Tips: Connection in WCS

A few days ago, I stumbled across this dance tip by Two Step Tidewater. Since I also had the opportunity to go for one workshop with Melissa and Chuck about the connection, I want to share a few tips from that class as well.

What's important to note when having the connection is that the lead should not overlead and drag the follower along, and the followers should know how to control their movement. The basic rules still apply that the lead must step out and give a visual signal at count 2, and the follow must keep moving in the direction that they're lead until the lead stops them or redirects them. From the article, the follow has been likened to a car, and the lead is the driver; there should be only one lead at the first count ie: counts 1 & 3 only, and done with only one gentle push. This is an intermediate/advanced concept that I think shouldn't be applied to people who have yet to know how to travel back and fourth properly, so stick to the no autopiloting rules first.

In a previous blog post, I have talked about tension. The neutral position in the connection is when a tension is established, and that there's still enough rope to lead moves. Also, one should always feel like they're being pulled both upwards from the torso onwards and downwards to the legs as they dance, so the opposing movements will help place emphasis on your feet pressing to the floor. This connection helps establish the flowing movements in West Coast Swing.

For the more experienced dancers, a natural tendency for my classmates - perhaps to other dancers as well - who follows is to take the statement of "stay away from the lead to create tension" literally. This habit can help prevent injuries during social dancing with newer leads, as they too have a tendency to lead too strong. However, it gives a very heavy feeling that more experienced leads will have trouble adjusting to. I have experimented with leading, and when I dealt with "heavy" ladies, I found that my stamina would dwindle quickly. I'm sure the leads would have the same complains. So the followers should adjust themselves such that they post at a lighter tension before swinging back at counts & a 1.

Mastering the connection will help you learn the other elements of West Coast Swing a lot faster, but it still doesn't make the dance any less difficult. Don't be demotivated, though. Sometimes the concepts are introduced at a later stage so that you can still have fun dancing without worrying too much about how you should move around.

Tips: Technical Details you May have Missed in a Sugar Push

**I'm writing this mostly for my own convenience, but my readers can use these tips if they like. Take note that the tips here may be tailored more to followers instead of leaders since...I'm a girl. Also not everything I mention here is accurate so you may want to check with your dance instructors if I missed anything out/made a mistake describing something somewhere.

A deceptively simple move to a beginner, but this move is riddled with technical details that can be overlooked even for the seasoned dancer. I'm going to list the things that a West Coast Swing dancer has to keep in mind while practicing this move.

Overall:

-Train tracks. Keep your arms & shoulders parallel to each other. In other words focus on only your partner and don't look/turn elsewhere. Handhold should be at the lady's waist level. Ladies, trust your gentleman and rest your hands completely on his.

-3rd position footing. For guys, the right leg should be behind the left and pointed outwards slightly. For girls, the left leg is behind the right leg and pointed outwards slightly as well. Think ballet, except that the respective front foot is pointed parallel, facing towards the partner. This should allow better anchoring at the end of the move.

Count 1 & a 2:

-Guys step back at count 1 & must already keep foot at 3rd position at count 2. Root yourself before the girl crashes into you. Bend your elbows in preparation for the compression at count 3 & a 4 to redirect the lady back to her original position. Keep hands at the lady's waist level.

-Girls, as soon as the gentleman pulls you, just follow with two steps forward. Imagine following Newton's 1st law of motion literally (An object is either at rest or moving at a constant speed unless an external force is applied.) Don't hesitate or anticipate anything, even if an awkward moment might ensue.

Count 3 & a 4:

-Triple step, stay in 3rd position on counts 3 & a. Then leader steps forward on 4, follower steps back on 4 as soon as leader gives the push back with his arms.

-Guys must provide cushioning/compression for the girl. Still keep in mind that the hands are at waist level (some of my classmates tend to forget that and lift their hands up into what my teacher calls "ladder position") The elbows bend, but lower arms are still parallel to the floor. 

-Girls should still keep in mind the literal Newton's 1st law of motion, and only stop if the guy gives you that compression before count 4 (or you can choose to stop yourself by placing your hand against the guy's chest) Your arms should bend a bit like the guys during maximum compression, which should happen at count &. Also, it isn't necessary to bend your knees further as you compress (Yes, Amanda. You're the guilty party for this one. Please don't ask why I'm talking to myself in third person.)

-As girls step back, try not to introduce tension at count 4 already to allow some styling before the anchor step (which may not necessarily be at count 5 & a 6)

-Keep looking at your partner and not on the floor to avoid headbutting.

Count 5 & a 6:

-Anchor step. Introduce tension to arms, but don't overstretch them.
-Guys, rock backwards to your centre so that the girls don't pull backwards too much.

-Keep elbows pointing downwards to the floor, and don't break the frame whereby the shoulder collapses forward. 

-Stationary triple step on 3rd position on all counts.

-Maximum tension should be at counts 6 & a... (right before another move is executed)

I have a feeling this is going to be difficult to digest for some of these readers. Don't be overwhelmed by them and keep your kitchen sink drills! Most importantly, keep having fun. My instructor even said that WCS is a fun dance, but the first 4 weeks will be a pain, just to master the basics.