Footjive armwork

[Amir]

Interesting to see at the Blackpool Latin American Champs there was no 'armwork' in the jive section any more complicated than a return. Lots of nifty foot works, but I never even saw a couple in more than a one hand hold, let alone executing a mangeling spretzely combed basked variation. These guys were not born to hand jive. maybe.

Anyway. I just wanted to post because I thought the title would be funny. Or at least a smidge ironic.

[Whitebeard]

Anyway. I just wanted to post because I thought the title would be funny. Or at least a smidge ironic.
Brought more than a smidgen of a smirk to my face - any more of that and it might crack !!

[David Bailey]

Brought more than a smidgen of a smirk to my face - any more of that and it might crack !!
:rofl:
I had to read it twice myself...

But seriously, is MJ the only dance where different hand holds are taught as a matter of course? I know they're not generally taught in salsa, and AFAIK in ballroom you don't vary the hold very much...?

[Tessalicious]

But seriously, is MJ the only dance where different hand holds are taught as a matter of course? I know they're not generally taught in salsa, and AFAIK in ballroom you don't vary the hold very much...?
I wouldn't know about salsa yet but although there isn't that much hold variation in ballroom, there are definitely different hand holds in latin, mostly similar to those in MJ, even though they sometimes indicate different things (basic MJ hold for steps-through, flat hand hold for backward leads, ballroom hold most of the rest of the time etc). So at the Latin Champs (was this the same that our very own H&A competed in?) I would have thought there would have been more armwork than Amir observed. But then again, in ballroom/latin jive there's a lot of emphasis on keeping upper body frame and of course on mirroring fancy footwork, and since in prepared routines there is very little requirement for changing hand holds in order to lead a move, this is probably the first thing to be sacrificed to the cause of looking flashy.

[DavidB]

But seriously, is MJ the only dance where different hand holds are taught as a matter of course? I know they're not generally taught in salsa, and AFAIK in ballroom you don't vary the hold very much...?
I can remember being taught Social Ballroom Jive moves with my left hand, my right hand, both hands, crossed hands, and in open, closed, shadow and catapult hold.
They don't do as many spaghetti-arm moves as some people do in Modern Jive. And they never used to do musical interpretation.

Competition Ballroom Jive is my least favourite dance of all time. It bears absolutely no resemblence to any other type of swing dancing, and seems to be more of a 'skipping in time to the music with a silly grin on your face' competition. This is a real shame, considering the talent of the competitors.

[El Salsero Gringo]

It bears absolutely no resemblence to any other type of swing dancing, and seems to be more of a 'skipping in time to the music with a silly grin on your face' competition. This is a real shame, considering the talent of the competitors.Sorry, David, did you say Ballroom Jive? I could have sworn you meant Ceroc....