The difference between the Basic, the Intermediate and the Advanced levels of dancing proficiency are defined by more than just their core curriculums. In the aviation world, for example, it is the difference between driving an airplane and flying one! A basic pilot can fly straight and level, climb, descend, and turn. An intermediate pilot can combine these basic “stick and rudder” airwork fundamentals with good airspeed control and make acceptable take offs and landings; however, only an advanced pilot can take full advantage of his airplane's capabilities by being able to fly it safely to the edge of its performance curve. Switching our focus now from the cockpit back to the dance floor, let's put the Basic, Intermediate and Advanced levels of swing dancing into their proper perspective by looking at them within the context of the four stages of awareness in the process of learning to dance. 1) UNCONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE: At this first stage of awareness, a dancer has never given the subject of swing dancing any conscious thought. He has never been formally introduced to it and, although he may be quite adept at other styles of dancing like freestyle or Country and Western, for example, until he takes his first Basic level swing dance class, he is really at a stage of unawareness because he is simply unconscious of his incompetence. 2) CONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE: At this second stage of awareness, the new male dancer or "leader," has been formally introduced to swing dancing at his club and he now fully appreciates its social and recreational potential. He has taken several Basic level classes but he realizes that his performance is marginal at best and that he needs to take many more swing dance classes and workshops to sharpen his skills. He is grateful for any helpful tips which might improve his dancing; for example, that he may determine his lead hand by looking to see which thumb and forefinger form the letter "L." This is the awkward stage for the new swing dancer. His hand-leads are generally too strong and his body movements tend to be too stiff and mechanical to suit all but the least experienced of his female partners or "followers.” At this point in his training, he is more prone to be repeatedly answering the question: "how long have you been dancing" rather than "where do you dance." All in all, the conscious incompetent clings to his patty-cake, the think-step pattern, like a new western horseback rider clings to his saddle horn. 3) CONSCIOUS COMPETENCE: At this third stage of awareness, the male dancer has completed all of the Basic and Intermediate level classes offered by his club, and he is now an accomplished, well rehearsed dancer. He almost always executes his triple step footwork flawlessly in every direction to varying tempos of the music; he seldom misses that important "3 and 4" count of his footwork that often eludes less experienced dancers, and he has developed a gentle yet firm lead that guarantees him a willing partner for every dance. All in all, he has developed into a smooth dancer who confidently performs the different swing patterns that he has learned over the years. The conscious competent leader knows what he is doing!

4) UNCONSCIOUS COMPETENCE: At this final, fourth stage of awareness, the male dancer has achieved the highest level of proficiency where he has cultivated a signature style that transcends being well rehearsed; instead, he has become just as intimately familiar with each inherent part of the patterns that he has learned over the years, as he is with the overall patterns themselves. As an Advanced level dancer, he can intuitively "mix and match" the specific handwork and footwork elements of different patterns to create new patterns, and he has the versatility to frequently intersperse steps from other dance disciplines to physically embrace the beat of the music. His extensive knowledge of the dance, combined with his fluid lead authority enables him to maneuver his partner to the edge of her capabilities so that as a couple, they are able to consistently deliver award winning performances. Simply put, the unconscious competent is the dancer that the dancers enjoy watching! TEACHABILITY INDEX: How quickly a new dancer progresses through these four stages of competence depends upon how "teachable" he or she is! All of us may compute our own Teachability Index (TI) which is the product of the following two variables that are rated on a scale of "1" (lowest) to "10" (highest): our Willingness To Learn (WTL) and our Willingness To Change (WTC). If our willingness to learn how to "dance centered," for example, is a 10, but our willingness to change our body positioning to accomplish this goal is just a "5," then our Teachability Index is only 50% (WTL x WTC = 50)! In other words, the maximum effort that we made in class to LEARN the correct way to "dance centered" is half wasted if we are not willing to CHANGE the way we lead our partner! Always remember that both learning and change are the inseparable, twin handmaidens of dance proficiency.

_____________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2008 by Henry H. “Skip” Culver, Jr. Member of the West County Swing Dance Club and author of: Imperial Swing Dancing (visit: www.Imperial Swing.com)

Beats per Minute and Beats per Measure . . . the two important bpms of every song !

