Skippy Blair's Dance Dictionary

A "Dance Terminology Notebook"
Advancing Communication in Dance
The Universal Unit System(R) is the prime concern, with emphasis on California's own,
official State Dance: WEST COAST SWING              
By Skippy Blair original © 1998 - 7-07 - 4-2011- & soon 2012 edition.

For the past 5 years, the GSDTA Terminology Notebook has been online FREE of charge, while I worked on Updates, following every Intensive.  The time has come for the book to go to the Publisher and it will soon be available in several different formats:  We are currently considering a printed version at $40 - and an "online" version for $25.  If YOU have a preference, please let us know. -  In that I spend at least 2 to 5 hours a week - on UPDATES that are generated from emails - Intensives - and telephone questions, we plan to keep updating and publish a newer version - possibly every 3 years.

I want to thank all those teachers who have written such glowing reports of how our dictionary has been one of their treasured possessions.  To our knowledge, much of the information in this book is not available anywhere else.  Many of you already know that if you need specific information, you can email me at:
Skippy@skippyblair.com   or give us a Call, at: 562-869-8949.
God Bless and have a Great Day, 

Skippy Blair, National Dance Director for Golden State Dance Teachers Assn. - Secretary and Education Coordinator for the World Swing Dance Council

In case you are not familiar with this Book - Here are a few excerpts that you might find of value:

SWING DANCE -

(1) Swing, as defined by the Swing Dance Council, is an all- American Rhythm dance consisting of basically 6 and/or 8-Beat patterns that cover either a circular or slotted area on the dance floor. Swing incorporates Underarm Turns, Side Passes, Pushes, and Whips plus Rhythm Breaks, Syncopations and Extensions of the same.

Teaching Note:
Different dances are born in different parts of the world at the same time. Dances come about because dancers interpret the music of the day.  Swing Music of the 1940s gave birth to a wide variety of dances that were categorized as Jitterbug.  We have now come to categorize many styles as forms of Swing.

Author's Note: In the 1990s communication among various styles of Swing Dancing was brought about largely through the success of Jitterbug Magazine (editor Cay Cannon of Laguna Beach, CA) and the efforts of large competitions like the US OPEN  - and of course, the World Swing Dance Council.

(also see: BALBOA, BALLROOM SWING, CAROLINA SHAG, EAST COAST SWING, HAND DANCING, HOUSTON WHIP, IMPERIAL SWING, LINDY, TEXAS PUSH, WEST COAST SWING)

SWIVEL -

(1) An action that takes place on the weighted foot. (2) The weighted foot presses into the floor with the ball of the foot, releasing the heel of the weighted foot. The heel moves left or right as the press takes place on the ball of the foot.

Teaching Note:
The technique involved in developing good swivels requires concentration on the weighted foot rather than on the free foot.    The "Swivel" takes place on the "&a" count before each weight change.

(also see: CROSS SWIVEL, KICK SWIVEL, SWIVEL WALK)

SYNCOPATION -

(1) The "rearrangement" of the metered beat. (2) For the Dancer, it is the rearrangement of the weight changes within the "2-Beat" Rhythms. (3) Stepping BEFORE the beat (on the "&" or the "a" count) and then stepping again, or doing something ELSE on the actual beat of the Music. Example: Count: "&a1." Lift your knee on the "&," step on the "a" and "Kick" on count "1."   Kick again on count “2.”   This is a "Syncopated Single."

Teaching Note:
The understanding and teaching of Syncopations has developed significantly.   In West Coast Swing in the late 1970s, a petite dancer, known as "Little Annie," had people awe-struck over her syncopated footwork.   With the benefit of "The System," we were able to break down all of the interesting variations that fascinated the dancing world.  Those were the start of an endless progression of syncopations.  "Little Annie" is ANNIE HIRSCH, current president of the World Swing Dance Council. Annie lives in Corona Del Mar, California.

TAP STEP -

(1) One of the "Calls" for a "Delayed Single" Rhythm Unit. The "Tap" is on the Downbeat and the Step is on the Upbeat. (2) A "Tap Step" is a Secondary Rhythm and should be taught after all the Basic Rhythms are understood and danced ON TIME.

(also see: DELAYED SINGLE)

TEACHING -

(1) Instructing someone in a way that produces a skill that the student wants to learn. (2) Showing (or demonstrating) is a basic form of teaching but is not complete by itself. Showing only reaches the small percentage of people who have the ability to copy what they see. (3) Knowing the essence of a dance, and being able to relate that information by demonstration, verbal communication, and "hands on" physical practice.

Teaching Note:
There is a saying that helps the Teacher develop patience and understanding: " You may have demonstrated, explained and written down the pattern, but you have not TAUGHT until the student has LEARNED."

