How to Do the Lindy Swing Out | Swing Dance

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The basic Lindy swing out. It's an eight-count pattern that goes rock step, triple step, walk, walk, triple step. It looks like this. Rock step, triple step, walk, walk, triple step. Rock step, triple, triple, walk, walk, triple step. So what we're going to do here, the swing out, we're swinging her out to start doing whatever it is we want to do in the dance.

We start with the rock step. Rock step. On this triple step, I'm moving to my left by getting in front of her if she goes dead forward. Triple step. From here, she's going to walk past me on her walk, walk. I'm just going to get out of the way with my right foot. Walk, walk. So she's moving away from me now. On this next triple step, she moves away from me still. Triple step. Turning around to do a little swiveling action, as I rock step she goes swivel, swivel. Swivel, swivel. I'll pick her back up into close. Triple step. We'll talk a walk, walk around. Walk, walk, back it up, triple step.

And we can do the pattern again. So it goes, rock step, get in front of her, triple step, send her by you, walk, walk, finish it off, triple step, she swivels coming back at you with her right, I go left, rock, step, picking her up into close, triple step, stay there, walk, walk, back it up, triple step, and we can start over. So I start left, she starts right with the rock step. We're going to do the Lindy swing out to music. [music]

And we're doing the Lindy Hop.

[SofaCitySweetheart]

Love that original vintage swing music they're dancing to.

[Zenith]

Clear video for beginners! I was super intimidated by my first lindy hop swingout lesson and needed a refresher, for which this is perfect. Who cares about the music? Go find some authentic swing music on your own, this is for the steps. Thanks!

[jitterbugtom]

Robert is an amazing dancer, but primarily known in the West Coast swing community, so this shows through in the instruction and demonstration. One important thing to remember about swing is that it covers almost 100 years of evolution, so there are many styles that are all considered correct. The music really sets the tone for the style of lindy you're doing.

[tomaaron]

This is really clear. thwnke. Re the comments on the music...I find this much easier to follow. We can add our own style to more 'swing' music...but for the basics I don't want the moves lost in the music.These lessons are much appreciated.

[TASIA]

You make the steps a lot easier to learn!thank you:)

[proudmomofsage]

Very helpful. You broke it down beautifully. Thank you.

[JPLooney]

The Swing outs I've seen where you triple step towards the lead looked really good. I've seen that technique used religiously in competition... if the Swing Out looks, or feels bad, I would question the practitioners.. And they made perfect sense..

[magicelemental]

Shouldn't they dance to swing music and not elevator music?

[TheFojar]

0:37 "as she goes dead forward"
Nicola is correct b/c this is what Robert is leading, but he should NOT be leading her forward here.  He needs to leave her in place so they have stretch for the send-out.  Yes, this means Robert will have to do some work on counts 4-5 to get her moving, but having connection on 4 will give them many more options later.  Plus, if Nicola's coming into a swingout with any sort of speed, they're going to need to kill all the momentum to get her coming forward on 3&4.

[jpmcglynn]

I know you mean well but this music?! Jesus.

[purpletintedscarf]

The follower shouldn't be facing away from him, at least not in a basic swingout.

[sparking]

Hey bro nice. btw look like drew gooden

[bbqtool]

He is leading forward swing outs not sidewards swing outs, which is why the follow is ending up how she is.

I was told years and years ago, the "basic" swing out was taught as a forward swing out (Where I live anyway) which is probably why this demonstration is of that particular way of doing it.

[MrsWilliamTheBloody]

It does. A bad swing out, versus one that actually makes sense.

[paulrules]

It'd be awesome if the last 30 seconds of the Lindy Swing Out were done to actual swing music instead of generic howcast music, but thanks anyway :D

[LeeFreemanAugie]

This has been the subject of much debate but it really depends on the lead. Here he is leading his partner to walk forward but if he steps with her to the side, she would go out sideways, if he whipped her out, she would go out backwards. There are many variations but really some leads have a forward swing out as their basic, others do it differently (as their basic). There is no universal way since it is, after all, a street dance.

[inai]

I don't see the second swivels at the end, she does a step forward instead.

[pineapple]

Umm, this looks like a send out, and a Lindy circle... Anybody?

[heathertoribio]

I promise that lindy hoppers are not a bunch of negative assholes. I thought that this was a great introductory video for beginners. Excellent job. Very Frankie inspired.

[gayowulf]

"And we're doing the Lindy Hop."

Um. Only in the loosest sense of the term.