Learn Ice Dancing with Step Scholar – episode 5, Swing Dance



We add to our library of dances for Social Ice Dancing.

Yes, we’re back for another tutorial and keen to help you learn about ice dancing.

This is our first tutorial where we learn an ice dance which includes backward skating. This dance is very equal opportunity, as both lady and man spend equal time skating backward.

Swing Dance Step vocabulary includes:

  • Three Turn (for the Lady during intro)
  • Chasses, Forward and Backward
  • Swings, Forward and Backward
  • Forward Slide Chasses
  • Right Forward Inside Open Mohawks for both Lady & Man (But luckily not at the same time)

To skate this ice dance really well, we need to have a good sense of curve and establishing our circle using our body weight across the blade, especially on Backward Outside Edges. So that means plenty of practice to make sure those skills happy and confident ready to use in our dance.

Here’s an Olympian technique tip for switching circles when Backward, either between the Chasses, Curves or between the Backward Swings; use turned in toes.

To do this neatly, try to touch the tips of your inner big toes together and turn your knees in a little as you prepare to push. This will make the following skating stroke much more responsive and reduce any over sway as you change from one curve to the next.

We have separate videos for the Ladies and the Men’s Steps as we learn about the Swing Dance

…Ladies first 🙂

https://youtu.be/t_O0vwBosz0
Ladies – Swing Dance Tutorial
https://youtu.be/cRirizH09fA
Gentlemen – Swing Dance Tutorial

Happy Easter!

Our Full Follow-Along Tutorials Playlist can be found here, in case you want to extend your Ice Dance practice today 🙂

Want some inspiration to get you hungry to learn Ice Dancing? Get to know our top competitive ice dancers who train with us at Lee Valley Ice Centre in London.

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