Swing Aerials Vol. 3 - Advanced Air-Steps

Swing Aerials, 3 & 4....

Some important words from disc 4, but it follows what’s said in disc 3:

“For chorographers, performers, competitors, and professional swing dancers...”

If that’s not you, or, it’s not going to be you, you don’t need these discs. If it is you, you don’t mind hearing such qualifiers and cautions again.

And...

“Not a substitute for good old fashioned one-on-one learning --- where somebody can really show you how to do these steps right…”

There… They said it plain enough. Don’t get these discs to teach yourself and your partner aerials – even with a little brother acting as “spotter.” This is serious stuff, done originally to win contests for the purpose of making money. It’s gotten popular for many people to “try” these, even on “open” C&W dance floors, but just as many people have gotten hurt; hurt someone else; or, ruined an evening of dancing for someone, somehow.

It should be understood that these aren’t moves for “social dancing” or, “just fun,” but for being on stage, or, in an agreed “stage area” like a jam circle. Being on a busy dance floor with a 90-pound follow about the lead’s head – and yours – is not safe for anybody.

These discs are best seen as information and not instruction. You can watch a video or read a book on how to fly a plane or drive a car. Setting things in motion without an experience driver or pilot to guide you through the “learning curve” safely can lead (no pun intended) to disaster, or, disasters. There are no “do-overs” for some things.

That said… After reviewing discs 1 and 2 of this series, there isn’t a lot more to say in reviewing discs 3 and 4 except to note that Angel Jenkins and not Tiffany Wine is the follow here. Daniel does his usual good job in laying out the moves and telling you to take your time, and Angel says what she needs to say for the follows to do well.

All the discs start with a brief introduction to “disc x,” followed by warm-up and safety suggestions, and then progress to “the moves.” But, not enough is probably said about beginning on grass, or, at a gym or dance studio with a padded floor. In fact, on these two discs everything is done on a rather rough wood floor that can create problems all by itself… They do, however, note that you should probably “try” just the set-up for some moves thirty (30), or, forty (40) times before doing the entire move. Good advice!

You’ll note in watching the discs that a lot of these moves look (and sound) a lot like a lot of the other moves. All the more reason to agree, as Daniel encourages you to do, between yourself and your partner what to call each move you’re going to do in advance of the move and to work that habit into your performances. Saying, “I though I said…” or, “I thought you said…” at the hospital isn’t something you want to do in real life.


Disc 3:

Lindy Backflip
Acid Drop
K Flip
Charleston Front Flip
Sunshine
Evil Knievel
Skiddo Wild


Disc 4:

The Lindy Flip
The K Flip
Ace in the Hole
Hellzapoppin’ Flip
The Twizzle
The Jungle

Feel free, by the way, to select a few things you like here and change them around a bit. “The Twizzle” and “The Jungle,” even though last on Disc 4, are actually fairly easy moves that you can change into both doing “Twizzles” (if you think about it), or, doing more with “The Jungle” instead of just walking off stage – like rocking her back up on your shoulders so that she can do a “Cleopatra” exit atop your shoulders. Good luck.