L

Leap

A movement wherein the Sending Foot presses into the floor causing the body to rise, with the feet leaving the floor, and then landing on the Receiving Foot.  Also see Hop, Jump, Skip, Scoot.

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Lead & Follow

There must always be some form of connection between partners which will be either active connection or passive connection . Arms can not be allowed to just hang there lifeless. When the Leader leads, the Follower's CPB must respond in the direction of the movement. Caution: Stiff Arms or a Stiff Body are not proper connection techniques.

Lead (Action): Active during Lead, Passive thereafter. Do not use force
Follow (Reaction): No "Spaghetti Arms". The leader forces nothing. The follower executes material under their own power.
CPB: All movement comes from the CPB. Drive the CPB wherever you want it to go. Attitude: Stand tall. Move like you are somebody of importance.

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Left Turn (Counterclockwise Turn)

Turn your Flashlight in the direction of your left shoulder.  The movement will start with the left shoulder moving Counterclockwise - the right shoulder will follow automatically.  It does not start with the right shoulder first.

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Left Unit

See Unit Foot

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Leverage

Leverage is defined as an "away resistance" (Tension).   A good example comes from one unique style of West Coast Swing, in Open Position, where each dancer's CPB is slightly back of their individual centering position - resulting in a tension connection between the dancers.  For extreme leverage each dancer's balance could be dependent on their partner.  If their hands should become disconnected they could fall backwards -- depending on the amount of Leverage used.  This technique is also used in some Waltz step patterns.

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Lindy Hop

Uses 6 and 8 beat Step Patterns. In Open Position, depending on the particular Step Pattern, the Follower may either do a [rock step] on counts [1 2] or may stay out on count [1] and walk directly toward the Leader on count [2]. In Closed Position, the Follower will almost always do a [rock step] on counts [1 2]. The basic 6 beat Rhythm Measures/Units are EVEN, ODD, ODD. The basic 8 beat Rhythm Units being EVEN, ODD, EVEN, ODD.  Also see What is Swing Dance? What is Jitterbug? What are the differences?

Lindy hop came from Charleston, which was an 8 beat dance - and for some time, Lindy Hop remained an 8 beat dance.  However, there were other swing dances which became popular the early 1930s such as the 6 beat Shag and others.  Therefore, it was quite natural that both 6 and 8 beat dances would blend together as a new version of Lindy Hop.   Lindy Hop can still be danced as a strictly 8 beat dance providing the dancers with very large selection of dance material.  In my dance classes, I teach only the 8 beat version of the Lindy Hop at the basic level.

There are several different styling's of high speed Lindy Hop.  One is the Savoy Style of Frankie Manning; another is the Hollywood Style (AKA: GI Style) of Dean Collins.   There are other unique styles of Hal Takier and Gil Brady.

Also see Flying Lindy.

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LOD (Line of Dance or Line of Direction)

LOD (Line of Dance) refers to travel counterclockwise around outside of the dance floor.  LOD (Line of Direction) refers to any line in which a dancer is traveling. LOD is commonly used by instructors to indicate either definition, but it is understood through the context in which it is used. Some instructors prefer to use Line of Movement) instead of Line of Direction

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LOM (Line of Movement)

This refers to the line of movement of a Dancer or a Step Pattern. This is also the exact same thing referred to as Line of Direction.

A good example is a Serpentine Step Pattern in which the Line of Movement (LOM) crosses back and forth across the Line of Dance (LOD).

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