Square Dance Tutorial

Swing / Slip / Slide / Slither

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2.2: SWING AND MIX

The specific combination Swing and Mix sounds like nothing more than the call Swing followed by the call Mix. In fact, for many purposes it can be thought of in that way. However, it is defined as a separate call because it has two special properties that can't be derived from the definitions of those two calls considered separately.

First, although neither the call Swing (the one being discussed in this tutorial) nor the call Mix can be called from facing couples, the call Swing and Mix can be called from facing couples. In that respect, it follows the same rule as Swing Thru: step to a wave (right-handed, unless the caller specifies "Left"), and then do the call.

Second, even though it sounds like it is made up of two components, for purposes where calls are considered to be broken down into formal "parts" the call Swing and Mix is considered to have three parts:

  • Swing
  • Centers Cross Run
  • Centers Trade
So, for example, if the caller says something like "do the first 2/3 of a Swing and Mix", that would mean that the ends and adjacent centers trade and then the new centers Cross Run -- the dancers who end up in the center would omit the final trade. Similarly, "the last 2/3 of a Swing and Mix" is simply a Mix (with the Swing omitted).

Note: The reason for this special treatment of Swing and Mix is that it was, historically, the original call -- the call we now know as Mix was derived from it.

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