When should the male dancer begin to lead his partner into her six-count or eight-count footwork once the swing music begins? The answer is that he should begin leading her on any of the song’s downbeats; that is, on the “1” count, the “3” count, the “5” count or the “7” count. These “base beats” are the backbone or pulse of a song! You don’t need to be a trained musician to understand a song’s tempo (or timing), just listen to music and pick out the rhythm section (drums, bass, guitar or piano). To take the pulse of the song and determine its number of beats per minute (bpm), count these downbeats for fifteen seconds and then multiply by four. Very slow swing songs have around 70 bpm and very fast ones have upwards of 200 bpm. The swing songs that I personally enjoy dancing to the most, average about 125 bpm which coincidently approximates my optimum cardio-training heart rate when I exercise. Notice that these downbeats differ from the upbeats that occur on the “2” count, the “4” count, the “6” count or the “8” count. In the St. Louis Imperial style East Coast Swing, we begin stepping on any of the music’s downbeats; however, this is not true of all styles of dance. In the Cha-Cha, for instance, dancers begin stepping after any of the music’s upbeats. Beats per minute became common terminology in popular music during the disco era because of its usefulness to DJs; and it remains important in dance music today because both our style of dance and our footwork rhythms are determined by the tempo of the music! The original or classic style of Imperial Swing, which is danced “in the round,” is performed to music with a faster tempo (130-185 bpm) using primarily the slower single step and double step footwork rhythms. Today’s contemporary style of Imperial Swing, which is danced within a slot, is a combination of both East Coast Swing (135-175 bpm) and West Coast Swing (75-115 bpm). Dancers perform this popular, “slot-bop” hybrid to music with a slower tempo (100-135 bpm), and they use primarily the faster, triple step footwork rhythms. Remember, the terms are music timing (or tempo) and footwork rhythms (or steps) but not vice versa! The “time signatures” of different music styles tell dancers how many beats there are to a measure, and which note represents that beat. Swing music uses 4/4 timing; that is, there are 4 beats to a measure (4/4) and the quarter note gets the beat (4/4). For example, on the 1 and 2 count of your six-count, triple step footwork, the “1” is an eighth note (or a half-beat) and the “and of 1” is an eighth note (or a half-beat). Together they add up to a quarter note or 1 beat; and the “2” count is a quarter note or 1 beat. On the 3 and 4 count, the “3” is an eighth note (or a half-beat), and the “and of 3” is an eighth note (or a half-beat). Together they add up to a quarter note or 1 beat; and the “4” count is a quarter note or 1 beat. These 2 beats bring the cumulative total up to 4 beats or one measure. Finally, on the 5 – 6 breakstep, the “5” count is a quarter note (or 1 beat) and the “6” count is a quarter note (or 1 beat). These final two 2 counts bring the total up to six beats or one-and-a-half measures. To summarize this footwork count, dancers take eight steps in six beats of the music. The 1st and 3rd beats are the downbeats (or base beats) and the 2nd and 4th beats are the upbeats. In East Coast Swing the accents* are on the 1st and 3rd beats (counts); however, in West Coast Swing

the accents are on the 2nd and 4th beats. Good dancers let the music tell them what to do with their feet. If they begin their footwork on any of the song’s downbeats, and then end it on the sixth (or eighth) beat, then they are dancing in time with the music and finishing their steps when they are supposed to. As Skippy Blair, the renowned swing dance teacher, author and recipient of the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame Award, tells her students: “please don’t tell me how long to hold the beat; just tell me what the count is, so I can place my feet!” *Note: Skippy Blair's: “Elements of Music and Timing,” which is displayed at the end of the last section, defines an accent as a firm sound or move on one particular note or count.

____________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2009 by Henry H. “Skip” Culver, Jr. Member of the West Count Swing Dance Club and author of the manual: Imperial Swing Dancing (visit: ImperialSwing Dancing . com).

Imperial Swing Simplified for All Dancers . . . hundreds of swing moves reduced to only three!

