I think I've got writers block.. and a blocked nose.. and a blocked bathroom sink.. there is a theme here somewhere... So I got out the plunger and I think I found the drowned long lost brother of Chew Bacca in my bathroom drain, I've managed to pump so many multi vitamins into my body that im pretty sure my hair smells like berocca, but still, the blog remains clogged...

Do I write about how classes have been and whats coming up? Do I write about how I'm tickled pink by the number of students moving up, down and along the class structure at the moment? Do I talk about how, every week, I meet new people, some go, some stay, some go and then come back? It all seems a little bit long and heavy.. so what I will write about is the real application of swing in our every day lives!

Application #1 - Riding Public Transport
How much better is my balance after learning some blues fundamentals? HEAPS BETTER, I was surfing the tram last time I was in Melbourne and I thought to myself.. hmmm somewhat easier now that I know how to transfer my weight, stand on my whole foot, use my knees as shock absorbers, and get down lower rather than fly into a tippy toe emergency break to my face!

Its sorta geeky but I was hoping for more bumps and abrupt stops, I kinda felt like I was dancing with the train, pretty confident that I can follow a foot lead now - and with no hands!

Application #2 - Dodging Traffic
Not like in dodgeball where you either get hit in the head with a spanner or have to run into traffic, but as some of you might know.. I'm a little bit short.. and sometimes I'm scared of crossing the road on my own, so now I can read the body language of the taller people, and see when they feel its safe to cross the road, works a treat when walking with friends and they decide to cross without using words..

Application #3 - Dodging Human Traffic
Like at Salamanca! I feel like I'm always ducking and dodging and ninja rolling to get out of the way of some pram or in a hurry teen (Geez I sound old). People stop suddenly to compare the cheep sunnies from one stall to the other ten meters up and bam - you either have some serious front bottom back bottom ramming, or you employ your swing spin on the spot, change of place, mini dip etc and manage to somehow avoid the collision.

Application #4 - Self Defence
I kid you not - I saw this one in real life. A local Hobart bouncer had just nailed the swing out, and boy was he stoked!! He left class, put on his security pass and went to work the seedy clubs of Hobart. Later that night - the inevitable happened, some crazed drunkard came RIGHT FOR HIM (hear that ladies.. straight in at him). This bouncer took the drunk by his hand, and led him right into a "pass by" - as if that was not gold enough - the drunk came back for more! This time the bouncer took his hand, led him through a full swing out.. and promptly used his momentum to swing the drunk right out the door!! Much easier than using brute force!!

I welcome your real life swing applications!! I know more are out there!!!

Relle
xxxx