This entry is part 3 of 6 in the series PlayingNow that you know how to get out of play, it’s time to get into it. Play is a temporary break from the standard WCS structure. So, you can indicate that play is starting by departing from what would normally be expected in the WCS… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: connection
Finding Your Center
This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Connection TheoryThe goal of a good connection is to be able to manipulate your center and have your partner’s center respond. This center-to-center connection makes it possible to move in tandem, rather than watching your partner do something and trying to copy it afterwards. No… Continue Reading
Connection is not a Lead
Many beginning WCS dancers make the mistake of confusing connection with a lead. At the end of every pattern, the partners should connect during the anchor by stretching away from each other. However, this connection is not yet a lead, even though the partners are pulling away from each other. For followers, confusing connection with… Continue Reading
Tethering
Intermediate dancers are taught to flashlight their partner in order to enhance their connection. The next level of connection adds in an awareness of how the partner’s frame is asking to be shaped. The following drill is designed to practice this concept. The Drill: With a partner, stand in open position with a normal, left-to-right… Continue Reading
Flashlighting
Flashlighting is a connection technique that visually emphasizes the center-to-center connection between the partners. The name comes from imagining that both partners have a flashlight beam coming from their centers. The follower shapes her body to aim her flashlight beam on the center of the leader. The leader can either aim his flashlight at the… Continue Reading
Moving Without Changing the Connection
At a basic level, connection is the relationship between the centers of the partners. Advanced dancers, however, are able to move around their hands while still maintaining the energy of the center-to-center connection. The skill of moving without affecting the connection is sometimes referred to as “center separation” or “center isolation” because the body center… Continue Reading
Staying into Compression
This entry is part 4 of 4 in the series Connection TheoryThe previous post in this series described the away, or leverage, connection. This post will describe the towards connection, which is also known as compression. A compression connection is used whenever the follower’s center is supposed to move away from the leader’s center. Mario… Continue Reading
Staying Back in Leverage
This entry is part 3 of 4 in the series Connection TheoryIn west coast swing, movement by the follower towards the leader results from an away, or leverage, connection. This partner exercise is designed to help both partners maintain that connection. Mario Robau describes the away connection in terms of waterskiing. The leader is the… Continue Reading
Smooth Connection: Playing with Quarters
The goal of this drill is to help dancers become aware of when they break connection with their partner. The Drill: Connect with your partner in open position as normal, and feel the away connection where the fingers pull against each other. Put a quarter in between this connection point; the quarter should be held up… Continue Reading