In 1952, George Edick purchased Imperial Hall and renamed it the Club Imperial. During the past five decades, thousands of St. Louis dancers have enjoyed learning how to swing dance. Since the founding of the St. Louis Imperial Dance Club in 1973, generations of new swing dancers have chartered eight clubs around the St. Louis area and ‘the Imperial’ has become recognized nationwide as St. Louis’ own unique style of swing. This short history lesson is important because, over the years, talented dancers have innovated hundreds of fun moves that are based upon the original East Coast style of swing that was once danced at the trendy Club Imperial. The bad news is that dancers are often overwhelmed by the sheer number of these moves and become easily confused while they are trying to learn different patterns. The good news is that even though our dance has evolved into a vibrant medium with lots of new swing moves, it is totally unnecessary to remember a large number of them. I am going to share with you the valuable secret of how you can reduce these hundreds of individual moves down to a total of only three by being a more versatile dancer! Marie Jamison, a dance instructor for the St. Louis Imperial Dance Club, has a wonderful quote which establishes a simple, overall framework for learning ‘the Imperial’: “open and close, open and close, how you get in and out is what swing’s all about.” Within this framework, there are hundreds of specific moves that may be reduced to only three generic combinations: the “She Goes/He Goes” where the female dancer (or Follower) goes first; the “He Goes/She Goes” where the male dancer (or Leader) goes first; and finally the “They Go” where both dancers move simultaneously instead of sequentially. Consider, for example, a specific "She Goes/He Goes" move called a “Twist and Turn.” When the male dancer executes this move, he uses a two-hand lead in the open position to rotate his partner counterclockwise into an overhead, in-place (or crossover) turn. As she completes her rotation, he executes a clockwise overhead turn and they both end up facing each other again in the slot with their original two-hand lead. Alternatively, if the male dancer leads their turns simultaneously; i.e., as a “They Go” move, then this “Twist and Turn” becomes a “Barrel Roll.” In general, all moves that dancers execute at the same time like mirror turns as in a “Barrel Roll,” or even the “Basic Step” in the closed position, are “They Go” moves! Now that we have identified the three generic Leader/Follower combinations that define all moves, let’s consider how these moves are structured. All swing dance moves are divided into three parts: the beginning (or entry), the middle (or body) and the ending (or exit). Within each of these divisions, the male dancer’s lead communicates a tactile dialogue with his partner that orchestrates all of her movements. The Leader has only eight leads available to him: four one-hand leads, three two-hand leads and a body lead. It is very important for the male dancer to learn these eight leads because all swing moves are differentiated by nothing more than the particular lead that he chooses to use to execute each of the three parts of every move! When the male dancer leads his partner into a turn, it doesn’t matter whether he rotates her clockwise or counterclockwise; whether he leads her into a turn with a redirection as in the “Tuck and Turn” or into a turn without a redirection as in the “Push-Around Turn”; or, whether he rotates her around with his left hand to set-up a rump-bump (body lead) as he performs a move called a

“Quick Spin with a Bump,” it is the male dancer’s lead that communicates how he wants his partner to respond. Even if he only moves her straight down the slot without a turn, his lead still determines on which side of him that he wants her to travel. To become a more versatile dancer, the Leader needs to diversify his leads; and to develop this ability, he should begin by leading his Follower into his favorite moves either by rotating her in the opposite direction or by leading her onto his opposite side. To read more about this useful learning tip, read my article: “Lead ‘ContraSwing’ Versions of Your Favorite Moves.” The male dancer may create hundreds of different move variations by simply changing the hand-lead(s) that he uses with his partner within any part of a given move. To best accomplish this, he must understand that dancing is a function of movement, not and an exercise in logic! There is nothing illogical about rotating your partner counterclockwise only to immediately rotate her back clockwise into her original position! If the Leader concludes that executing turns like these are redundant then he would probably never perform a “Banana Split,” for example, because he would think that leading his partner into these important set-up turns is a waste of time! Experienced dancers understand that ‘ContraSwing’ (or opposite) turns like these are not only visually interesting but they also contribute immeasurably to a dancer’s versatility. The swing dance clubs in the St. Louis area teach a large number of swing moves every month, and yearly this number is staggering. Without some useful mental associations to help us, we Leaders could never hope to remember even a small fraction of these moves. So far, we have learned that all swing moves fall into only one of three Leader/Follower combinations: a “She Goes/He Goes,” a “He Goes/She Goes,” and a “They Go.” We have learned that these generic moves are divided into three parts: the beginning (or entry), the middle (or body) and the ending (or exit). And, we have learned that the male dancer has only seven hand-leads plus a body-lead which he may use to move his partner. It is very important for him to learn these eight leads because the only thing that differentiates the various swing moves in his arsenal are the particular lead(s) that he uses with his partner during each of the three parts of every move! Finally, to put all of this information together into the ‘big enchilada’…the very moment that a Leader discovers that he may vary his leads within each part of any move, and that he may also substitute the entry, the body and the exit of one move for the corresponding parts of any other move then he has spontaneously learned hundreds of moves and become a much more versatile dancer. Remember, you can make learning swing moves as easy or challenging as you want; however, the easier that you make them, the harder they will be for you to forget! _________________________________________________________________________ Copyright © 2010 by Skip Culver. Member of the West County Swing Dance Club and author of the manual: Imperial Swing Dancing (visit: www.ImperialSwing.com)

