Hi everybody ,
I can agree with "Misteromantiko" that main swing in Waltz is swinging of the body center across the floor. Developing such point of view and for better understanding of this issue, dancer's body can be simplified to a point (which is approx. 90 sm above the floor). If clear, so it should be no problem to understand how both partners are involved in this swing action - they just combine there two gravity centers into one and are swinging it across the floor together. Partners will fill comfortable if personal Technique of this swing action is on certain level for both of them.
And if we talking about this main swing action in Waltz and replying to original question posted by "hesitation":
1)there is no connection between personal body shape and swing of body center across the floor. As explained, at this point, there is no body, it is simplified to a point. So it is impossible to shape the point.
2)also your question and/or explanation received by you is based on visual experience, which is a result of simple/complicated Technique and is a reaction of dancer's body to something that one actually do or have to do (action) to get this visual effect.
Of course special Technique is involved to make our body center to move as a swing - "through an arc".
During my dancing and teaching experience I came to following:
1)during preparation step or at the end of previous movement body center is in high position (rise) so it has potential energy and ready to fall, at this point body speed is zero or close to zero.
2)fall - is beginning of swing
during fall potential energy is transferred into kinetic one and it is an origin of speed, at this point it is very important for the dancer to relax muscles very quick in order to actually fall
10 Sm fall of body center gives us body speed of approx. 1.5m per second, at this point main direction of this move is downwards
3)now, part of kinetic energy is absorbed in the standing leg again into potential energy of deformation of knee region (so-called compression). Now we should transfer this potential energy back to kinetic (rebound)and to redirect moving body center (falling) from downward direction to parallel to the floor. It is recommended to use minimum push action from leg muscles in order to clearly fill how to synchronize natural rebound impulse coming from the floor through supporting leg with body center fall in order to look natural during this process. In other words we should use recuperation of energy to create natural swing
...this is just beginning of first step explanation and we already come to second swing - which is swing of dancer's body part - free leg. And according to my knowledge, it should come from body center (pelvic region) and not from hip(some teachers call leg swing from knee - "juvenile leg",leg swing from hip - "amateur leg" and from body center - "professional leg").
Of course clear understanding of "balance" (teachers phrase - be vertical), "stability" (teachers phrase - move smooth), "to be grounded" ( teachers phrase - don't raise your shoulders) and "to use active-working side" (teacher phrase - sway your body)- can improve personal swing action.
And in order to improve relational-couple swing and leg swing dancer have to understand:
1) how to create "inner space" between front of rib cage and lower back to get volume in 3rd dimension in order to have: a)good frame , b)good understandable lead
2)to understand meaning of words "overtake/invite" in order to keep dynamically ( and not statically!!!) two body's centers as one during couple swing.
So if somebody found this explanation and ideas interesting and helpful, I would be grateful to have your comments or answer additional questions re. this.
