Some Swing Positions

collected by James Williams and Dana Nau

[Note especially 23 & 24. If you have additions or corrections, let me know--KW]

OK, you asked for it! :-)

Some of these come from a list posted to rec.folk-dancing three or four years ago, by James Williams <zorjw@sava.st-andrews.ac.uk>. The rest I either learned at contra dances, or created myself; I'm not completely sure that all the names are correct.

1. Ballroom position.

2. Like ballroom position, but grasping the other's fingers rather than their hand.

3. Like ballroom position, but holding your partner's forearm rather than their hand.

4. Butterfly: like ballroom position, except that the man's left hand and woman's right hand are free.

5. Like ballroom position, except that the man puts his left arm behind his back, and the woman takes it with her right.

6. Nottingham swing: cup partner's right elbow with the right hand (without putting the thumb on the inside of the elbow---that hurts), and join left hands underneath.

7. Irish: join right hands with elbows bent, and cup your partner's right elbow with your left hand.

8. Northumberland: hold your partner's right shoulder with your right hand. Join left hands underneath.

9. Hold your partner's right shoulder with your right hand. Join left hands at face level.

10. Hold your partner's right shoulder with your right hand. Join left hands above your heads.

11. Hold your partner's right shoulder with your right hand, and your partner's left shoulder with your left hand. Thus your right and left arms are crossed, and so are your partner's.

12. Manx: crosshands hold, with arms bent so elbows are together.

13. One partner clasps his/her hands together; the other cups hands around those of the first partner. Both partners have elbows bent.

14. Man's hands crossed, with woman's hands coming up from underneath to grasp the man's.

15. Like above, with roles reversed.

16. Woman's hands on the man's shoulders, his hands on her back.

17. Both partners hold each others arms or shoulders (depending on the relative length of the arms), with elbows slightly bent.

18. One partner's hands are on the other's back. The other's hands are free.

19. Each partner has his/her hands around the other's neck.

20. Welsh: right hands on each other's backs, left hands joined underneath.

21. Right hands on each other's backs, left hands joined above your heads.

22. Tulloch or Hullichan: Stand right shoulder to right shoulder with your partner. Put your left hand behind your back and your right hand behind your partner's back. Take your partner's left hand with your right hand, and your partner's right hand with your left.

23. Nose Swing: Link right elbows, with forearms pointing up, and hold your nose with your right hand. Hold left hands underneath.

24. Ear-Nose Swing: Like the nose swing, but hold your partner's right ear with your left hand.

25. Stand right shoulder to right shoulder with your partner, link right elbows, and take your partner's left hand with your left hand.

26. Same as above, but with your left hands behind your backs.

27. Back cross: the man puts his left hand behind his back, and the woman takes it with her left. The woman puts her right hand behind her back, and the man takes it with his right.

28. Cuddle-up (from a swing dance position of the same name): Start out holding both hands (right in left, left in right). The man raises his left arm and turns the woman under, without letting go of either hand.

James Williams <zorjw@sava.st-andrews.ac.uk>
Dana Nau <nau@cs.umd.edu>