Variations on a Swing
- Ballroom position.
- Like ballroom position, but grasping the other's fingers rather
than their hand.
- Like ballroom position, but holding your partner's forearm rather
than their hand.
- Butterfly: like ballroom position, except that the man's left hand
and woman's right hand are free.
- Like ballroom position, except that the man puts his left arm
behind his back, and the woman takes it with her right.
- Irish: cup partner's right elbow with the right hand
(without putting the thumb on the inside of the elbow---that
hurts), and join left hands underneath.
- Irish Ceili hold: R arm around partner (as for Ballroom), L hands
joined under. Very common (often "compulsory"), but can be a bit awkward
with incompatible heights, or excessive girths. Also known as the
Same Sex Swing. (also sometimes known as the Safe Sex Swing)
- Nottingham swing: join right hands with elbows bent, and cup your
partner's right elbow with your left hand.
- Northumberland: hold your partner's right shoulder with your right
hand. Join left hands underneath.
- Hold your partner's right shoulder with your right hand. Join
left hands at face level.
- Hold your partner's right shoulder with your right hand. Join
left hands above your heads.
- Hold your partner's right shoulder with your right hand, and your
partner's left shoulder with your left hand. Thus your right and
left arms are crossed, and so are your partner's.
- Manx: crosshands hold, with arms bent so elbows are together.
- One partner clasps his/her hands together; the other cups hands
around those of the first partner. Both partners have elbows bent.
- Man's hands crossed, with woman's hands coming up from underneath
to grasp the man's.
- Like above, with roles reversed.
- Woman's hands on the man's shoulders, his hands on her back.
- Both partners hold each others arms or shoulders (depending on
the relative length of the arms), with elbows slightly bent.
- One partner's hands are on the other's back. The other's hands
are free.
- Each partner has his/her hands around the other's neck.
- Welsh: right hands on each other's backs, left hands joined
underneath.
- Right hands on each other's backs, left hands joined above your
heads. Sometimes known as the Church Window Swing, since your left
arms form an arch similar to an ogive window.
- Tulloch or Hullichan: Stand right shoulder to right shoulder with
your partner. Put your left hand behind your back and your right
hand behind your partner's back. Take your partner's left hand
with your right hand, and your partner's right hand with your left.
- Nose Swing: Link right elbows, with forearms pointing up, and
hold your nose with your right hand. Hold left hands underneath.
- Ear-Nose Swing: Like the nose swing, but hold your partner's
right ear with your left hand.
- Stand right shoulder to right shoulder with your partner, link
right elbows, and take your partner's left hand with your left hand.
- Same as above, but with your left hands behind your backs.
- Back cross: the man puts his left hand behind his back, and the
woman takes it with her left. The woman puts her right hand
behind her back, and the man takes it with his right.
- Cuddle-up (from a swing dance position of the same name): Start
out holding both hands (right in left, left in right). The man
raises his left arm and turns the woman under, without letting go
of either hand.
Some of these come from a list posted to rec.folk-dancing
by James Williams (zorjw@sava.st-andrews.ac.uk).
Send comments or additions to:
jsivier@illinois.edu
Last updated on May 15, 2008