dancing to music 101
Welcome to the second lesson in our Swing Dancing 101 series - Dancing to Music 101!
Below you'll find tools to help you better understand how to move to Swing music.
Below you'll find tools to help you better understand how to move to Swing music.
The 1ST & the 2ND THING TO KNOW
As discussed in the first lesson in our Swing Dancing 101 series - Counting to Music 101 - the best way to understand Swing music is to think about it in counts of 2.
For dancing to Swing music, that means considering the number of weight changes (i.e., steps) we take every 2 beats of music. We call each set of 2-beat weight changes, RHYTHMS.
Swing dancing is made up of a series of these 2-beat RHYTHMS, repeated combinations of which we call RHYTHMIC PATTERNS.
For example, the Lindy Hop and the Balboa are two vintage Swing dances that have basics that are often taught with an 8-count RHYTHMIC PATTERN - composed of 4 2-beat RHYTHMS.
East Coast Swing, on the other hand, has a 6-count RHYTHMIC PATTERN basic - composed of 3 2-beat RHYTHMS.
Fortunately, that mean that to learn all the various Swing dances and moves that exist, you only need to know these four different 2-beat RHYTHMS:
ZERO RHYTHMS - 0 weight changes in 2 Beats
SINGLE RHYTHMS - 1 weight changes in 2 Beats
DOUBLE RHYTHMS - 2 weight changes in 2 Beats
TRIPLE RHYTHMS - 3 weight changes in 2 Beats
For dancing to Swing music, that means considering the number of weight changes (i.e., steps) we take every 2 beats of music. We call each set of 2-beat weight changes, RHYTHMS.
Swing dancing is made up of a series of these 2-beat RHYTHMS, repeated combinations of which we call RHYTHMIC PATTERNS.
For example, the Lindy Hop and the Balboa are two vintage Swing dances that have basics that are often taught with an 8-count RHYTHMIC PATTERN - composed of 4 2-beat RHYTHMS.
East Coast Swing, on the other hand, has a 6-count RHYTHMIC PATTERN basic - composed of 3 2-beat RHYTHMS.
Fortunately, that mean that to learn all the various Swing dances and moves that exist, you only need to know these four different 2-beat RHYTHMS:
ZERO RHYTHMS - 0 weight changes in 2 Beats
SINGLE RHYTHMS - 1 weight changes in 2 Beats
DOUBLE RHYTHMS - 2 weight changes in 2 Beats
TRIPLE RHYTHMS - 3 weight changes in 2 Beats
But FIRST, THE 1ST
Before we continue talking about 2 beats of music, let's talk about just 1. From a dancing perspective, every 1 beat of music you have 3 options:
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HOLD is no change to the weighted foot during a beat of music. A kick, a tap, and a stamp are all examples of HOLDS. Standing still is also a HOLD.
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STEP is the transfer of weight from one foot to the other during a beat of music. Moving forward from you left to your right foot is an example of a STEP.
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AND-STEP is the transfer of weight from one foot through the other and back to the original foot during a beat of music. A "ball-change" is an example of an AND-STEP.
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How do we know that there are only 3 options for each 1 beat of music? Easy! Humans are bipedal. Quite simply, we only have 2 options for weight changes (STEP & AND-STEP), plus the option to not change weight at all (HOLD).
Quick reminder
When counting to Swing music, we use a ROLLING COUNT - "& 1 & 2".
A ROLLING COUNT involves dividing each beat of music into two parts (analogous to dividing a quarter-note into two eighth-notes).
This extra division of 1 beat allows for movements like and-step. And-step means two changes of weight over 1 beat of music. This is often counted as "&-1" or "&-2".
The ROLLING COUNT is also important for linking rhythms together in a rhythmic pattern, as we'll discuss later on.
A ROLLING COUNT involves dividing each beat of music into two parts (analogous to dividing a quarter-note into two eighth-notes).
This extra division of 1 beat allows for movements like and-step. And-step means two changes of weight over 1 beat of music. This is often counted as "&-1" or "&-2".
The ROLLING COUNT is also important for linking rhythms together in a rhythmic pattern, as we'll discuss later on.
"Why is 6 afraid of 7?"
"I don't do math."
That was an actual answer from an adult Swing dance student.
Fear of math is real!
However, with just a minute of patience, we can easily conquer our numerical nightmares and gain a greater understanding of how to move to Swing music.
That was an actual answer from an adult Swing dance student.
Fear of math is real!
