Lead Projection

It is by no means an authoritative guide, but more of a snapshot of my (novicebaby intermediate, 85%75% lead) current understanding of the idea. Feedback & contributions are welcome!

To avoid doing that and to just communicate a linear intent (e.g. when leading passes) - you want to keep the point of connection stable and withingwithin the slot, while offsetting your body to one side of it.

Lead Projection is also sometimes referred to as "pre-leading" or "slot dynamics".

• This leads to one pattern influencing the next, giving a consistent flow to the dancedance.
• Reduce the amount of work/force required to lead any given pattern - as the follower is already partially prepared for the movement - only a very light lead is required.
• Reduce cognitive load for both leader and followers by constraining the space of possible patternspatterns.
• Give follower more time to figure out appropriate styling based on upcoming movement. If the follower knows (roughly) what pattern is coming next, it is easier for them to plan musicality and variations that are compatible with the next pattern.
• When follower does the projection - it allows them to request (the characteristicsthe (characteristics of) next pattern
  • By picking their own position, the follower can put the partnership in new positionsconfigurations that the leader might not have in their vocabulary, or encourage the leader to pick specific moves to match the music.
• It also helps leaders to determine how ready a follower might be for a certain move. For example, over-rotating the follower preps them for rotational movement to follow. If when you're trying to over-rotate them they stay more square - that's a sign that you should probably try leading something more linear in the next pattern.

You create a projection by adjusting your position, pitch or rotation at the end of preceding pattern (~through last 2 counts of it).

If leader is in the middle of train tracks - blocking the way of the follower - that implies a blocking pattern is coming (e.g. sugar push or sugar tuck).

If the leader is off to a side - they are inviting the follower to pass them on the other side of themside.

Higher focus usually involves turns of some kind (sugar tuck, underarm pass,pass, inside roll).

Patterns with lower focus is when your connection point stays approximately at it's default height (sugar push, left side pass, whip).

• "Breathing in"
  • That is slightly changing your pitch/risingraising rib cage and letting that propagate through the connection
• letting your hand extend further out at the end of previous pattern which has a consequence of raising the point of connection higher 

You can influence the characteristics of the next pattern as a follower by basically doing a mirror version of the things described above described for the leader.

So to request a direction - you'd offset yourself to one side of the slot at the end of the previous pattern (it's important to do it at the very end because if you do it in the middle - leaders will often match you/square up).

One common mistake people do when tryingI've been making as I started to do this deliberately

things people miss

keep hand "inincorporate the slot"

• when you offset to the side a natural inclinationprojection into how I lead is to stay square and keeping your frame
• turns"square" to the slot when offsetting myself to one side of it. That in turn would have an effect of rotating the follower - giving them rotational projection when I was not intending to the side communicating unintended rotation
  • projecting passes/etc should stilldo that. 

    To avoid doing that and to just communicate a linear intent

  • it's something that (e.g. when leading passes) - you may deliberately decidewant to project
  •  important not do it unintentionally

instead yourkeep the point of connection point should stay approximatelystable and withing the same place as if you were anchoring normally

you turn outslot, while offsetting your body to offsetone side of it.

sufficient? need to turn wrist too

keep connection point neutral

presumably if you gonna lead inside roll from the left or otside on the right - this is where you wantYou can choose to project both side and rotation

whip also requires rotation as discussed above, but it's important to only do that intentionally.

• this communicates that the next pattern is likely to be something wcs/sugar push or wcs/sugar tuck like

• this communicates that they would be leading the follower to the right side e.g. something like wcs/under-under arm turnpass  or wcs/whip

You can think of projecting rotation as a form of prep that is shifted earlier in time/incorporated into previous movementmovement.

Make sure to project only things you intend to, avoiding miscommunication and noise in the connection.

One common mistake people do when trying to do this deliberately

• when you offset to the side a natural inclination is to stay square and keeping your frame
• turns the follower to the side communicating unintended rotation
  • projecting passes/etc should still communicate linear intent
  • it's something that you may deliberately decide to project
  •  important not do it unintentionally
  • wcs/connection/noise

by..,Another thing you can indicateproject is whether next pattern would have a higher or lower focusfocus.