TECHNIQUE -   (Dance  Technique)

(1) A discipline to achieve a specific goal. (2)  Examples include: Foot Placement, Force Points, Body Alignment, Hand & Arm Placement, Basic Dance Rhythms, Rolling Count, Centering and proper use of Syncopations that are on time -- all in relationship to the "Center Point of Balance" (CPB) and the MUSIC.

(also see: CENTER POINT of BALANCE)

TEMPO -

The speed of the Music (Nothing more, nothing less). Tempo is determined by the number of Beats per Minute.  To really UNDERSTAND tempos of music, it is important NOT to think in terms of Slow, Medium, or Fast Music.  Sound changes according to mood and circumstances.  The only secure knowledge of tempo of music, is learning and understanding Beats per Minute.  (BPM)

(also see: BEATS per MINUTE)

TERMINOLOGY -

(1) The specific words used in any given discipline.

(2) The words that define the boundaries of that discipline.

Teaching Note:
Mixing Ballet terms, Basketball terms, International terms or Jazz terms, unless they are identical, is a real hazard in teaching Social, Swing, Latin, Country and/or Line Dancing.  A student of Social Dance should not have to learn several languages.  A Plié in Ballet is really MORE than just bending the knees.  In social dance language a "Knee bend" is simply a "Knee bend."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: TERMINOLOGY is our greatest communication tool. The terminology for the UNIVERSAL UNIT SYSTEM® has spread world-wide in it's 50 years of existence.  Literally hundreds of words, coined by GSDTA,  have been "clarified" and absorbed into the extended Dance Community.  (3) GSDTA has been foremost in research and development of "Terminology,"  with a sincere effort to confine the "words" to the world of American Social and Competitive Couples Dancing.

THREE TOE BASE  (3-Toe Base) -

(1) The big toe and the two toes that are closest to the big toe. (2) This relatively new dance term has gained considerable popularity in the swing dance world over the past 12 years.

Teaching Note:
Teaching a dancer to step in the center of the heel (of the sending foot) and press through the “3-Toe Base” is a great help in teaching centering.  It creates better balance, keeps a dancer from dancing pigeon-toed, and keeps the weight from centering over the outside of the foot.

TIME (DOUBLE TIME - HALF TIME - 2005) -

(1) "Double Time" means dancing twice as fast as the music. (2) “Half Time” refers to dancing only half as fast as the music. There are very fast pieces of music where a dancer can actually dance swing by counting only the Downbeats.

(also see: TIME, SINGLE, DOUBLE, TRIPLE TIME)

TIME (SINGLE TIME - DOUBLE TIME - TRIPLE TIME - 1950) -

(1) In the 1950s, "Time" was used to denote differences in the Rhythms in Swing Dancing at Arthur Murray Studios. (A) "Single Time" referred to dancing  “Step touch - Step touch.” (B) “Double Time” referred, in the 1950s, to dancing "Tap step - Tap Step."  (THIS term has a totally different meaning today.) (C) "Triple Time" meant  “Step 3 times - Step 3 times.”

Historical Note: In the realm of dance, these terms were not described as “Rhythms” until after the publishing of “So You Want To Learn To Dance?” by Skippy Blair in 1964.  By 1968, even Laure’ Haile referred to “rhythms” (instead of single time, double time, etc.)  She later referred to “dots and slashes”  instead of continuing her original use of long and short dashes, which had represented Quicks and Slows.  Laure' was a very sharp lady and continued to "grow" through the years.

(also see: SINGLE RHYTHM, DOUBLE RHYTHM, TRIPLE RHYTHM)

(also see: BEAT, COUNT, SYNCOPATION, TIME VALUE)

TIMING -

(1) "Control of the speed of the action." (Webster's New American Dictionary) (2) In Dance, we add: “Control of the speed of the action - while centering over the Unit Foot, based on the various Dance Rhythms.” (3) Timing in Syncopations requires the "kicks", "points", etc. to be ON the beat of the Music, while the "Steps" (weight changes) take place on the "a" counts. (4) In Dance Competition, timing is based on the ability of the dancer to transfer weight on the correct counts in the music.

Teaching Note:
If you have ever watched a really difficult gymnastic move, that received a rather lukewarm applause - and then observed another couple executing a rather simple pattern where the crowd roared to its feet, you have probably witnessed what is referred to as “Critical Timing”. ( precise timing) This phenomenon can be taught starting on Day One. Get the dancer to think in terms of body movement rather than foot placement. Particularly in SWING, the feet can hit the floor on time, and the dancer can still be off time if the CPB lands late.

(also see: BEAT, CPB, PULSE, RECEIVING FOOT)

TRIPLE RHYTHM -

(1) THREE steps ( 3 weight changes) to TWO Beats of music.