However, with just a minute of patience, we can easily conquer our numerical nightmares and gain a greater understanding of how to move to Swing music.
When 1+1 = 3x3
We now know that we have 3 options every 1 beat of music: hold, step, or and-step.
We also know that the best way to understand Swing dancing is thinking in 2 beats.
So...
If every 1 beat of music has 3 options, then 2 beats of music have 9 options, or 9 different rhythms.
(The 3 options on beat 1 multiplied by the 3 options on beat 2. 3x3=9)
Listed below are all 9, with the first option occurring on beat 1 and the second option occurring on beat 2 (i.e., "beat 1-beat 2").
What this means, is that every 2 beats of music you have 9 rhythm options. But don't fret about decision overload. We're not done simplifying yet.
We also know that the best way to understand Swing dancing is thinking in 2 beats.
So...
If every 1 beat of music has 3 options, then 2 beats of music have 9 options, or 9 different rhythms.
(The 3 options on beat 1 multiplied by the 3 options on beat 2. 3x3=9)
Listed below are all 9, with the first option occurring on beat 1 and the second option occurring on beat 2 (i.e., "beat 1-beat 2").
- hold-hold
- hold-step
- hold-and-step
- step-hold
- step-step
- step-and-step
- and-step-hold
- and-step-step
- and-step-and-step
What this means, is that every 2 beats of music you have 9 rhythm options. But don't fret about decision overload. We're not done simplifying yet.
the names of rhythms
If you recall from above, we categorize rhythms by the number of steps over 2 beats of music.
So we can group those 9 rhythm options into 5 RHYTHMS:
So we can group those 9 rhythm options into 5 RHYTHMS:
- ZERO RHYTHMS
- 0 weight changes in 2 beats of music.
- hold-hold
- A ZERO RHYTHM is a "hold-hold," with a hold (or "not a step") on beat 1, and a hold on beat 2.
- 0 weight changes in 2 beats of music.
- SINGLE RHYTHMS
- 1 weight change in 2 beats of music.
- hold-step; step-hold
- There are 2 SINGLE RHYTHMS:
- DOWN-HOLD SINGLE RHYTHMS are SINGLE RHYTHMS with a step on beat 1 and a hold on beat 2.
- UP-HOLD SINGLE RHYTHMS are SINGLE RHYTHMS with a hold on beat 1 and a step on beat 2.
- THE DOWN-HOLD SINGLE RHYTHM is most common.
- In ballroom dance parlance, the term "SLOW" refers to a DOWN-HOLD SINGLE RHYTHM.
- 1 weight change in 2 beats of music.
- DOUBLE RHYTHMS
- 2 weight changes in 2 beats of music.
- hold-and-step; step-step; and-step-hold
- Common DOUBLE RHYTHMS include:
- "rock-step" (step on 1, step on 2)
- "kick-ball-change" (hold on 1, and-step on 2),
- In ballroom dance parlance, the phrase "QUICK QUICK" refers to a DOUBLE RHYTHM, and is most often used for traveling with a step on 1, and a step on 2.
- 2 weight changes in 2 beats of music.
- TRIPLE RHYTHMS
- 3 weight changes in 2 beats of music.
- step-and-step; and-step-step
- The most common TRIPLE RHYTHM is the "triple-step" (step on 1, and-step on 2)
- In Swing dancing, the triple-step is "swung" - meaning, syncopated. This is often vocalized as "one-a'-two". Rather than the three steps being evenly divided over the 2 beats, a "swung triple" has a hesitation between the step on 1 and the and-step on 2 (remember the rolling count!).
- In contrast, a "straight" triple-step is commonly associated with the vocalization (and the dance) "cha-cha-cha", because a "straight triple" has each step evenly divided over the two beats ("one-and-two").
- 3 weight changes in 2 beats of music.
- QUADRUPLE RHYTHMS
- 4 weight changes in 2 beats of music.
- and-step-and-step
- There are no Swing or ballroom dance "basic" that uses a QUADRUPLE RHYTHM (though it is a common footwork variation). As such, it is not considered in the 4 RHYTHMS OF SWING discussed below.
- 4 weight changes in 2 beats of music.
Zero Rhythms |
Single Rhythms |
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The example below features a "pulse-pulse" ZERO RHYTHM.
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The example below features a "step-hold" DOWN-HOLD SINGLE RHYTHM.
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Double Rhythms |
Triple Rhythms |
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The example below features a "step-step" DOUBLE RHYTHM.
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The example below features a "triple-step" TRIPLE RHYTHM.
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