Changing Places

Although straightforward, Changing Places is a useful move in social dancing because it allows the dancers time to think. It can also easily be adapted to move around a crowded dance floor—provided that the follower is alert to the exact direction that the leader pulls her.

front view reverse view detail
1. M:BL W:BR Start from an open position, with the leader's left hand holding the follower's right hand. The leader takes a step backward on his left foot. The follower takes a step backward on her right foot.
2. M:RR W:RL The leader replaces his weight on his right foot. The follower replaces her weight on her left foot.
3. M:eFL1R W:FR1L The leader takes a step slightly forward on his left foot, turning slightly to his right, lifting his left hand and pulling towards himself. The follower takes a step forward on her right foot, turning slightly to her left. (image: lead direction)
&. M:TR W:TL The leader closes his right foot to his left foot, lifting his left hand in front of the follower's face. The follower closes her left foot to her right foot.
4. M:eFL1R W:FR1L The leader takes a step slightly forward on his left foot, turning slightly to his right. The follower takes a step forward on her right foot, turning slightly to her left, stepping under her right hand. (image: follower's hand on her left shoulder)
5. M:eFR1R W:BL1L The leader takes a step slightly forward on his right foot, continuing to turn slightly to his right, dropping his left hand as the follower passes him. The follower takes a step backward on her left foot, continuing to turn slightly to her left.
&. M:TL W:TR The leader closes his left foot to his right foot. The follower closes her right foot to her left foot.
6. M:TR1R W:BL1L The leader closes his right foot to his left foot, turning slightly to his right. The follower takes a step backward on her left foot, turning slightly to her left, so the dancers end facing each other.
 
 
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Welcome

Welcome to an incomplete book about Lindy Hop.

I wrote the text here five years ago, based on my notes from when I was originally learning Lindy Hop in the mid-1990s. My original plan was to take a large number of illustrative photographs, which would make the bare text much more comprehensible.

However, that was five years ago and I've not gotten as far as taking a single photograph. So rather than waiting any longer, I thought it worth releasing the text as-is, in case it's useful to anyone else.

I'd interested to hear any feedback, but unfortunately I can't promise to do much about it.

And maybe one day I'll get as far as illustrating the book, and creating the originally-intended printed version:

This book is dedicated to the memory of Frankie Manning (1914-2009), Ambassador of Lindy Hop.

David Drysdale
November 2012

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