The Elbow Turn in Swing Dancing

Video Transcript

" Hi! This is Ross on behalf of expertvillage.com. This is my partner Cindy and we are going to demonstrate the elbow turn. For this handshake position, lead your partner straight towards you. That means you have to get out of the way by stepping to the left. As she comes by, your hand is going to go to the crook of her elbow here. She is going to maintain a frame the whole time, like always in dancing because that is how we communicate here. So instead of me pushing at her hand, it will just be at the elbow level. When you are dancing at regular speed, she will be passing by fairly quickly; and here this is the communication indication that she is welcome to turn if she likes, and she can actually push off that little bit and get some momentum, and I’ll pick up her hand. She kept her hands at waist level so I could pick them up. It is always important to keep your hands up, never let them dangle. Let’s try that again from a side, handshake position. I am bringing her towards me stepping out of the way, my hand in the crook of her elbow, as she comes by, she has a frame that she can work off of, and we will pick up the hand as she comes around. Now we will do it with the triple step. To start with the handshake position, triple step, triple step, rock step, triple step, triple step, rock step, triple step, triple step, rock step. That was the elbow turn."