 You indicate a higher focus by:

Letting

• "Breathing in"
  • That is slightly changing your pitch/rising rib cage and letting that propagate through the connection
• letting your hand come out/rise to project up

  "breathe in"

   

  up & down (pitch) projection from ESS Camp

   

  subtle - breathe in/extend further out

  at the end of previous pattern which has a consequence of raising the point of connection higher 

It is by no means an authoritative guide, but more of a snapshot of my (novice), 85% lead) current understanding of the idea. Feedback & contributions are welcome!

• Elaborate on how

  You can influence the characteristics of the next pattern as a follower by basically doing a mirror version of the things above described for the leader.

  So to do projection fromrequest direction - you'd offset yourself to one side of the follower side

• request forslot at the end of the previous pattern on that side
• (it's important to do it at the very end bc otherwise leaderbecause if you do it in the middle - leaders will often match youyou/square up).

  And to get square ish

 Doing projection as a follower

• Elaborate on how to do projection from the follower side
• request for pattern on that side
•  important to do it at the end bc otherwise leader will match you to get square ish

Video tutorials

InspiredA lot of this is inspired by Joel Gibson's notes on the topic.

implications?

projection from the follower side

request for pattern on that side

 important to do it at the end bc otherwise leader will match you to get square ish

Video tutorials

Projecting PitchUp and down (pitch) projection

by.., you can indicate whether next pattern would have a higher or lower focus

Higher focus usually involves turns of some kind (sugar tuck, underarm pass, inside roll)

Patterns with lower focus is when your connection point stays approximately at it's default height (sugar push, left side pass, whip)

You can think of projecting rotation as a form of prep that is shifted earlier in time/incorporated into previous movement

But you can also interpret that as "naturally occurring" projection

projection, and remainpick a new movement based on that side ofthe position in the slot as you anchor, pick new movement appropriately

arguablyand an angle you've developed. Arguably doing this can create a better "flow" in the dancedance.

This conceptLead Projection is also sometimes referred to as "pre-leading" or "slot dynamics"

it'sLead projection is not necessarily something that you do deliberately

sometimesdeliberately. Sometimes it happens that you naturally end up, say on a side of the slot as you executeyou're completing a movement (or over/under-rotated).

• or over/underrotated

defaultPeople often have an instinct is to "square up" to their partner, as they anchor, in such a situation (negating rotation, moving to the follower on anchorcenter of the slot).

butBut you can also interpret that as "naturally occurring" projection

It is by no means an authoritative guide, but more of a snapshot of my (novice)(novice) current understanding of the idea. Feedback & contributions are welcome!

Letting hand come out/rise to project up

"breathe in"

up & down (pitch) projection from ESS Camp

subtle - breathe in/out

up & down (pitch) projection from ESS Camp

subtle - breathe in/out

Examples

When leader is directly in front of the follower at the end of the pattern (blocking their way through the slot)

• this communicates that the next pattern is likely to be something wcs/sugar push or wcs/sugar tuck like

When the leader is offset to the left side of the slot

• this communicates that they would be leading the follower to the right side e.g. something like wcs/under-arm turn or wcs/whip

Video tutorials

References

Inspired by Joel Gibson notes on a topic

Mistakes

Examples

When leader is directly in front of the follower at the end of the pattern (blocking their way through the slot)

• this communicates that the next pattern is likely to be something wcs/sugar push or wcs/sugar tuck like

When the leader is offset to the left side of the slot

• this communicates that they would be leading the follower to the right side e.g. something like wcs/under-arm turn or wcs/whip

Video tutorials

References

Inspired by Joel Gibson's notes on the topic.

• This leads to one pattern influencing the next, giving a consistent flow to the dance
• Reduce the amount of work/force required to lead any given pattern - as the follower is already partially prepared for the movement - only a very light lead is required.
• Reduce cognitive load for both leader and followers by constraining the space of possible patterns
• Give follower more time to figure out appropriate styling based on upcoming movement. If the follower knows (roughly) what pattern is coming next, it is easier for them to plan musicality and variations that are compatible with the next pattern.
• When follower does the projection - it allows them to request (the characteristics of) next pattern
  • By picking their own position, the follower can put the partnership in new positions that the leader might not have in their vocabulary, or encourage the leader to pick specific moves to match the music.
• It also helps leaders to determine how ready a follower might be for a certain move. E.g.For example, over-rotating the follower preps them for rotational movement to follow. If preparingwhen you're trying to over-rotate them they stay more square - that's a RSP w/ double outside turn using large amounts of over rotationsign that you should probably try leading something more linear in the anchor, and the follower doesn’t match, it might be better to lead something less ambitious, e.g. a whip.next pattern.