(2) A "LEFT Triple" steps "Left & Right Left". A “RIGHT Triple" steps "Right & Left Right.” (3) In 4/4 time, "Basic" Rolling Triples are counted: "&a1&a2", "&a3&a4" , "&a5&a6" and "&a7&a8". (4) In 3/4 time, a WALTZ can be counted: "1 2 3 & 4 5 6" OR, preferably, using Rolling Count  “&a1 &a2 &a3 - &a4 &a5 &a6”

Teaching Note:
Keeping the CPB centered over the Unit Foot is a Rule that works wonders for teaching technique, even at a Basic level. Stepping Left & Right Left, the CPB should stay over the Left foot for that entire left Triple. That exercise develops good Triples, even in Basic Swing Classes.

(also see: ROLLING TRIPLE, SYNCOPATED TRIPLE)

TRIPLE RHYTHM BREAK -

(1) The name of a pattern in West Coast Swing. This "4-Beat" Rhythm Break is danced in a one hand, open position, with the Lady at the end of the slot. (2) He steps "Left &Right Left  -  Right &Left Right", staying in place while he leads the lady into a "Right & Left Right  -  Left & Right Left. The Count is: "&a1&a2 - &a3&a4" He swivels the lady to her Right on "&a" before "1" and to her left on the "&a" before count "3".

Teaching Note:
This is an excellent basic pattern for teaching any form of Swing. It teaches the man to lead the lady from his center, rather than arm leading. This pattern also teaches the lady how to press her foot down into the floor, in order to swivel, keeping the knee pointing in the same direction as the foot. This action teaches both partners how to “center” over the "UNIT FOOT" in order to make the Triples feel more comfortable and controlled. This is the first pattern taught in the GSDTA curriculum in all forms of Swing.

(also see: PRESS, TRIPLE RHYTHM, UNIT FOOT)

TRUCKIN' -

(1) A Dance step from the 1940s that steps straight ahead and then moves the Toe out to the side (Weight centered on the heel). (2) Step forward Left on count "1" and do a "Toe Fan" on count "2." Step forward Right on count "3" and do a "Toe Fan" on count "4." (3) A characteristic Hand Styling for Truckin' is to shake the pointer finger in the air, in time with the music and each foot placement.

Teaching Note:
Truckin' has a Movement Unit of "Down-Down". When any dance has a Movement Unit, it is important to teach that movement FIRST. The movement is part of the "Essence" of the dance. TRUCKIN'' was easy to do in the 1940s because the dancers were already familiar with the movement. It was the same movement as the "subtle bounce" in the Jitterbug & Balboa. Truckin' was part of the "Big Apple" in the 1940's.

(also see: BALBOA, JITTERBUG, MOVEMENT UNIT)

(also see: CONTRA-BODY, WEST COAST SWING)

TURNS - see BOX TURNS, BREAK TURNS, CROSS TURNS, HOOK TURNS, INSIDE ROLL, OUTSIDE ROLL, PADDLE TURNS, PENCIL TURNS, PIVOT TURNS, SLIP PIVOT, SPINS, SWIVELS, TORQUE TURNS

TWO BEAT INCREMENT ("2-Beat" Increment) -

(1) The smallest measurement or "UNIT" of Dance. (2) All step patterns, in all dances danced to 4/4 time music, are composed of two or more specific Rhythms. Each Rhythm is confined to one  “2-Beat” Rhythm Unit.

Teaching Note:
Line Dancing, Social Dance, Country Dance, Ballroom Dance - no matter what kind of dance (to 4/4 time music) it will be easier to teach and easier to learn if you break the patterns down into specific "2-Beat" increments.

(also see: RHYTHM UNITS, WALTZ) 

UNIT -

(1) The smallest increment of Dance. (2) Two Beats of Music in 4/4-time or 3 beats of music in 3/4-time. (3) For the ANNOTATION of a Unit, each RHYTHM UNIT is encased in a rectangle for easy identification.

(also see: ANNOTATION, COUNT, DANCE RHYTHMS)

UNIT CARD -

(1) "FLASH CARDS" designed to visually note the RHYTHMS in the ANNOTATION SYSTEM of the UNIVERSAL UNIT SYSTEM®. (2) These visual aids are particularly helpful in public education, or anywhere the teacher can have the cards displayed where the student can see the number of weight changes in each rhythm. The CARDS facilitate learning and also contribute to developing creativity at it's most basic form.

UNIVERSAL UNIT SYSTEM® -

(1) A method of training dancers that emphasizes connecting the Dancer to the MUSIC - starting on lesson ONE. "The SYSTEM" concentrates on ELEMENTS of MUSIC and TIMING and ELEMENTS of MOVEMENT. (2) This "System" isolates the components and covers ALL forms of dance, Social level to Performance level. (3) This is the Trademark for the teaching system and system of ANNOTATION that is the basis for Certification through the Golden State Dance Teachers Association.

(see: RHYTHM CHART, the FORWARD in the front of the book)