SWING DANCE AERIALS
Swing Dance Aerials, Dips & Tricks
SPECIAL SUNDAY NOV 20th
Back By Popular Demand!
“Look Up In The Sky, It’s A Bird, It’s A Jet Plane….It’s A Flyer!”
3:00p-4:30p Sunday Nov 20, 2022 at the Fellowship Hall, 1489 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach, VA.
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! Learn the historical aspect of swing dance that has entertained audiences around the world for over a century.
PARTNERS ENCOURAGED BUT NOT NECESSARY – Bring dancers so we will have enough to share & practice. Yes, you can learn some SAFE and fun lifts and flips and moves that makes the crowd go WILD!
WHAT TO WEAR/BRING: Highly recommended to bring a long/short sleeved shirt that covers the armpit-to-elbow area. DO NOT WEAR TANK TOPS – Trust Us, you will want to have your entire upper arm covered! You can wear basic gym shoes.
LADIES/FLYERS: For class, do not wear long skirts/dresses. Just wear workout attire, tshirts, shorts, spandex shorts, etc. When you get to finalizing your performance, then you practice in costume.
WHAT TO BRING:
WATER BOTTLE – you will build up a thirst.
TOWEL – you WILL sweat, a lot.
SNACKS – Keep up your energy.
NOTE: This is an intensive dance training. Designed to give you the ultimate learning experience in the shortest amount of time. An aerial (or air step) is a dance move where one’s feet leave the floor. The term has come to mean a wide range of special and unusual dance moves, including dips, slides, and tricks.
Everyone Must-Read before Class.
RULE #1 – DO NOT HURT YOUR PARTNER!
This can be your current partner and also be the people next to you which can be your next partner. That also includes do not put in harm’s way your current partner by sending them into other people or objects or flying feet. The all important “Floorcraft” to keep an eye out for other dancers, waitstaff, onlookers, furniture, and anything that can enter your space.
RULE #2 – DO WHAT INSTRUCTOR TELLS YOU!
The Instructor(s) may give you just the exact amount of instruction to practice the lift or a move. Or just how to prep a move. Most of the time the instruction is given in “Baby Steps” where you do this, then that, then this, etc. Do nothing more. REASONING: Your partner is only expecting the Baby Step, and if you do the Whole-Thing… they will not be ready for it … OUCH. Again, RULE #1
An Aerial (or Air Step) is a dance move where someone’s feet leave the floor. The term has come to mean a wide range of special and unusual dance moves, including dips, slides, and tricks. The Lead is also called the BASE, because they usually are just a solid base for lifts. The Follow is called the FLYER, because Flyer usually flies through the air.
DO NOT PRACTICE THESE WITHOUT SUPERVISION!
We highly recommend learn to perform aerials with qualified instructors and spotters. Not from YouTube. Aerials that seem easy can be hard, while aerials that seem very hard to perform can be easy. It is important to know the “insider” tricks to each aerial. It is important to work out the timing with one’s partner for each aerial, which takes practice practice practice.
LISTEN TO INSTRUCTORS – STFU!
You are here to learn the funnest and historical part about swing dance from qualified and seasoned Instructor(s). Also the most dangerous and injury-causing and sometimes fatal. Safety is our FIRST concern. Please respect what the Instructor(s) says AT ALL TIMES. If Instructor(s) is giving instruction, SHUT UP & STOP IMMEDIATELY! Stop what you are doing. Look at what Instructor(s) are only demonstrating, Listen to what they are saying. Please limit the joking and banter as it takes away from important injury-preventing information. If you disobey, do not be offended if you are asked to sit out or leave the class.
Do not hurt someone just because you have a big ego!!!
NOTES ABOUT AERIALS CLASS
• There is potential for bruising, bleeding, minor, major, and fatal injuries. Do NOT take aerials lightly.
• There is the huge potential and almost guaranteed you may get hit, smacked, grabbed, groped, clocked, punched, kneed, and kicked. Be prepared for it.
• For practice time, we encourage you to wear long sleeved shirts with sleeves that cover the whole bicep to elbow. Prevents skin burns due to repetitive moves. Athletic wear is best.
• If Instructor says only perform the move partially (a.k.a. Babysteps), that means only do Babysteps! Do not continue the move than instructed. Key elements may not have been mentioned. Even if you have done the move before your partner hasn’t, so ONLY perform exactly what Instructor tells you.
• If Instructor says “break” or “stop”… THAT MEANS STOP! Do NOT finish a move – DAMMIT! Refer to Rule #1. Then refer to Rule #2.
• When you do an AERIAL, both parties always VERBALLY agree as to what move you are doing: BASE says the move, FLYER repeats it, agree what your prep is, and if you are doing it halfway, up & over or all-the-way. Base says, Flyer repeats.
GUILDELINES MUST BE FOLLOWED AT ALL TIMES FOR PERFORMING AERIALS!
Aerials are meant only to be performed by instructed partner-pairs during Showcases, Performances, Jam Circles, or when it is safe to you and those around you.
GUIDELINE 1: DO NOT do aerials with ANY partner. Just because YOU know the move, doesn’t mean THEY will. Don’t show off and try to impress. JUST DON’T!
GUIDELINE 2: DO NOT do aerials on the social dance floor! Serious injury may occur to you, your partner, and dancers around you.
GUIDELINE 3: DO NOT do aerials at any venue just because you know it. Always check with the Organizer and Venue if it is allowed to do aerials.
GUIDELINE 4: BAIL!! If something goes wrong (slip, bad prep, fatigue), make a sound as “BAIL” signal so Base and Spotter can securely get hold of the Flyer. Try again later.
HAND GRIPS
STANDARD SWING HOLD: This is the standard Swing/Lindy grip. Your own fingers & thumb together. Base’s hands horizontal, flyer’s hands hooked over top.
COFFEE CUP – PLATFORM – PALM-TO-PALM: This is palm to palm, with fingers and thumb curled around the partner’s hand – similar to holding a coffee cup in the air. Hands can be up in air to catch or down low to lift.
CIRCUS: Each dancer grabs the forearm of the partner. This grip is very secure, but very rigid.
HOOK: Basically base and flyer cup their hands or elbows so they can hook into each. Like the Barrel of Monkeys game.
PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE: You should be able to do the aerial at LEAST 20 times without a flaw before you perform in public.
CHOREOGRAPHY NOTES
FLOW: An aerial looks best when it flows from the previous move and into the next move naturally.
SURPRISE: Your aerial should be performed effortlessly in a pattern. Avoid long set ups for aerials – it is totally predictable and boring. Often set ups are merged into the previous move. Dancers shouldn’t stop the performance for a few counts while the Base and Flyer get in position.
CONTRAST: Aerials can be performed fast. Some slow motion. Several can be performed in an 8-count. Some held for a few counts to get the best effect.
ENTRANCE & EXIT: Getting out of some aerials is awkward. This makes them natural for finishing a routine, when there is only one pair of dancers. When there are other dancers, they can cover for the pair.
AMOUNT OF AERIALS: Only do a few aerials in a dance. They are like spices in food: a little goes a long way. Too many can ruin the surprise.
PREP FINESSE: In performance, moves may need to be tweaked to fit the music. Different performers do these moves in different ways. For example, many aerials (especially jumps and flips) can start with either a rock-step-down-up (1, 2, 3, 4) or rock-step-jump (1, 2, 3). The preference depends on the move, the musical context, and the preferences of the dancers. They may start on any count to hit the music.