Projecting Direction

People often talk about wcs/concept/slot as "train tracks" - you can imagine leader stepping onto one of the rails or staying in the middle as a way to indicate the direction of next pattern to the follower.

If leader is in the middle of train tracks - blocking the way of the follower - that implies a blocking pattern is coming (e.g. wcs/sugar push or wcs/sugar tuck)

Example: leaders offsetting to their right at the end of the pattern invites follower to pass on their left (e.g. wcs/left side pass) for the next pattern.

 Projecting Pitch

PitchProjecting Rotation

Rotation

Natural projection

 

• or over/underrotated

   

• this communicates that the next pattern is likely to be something wcs/sugar push or wcs/sugar tuck like

   

• this communicates that they would be leading the follower to the right side e.g. something like wcs/under-arm turn or wcs/whip

   

   

   

Kyle Redd and Sarah Vann Drake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElJTVwIG-Gs

Maggie Moreno and David Mulford

MCS Level 2 Week 5 - 2023-03-22 - Lead Projection, Following the Follower - YouTube

reference

References

• when you offset to the side a natural inclination is to stay square and keeping your frame

   

• turns the follower to the side communicating unintended rotation

   

  • projecting passes/etc should still communicate liniarlinear intent

     

  • it's something that you may deliberately decide to project

     

  •  important not do it unintentionally

     

  • wcs/connection/noise

This is written in the spirit of “Thinking in public” for West Coast Swing

It is by no means an authoritative guide, but more of a snapshot of my (novice) current understanding of the idea. Feedback is& contributions are welcome!

Lead projection in West Coast Swing is the technique of foreshadowing the upcoming movement (pattern) through positioning within the wcs/concept/slot, adjusting the wcs/concept/pitch, rotation, etc at the end of previous movement.

This concept is also sometimes called "pre referred to as "pre-leading" or "slot dynamics"

This is written in the spirit of “Thinking in public” for West Coast Swing

It is by no means an authoritative guide, but more of a snapshot of my (novice) current understanding of the idea. Feedback is welcome!

Lead projection in West Coast Swing is the technique of foreshadowing the upcoming movement (pattern) through positioning within the wcs/concept/slot, adjusting the wcs/concept/pitch, rotation, etc at the end of previous movement.

This is also sometimes called "pre leading" or "slot dynamics"

Why

• This leads to one pattern influencing the next, giving a consistent flow to the dance
• Reduce the amount of work/force required to lead any given pattern - as the follower is already partially prepared for the movement - only a very light lead is required.
• Reduce cognitive load for both leader and followers by constraining the space of possible patterns
• Give follower more time to figure out appropriate styling based on upcoming movement. If the follower knows (roughly) what pattern is coming next, it is easier for them to plan musicality and variations that are compatible with the next pattern.
• When follower does the projection - it allows them to request (the characteristics of) next pattern
  • By picking their own position, the follower can put the partnership in new positions that the leader might not have in their vocabulary, or encourage the leader to pick specific moves to match the music.
• It also helps leaders determine how ready a follower might be for a certain move. E.g. If preparing a RSP w/ double outside turn using large amounts of over rotation in the anchor, and the follower doesn’t match, it might be better to lead something less ambitious, e.g. a whip.

How

You create a projection by adjusting your position, pitch or rotation at the end of preceding pattern (~through last 2 counts of it)

Direction

People often talk about wcs/concept/slot as "train tracks" - you can imagine leader stepping onto one of the rails or staying in the middle as a way to indicate the direction of next pattern to the follower.

If leader is in the middle of train tracks - blocking the way of the follower - that implies a blocking pattern is coming (e.g. wcs/sugar push or wcs/sugar tuck)

If the leader is off to a side - they are inviting the follower to pass on the other side of them

Example: leaders offsetting to their right at the end of the pattern invites follower to pass on their left (e.g. wcs/left side pass) for the next pattern.

Pitch

Rotation

Natural projection

it's not necessarily something that you do deliberately

sometimes it happens that you naturally end up, say on a side of the slot as you execute a movement

or over/underrotated

default instinct is to "square up" to the follower on anchor

but you can also interpret that as "naturally occurring"...