Stylish finish without leaning

[FirstMove]

I've been jiving for about a year and I have learnt various drops/leans/seducers which I use to end a dance. What stylish options are there if the lady is a non-leaner?

Somehow just returning, stepping back and freezing doesn't seem the right thing to do when the music stops; I'm not playing musical statues!

[bigdjiver]

I feel like an intruder into a thread containing "stylish" in its title.
You have to pick partners carefully for this one.
I sometimes go into a wrap, kneel on one knee and sit the lady on the other, raising the free arm in a flourish , hopefully in one flowing action.
(This is the 2,000 smiles move, referred to elsewhere)

[MartinHarper]

More for beginners than intermediates... I sometimes try finishing with something like a bow or a curtsy. Just dip yourself till you're looking up to the lady and try to do something graceful with your hands and feet.

For music that fades off rather than properly ending, I like to go into some move that can be done lazily, is easily led, can be repeated indefinately, and keeps the girl within easy chatting distance. Then as the music repeats to fade, do likewise with your movements, do the necessary chatting: thanks, compliments, another?, etc, and just let the dance wind down naturally.

In jazz jive, I tend to use first move jockey, side charleston, or jig walk for this, but I'm still figuring out good Ceroc equivalents.

[DavidB]

Nothing wrong with musical statues. I do it throughout the whole dance. I suppost if I wanted to highlight the end of the music I could move my feet...

[spindr]

You could always try looking in another place.

SpinDr.

[Dazzle]

There are lots of ways to approach this one. I am sure there are loads of variations, probably as many as there are dancers, but some none drop/seducer/lean ways are also:

End in a shoulder drop (without the drop) with lady behind you, you facing forwards and as track ends (best with a definite end to a track rather than a fade) quickly turn to look back at her.

End after a return looking at the floor (best for a fading end to a track) and slowly lift head up until you are looking straight into your partner's eyes.

End from a catapult pulling your partner into a cuddle from behind. You could look at them over the shoulder again?

Much of this type of thing is attitude, experience, experimentation, confidence and the ability to anticipate the end of the track so you are in the right place to do this kind of thing.

I don't pretend to have all the answers, , but something to help out a little. Hope it's of some use.

[DianaS]

Nicest ending I ever had was timed perfectly, we were doing the train and he just directed us to exit the dance floor just as the song was ending, waving as we went. It was a hoot!
D

[Lory]

Some of my best 'ending's' have been very 'un-stylish' indeed, the kind when we've both collapsed in a heap of laughter, especially after we've been trying to do the (tongue in cheek) 'very serious sexy' faces throughout the dance!

[Gordon J Pownall]

Originally Posted by Lory

Some of my best 'ending's' have been very 'un-stylish' indeed, the kind when we've both collapsed in a heap of laughter, especially after we've been trying to do the (tongue in cheek) 'very serious sexy' faces throughout the dance!

I'm glad you enjoyed our dance on Sunday - so nice of you to comment upon it here.....

[Lory]

Originally Posted by Gordon J Pownall

I'm glad you enjoyed our dance on Sunday - so nice of you to comment upon it here.....

Ahh but Gordy, you're a rare one .......you manage to colapse into laughter, yet still maintain absolute style!

[Yogi_Bear]

Depending on the music, I sometimes like to be able to just walk slowly towards the edge of the dance floor alongside my partner, with whatever hold we have at the time.

[Stuart]

I sometimes finish with a sway and sit, or a basket and sit.

[DianaS]

last nights surprise ending

I was in a spin and the end of a dance (don't know if it was planned or what) and when I came out if it he just lowered my hand and to my surprise lightly and briefly "kissed" it. It felt like a complement on the dance and was came over as very courteous. Don't know if it would be the same again, but as a once only it felt really special.

[under par]

I have a nice move that I use sometimes to finish with a flourish.

Right hand to right hand ........return the lady into a r/h comb and bring lady into mans left side for a slow lean to the right.....then the sneaky bit........ the man steps left across and behind the lady and the lady is put into a left side seducer. Always gets a smile

[Gadget]

I have two 'alternate' finishes I currently use:

- Coming out from a first move, keep the right hand on hip to block/stop the lady when she is facing. Follow her forward while dropping to one knee and extending the left arm to the side. Ends like a proposal. Does not matter what level your partner is at for this one.

- Wrap into a close basket, half infront (so that the center of the lady's back lines up with your right side and you both face the same way) Step back slightly with the left foot and lean back with the lady - her head on your chest/shoulder. If the lady is a relative beginner, I will normally just use a simple close basket for this variation.

But any move can be ended on with style if you have a stylish lady: simply strike a pose a couple of beats from the end and leave it up to her to match it, wrap herself arround you, pose herself,...whatever. As long as you are looking a her on the last beat.

The most common I see is the seducer, but a lean is sometimes used. Or a drop.

What I also see a lot is a seducer punctuating the last 'true' beat, then up from it and walk off - but the music is still fading! The best people {that I have seen} may drop into the seducer at the same time, but they rise again with the music and perhaps 'fade' the dance with the music and drift into a further move.

[Aleks]

Where's Franck's post about the virtues of using the Comb???????

[Franck]

Originally Posted by Aleks

Where's Franck's post about the virtues of using the Comb???????

Hey

The Comb is a great way to finish any track I outdid myself on Saturday in Aberdeen with a new version of the Double Comb...

Seriously though, one of the most important things in any finish is 'Eye contact' and a smile... The finish will be memorable simply via the connection you establish.

I don't think I have 'stock moves' (Comb notwithstanding) for the end of a song as it always depends on my partner, the track, the mood and the available space at the time.

I will often finish with a wrap (basket etc...), a sway of some sort, or sometimes something more flamboyant / funny
I'm not a big fan of leans anyway, but will occasionally finish on a small seducer.

[Stuart M]

Originally Posted by Aleks

Where's Franck's post about the virtues of using the Comb???????

On a search, I found that, amazingly, only 21 of Franck's posts actually contain the word 'comb'. That's barely 1%.

The man's been much maligned IMO...

[Franck]

Originally Posted by Stuart M

On a search, I found that, amazingly, only 21 of Franck's posts actually contain the word 'comb'. That's barely 1%.

The man's been much maligned IMO...

Actions speak louder than words.

[TheTramp]

Yes, but 2384 of his intermediate classes have contained a comb or comb variation. That's just under 99%

Actions do indeed speak louder than words

Trampy