Mad Hatter Theory of Dance Lessons "Take some more tea," the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly. "I've had nothing yet," Alice replied in an offended tone, "so I can't take more." "You mean you can't take less," said the Hatter: "It's very easy to take more than nothing." Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland I remember being struck by the scene in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in which Alice is offended because she is offered tea but is given none – even though she hadn’t asked for tea in the first place. So she helps herself to the tea, the bread and the butter. From my perspective as a dance instructor, I believe that the best way for a person to become a good dancer is to listen to Alice when she says, “…I can’t take more” because “I’ve had nothing yet.” The Hatter would have us believe that “you can’t take less”; however, that is exactly what many dancers do when they are motivated by the promise of accelerated proficiency, into taking more advanced classes before they have a sufficient mastery of the basics to assimilate the new information. In this “terpsichorean reversal,” these underprepared dancers work harder and learn less! Matt Auclair, a six-time National Swing Dance Champion and one of St. Louis’ foremost instructors says, “it is not uncommon for an enthusiastic, new swing dancer, who is continually exposed to more accomplished dancers at different club activities, to begin taking Intermediate level dance classes before he or she is ready; and then, to become a less competent dancer as a result. Over the years, I have found that the dancers who learn Imperial Swing the fastest are not the impulsive ones who take self-directed shortcuts in their training; instead, they are the disciplined ones who practice regularly to become proficient with the basics before they attempt to learn more challenging dance moves.” Auclair concludes, “the time that these dancers initially spend on practicing the fundamentals invariably pays off as an investment in time saved in the future because their progression into more advanced training is much less likely to ‘plateau’ for deficiencies in their understanding of the basics.” It may very well be true, as the Mad Hatter says, that in the topsy-turvy world of Wonderland, “if you can’t take less,” then "it's very easy to take more than nothing"; however, we do not live in Wonderland! In our realm above that netherworld, where we can easily “take less” unintentionally, I imagine that the Hatter might say, “it’s not very easy to take more than nothing!” I asked Matt if he had any final thoughts on this “Hatter” (pun intended). After giving me one of his exasperated “no more questions” looks, he said, “Skip, I really don’t like to drink tea very much (except for Crystal* Light, of course); I think about rabbits only on Easter; and besides, who ever said that learning to swing dance is easy!” *Note: Matt’s wife is named Crystal. ______________________________________________________________________ Copyright © Skip Culver, Certified Swing Instructor. Member of the West County Swing Dance Club and author of Imperial Swing Dancing (visit: ImperialSwing.com).

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Please send me 2 eBook Editions of Imperial Swing Dancing at $44.95 * each. Each two-disc set includes the manual on a CD, Matt Auclair’s two-hour DVD swing course and the Bonus Supplement. The two-disc sets are shipped postpaid. Enclosed is my check for $________.* Make check payable to: Henry H. Culver, Jr. (Email address: [email protected] / Phone: 314-469-1488) Name _______________________________________________________________________ Address _ ____________________________________________________________________ City ________________________________ State _______________ Zip ______________ *Residents of Missouri add 7½% ($3.75) sales tax.

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