Pendulum
Intermediate Level
Going deeper — techniques and nuances for experienced dancers
A swinging weight transfer where the follower swings side to side like a pendulum — rhythmic, hypnotic, and deceptively technical.
Intermediate focus
Increase the amplitude of the swing. The follower should travel further with each pendulum, until she's stepping fully to each side. Add a body wave at the end point of each swing — the wave starts as the pendulum hits its apex and reverses. Practice leading the pendulum to gradually slow down and stop, and to gradually speed up. Tempo control is the intermediate skill here.
Tips
- •Think of yourself as the clock mechanism and the follower as the pendulum bob. You set the rhythm; she provides the swing.
- •The key is in your core, not your arms. Your torso rotation drives the pendulum; your arms just transmit it.
- •Start every pendulum sequence with 2-3 small swings to establish the rhythm before going big.
Common mistakes
- •Pushing the follower from side to side with the arms instead of using body lead and frame
- •Fighting the momentum instead of working with it — trying to stop and restart each swing instead of letting it flow
- •Not matching the pendulum speed to the music's tempo
- •Making the pendulum too large too quickly, before both partners feel the shared rhythm
Practice drill
Close hold. Pendulum for 32 counts at a constant amplitude. Then 16 counts gradually increasing amplitude. Then 16 counts gradually decreasing to stillness. This 64-count drill teaches you to start, grow, shrink, and stop a pendulum — the complete lifecycle. Repeat until the transitions are seamless.