For those of you who don’t know, a Hijack is when the Follow commandeers or takes over a move somewhere in the middle, totally changing it from what the Lead had originally intended. Thus the term, “Hijacking” the move. It is important to note that Hijacking is NOT back-leading (a definite no-no). It is more like a brazen, in-your-face, “I’m taking over this move, now, so just deal with it,” kind of thing. It keeps the Leads on their toes, and it’s a lot of fun! It definitely adds a whole new dimension to the dance conversation. (The Hi-jinx really isn’t a dance move. I just made that up.)
But here’s what’s really cool… although taught in a Swing Dance context, the basic principles of Hijacking can be applied to just about any dance form. I have personally had my Foxtrot, Salsa and West Coast moves hijacked in the past and I can visualize how it would work in a Waltz and many of the Latin ballroom dances. So it doesn’t matter what your favorite dance style is ladies, you can adapt and use these mad, mad skills.
Even though it’s the Follows who are going to be taught how to take over a move, it’s important for Leads to take this class as well. Leads need to know what to do when one of their moves is hijacked and when and how to take back the lead. (It’s a dance, guys, not a competition.)
Pre-requisites
To take this class, you will need to know your basic 6 and 8 count fundamentals of rhythm and footwork. We won’t be covering any of that. So if you’ve had East Coast, West Coast or Lindy Hop lessons, you’re good to go. Knowing your basic Lindy swing-out or WCS whip is a plus (there are some hijacks designed for these moves), but even a simple under-arm turn can be hijacked… in several ways. The focus will be on technique, rather than specific moves.
