SwingAround Library: CalBal Classic 2025 - The Open Classic - Irina & Jacob

Intro 00:12 – 00:21

The intro does a great job of setting up the couples rhythmic playfulness and smooth interpretation of groove.

Partner alignment

Their initial connection in this intro is locked in. Pulse matched before music even starts and initiation into the first step is completely synchronized.

Musical expression

Both ride the trumpets and pick up on the saxes the moment they enter. Cohesively aligned to the music and the phrasing perfectly resolves and collects itself at the end of the phrase

Irina

• Her smile that kicks on on count 3 before the start; I can see the instant their connection locks in
• Swings from below the knee; repeats this motif of sweeping the foot hinged at the knee
• All the way through to the end of the phrase in that suspended lolly where it reaches a repetitional climax with the music and leader suspended, beautifully highlighted

Jacob

• Eyes closed locked in form the start
• Ankle movement subdividing the pulse
• Pulse has at least 3 larger oscillations happening at the same time
• left hand connection loose engaged and soft
• right hand has a lot of freedom of movement across the follow’s back
• Smirk at the end of the phrase is divine

Patterns Observed

• Jockey
• Messaround
• Swivel
• Crossover
• Out and in
• Lolly Suspension

Ponderings

• What would it feel like to be lead through this?
• What would it feel like to followed through this?
• How would my interpretation of the same movement feel with each of them as me?

A Section 00:20 – 00:29

This section continues the expansion of the energy set up in the intro

Partner alignment

They are immediately doubling down on the energy setup during the intro. Their orbit is locked in their movement flows through all the redirects. Playful moment when Irina sends left hand to the sky as a styling, Jacob then twirls that same hand during the toss out redirect

Musical expression

Repeats the mess around motif from the intro. Arm up styling by Irina is playfully intercepted by Jacob and this redirect carries the momentum into the next phrase

Irina

• Engaged with the leader
• Head tracks through turns
• The moment the arm is free it arrives with style
• Keeps grounding pulse as in the intro
• Redirects are punctuated and momentum is undistorted

Jacob

• Groove stays buttery smooth, footwork is cohesively punctuated throughout
• Finger point on toss out to the audience with a flick of the head
• on the next opportunity to swing out, he takes the opportunity to redirect and call back his follow’s styling creating a sort of self referential motif on the brass hit

Patterns Observed

• Mess Around
• Paddle
• Comearound
• Toss out
• Toss out with the redirect

Ponderings

• Where do I make an effort to call back my partners styling in this self referential way?

B Section 00:29 – 00:38

This section opens up and the rhythmic groove balances the partnership

Partner alignment

Cohesiveness continues and the partnership to this point is well balanced in the showcasing of both dancers. The momentum is carried and resolved with a pick up hop to reignite energy to enter into the next phrase.

Musical expression

The saxophone comes in and the partnership opens up. Jacob gets rhythmic footwork in balanced by Irina keeping it simple and opening up and out. A similar messaround-esq motif is repeated the stylization by both dancers repeated.

Irina

• Free arm is out “Individual princess wave”
• Under ear tuck on reconnect
• Punctuated taps
• continues forward kick motif
• Figure 4 on the hop parallel with ground

Jacob

• Half dream redirect into the toss out creates a lovely orbital shape for the partnership
• The half dream also showcased his rhythm footwork

Patterns Observed

• Half Dream
• Toss out
• Come Around
• Quick Promonade
• Hop

Ponderings

• How do motifs carry through in my dancing throughout the duration of the entire dance?

A Section 2 00:38 – 00:46

This section begins to show familiarity with the melody and the energy is prepped for the tunnel into the solo section

Partner alignment

The way they use the momentum to punctuate their movements creates a cohesive movement. There doesn’t appear to be any doubt of where the energy is at any point and where the momentum is going

Musical expression

Orbital shapes becomes accented. The redirected toss out that happens in the first A section is replicated here again at the same beat without the redirect. The music is going to enter into something new and novel and the energy suspension allows both parties to be prepared for something new.

Irina

• Remains partner focused throughout
• Same arm shape styling as before during the suspended walk
• When lead through the reverse pop turn, maintains a stacked center

Jacob

• Takes the energy and redirects it to the front of the stage
• Stage Awareness 10/10
• Toss out redirect motif, now without the redirect
• Suspends the energy at the end of the phrase to pick up at the start of the next phrase

Patterns Observed

• Out and in
• Toss out suspended walk
• Toss out
• Reverse hold into reverse pop turn

Ponderings

• How does my understanding of musical structures aid in crafting how I end phrases
• What is the level of consistency in they way I style my arm it is free to decide how to be

A Section Out 00:46 – 00:55

This section puts a bow on the structure they’ve built so far as they end the band section and enter the solo section

Partner alignment

There is a lot of redirectional, circular and orbital momentum, both dancers carry it with no disturbance to the flow. The cohesiveness of their individual expression and partnership is locked in leading into the solo section

Musical expression

This section does a great job of releasing all the energy built up during the band section and does a call back to the intro with a suspension of the energy through motion that give the entrance of the solo section direction and momentum

Irina

• Coming in from the pop turn into a tuck turn rotational momentum is absorbed with a triple step and immediately re-engaged for another turn
• Arm is up during the behind the back toss out, different shape, but cohesively part of the same dancer
• She channels all those redirects and the final pop turn with no disturbance to the flow

Jacob

• Coming from the pop turn into this phrase, He compensates the distance with his follow and the momentum is undisturbed
• The out and in to lolly movement is a motif we saw in the intro
• A pop turn suspension similar to how we entered this section is how it is ended allowing the solo section to come in with movement and direction

Patterns Observed

• Pop turn
• Tuck turn
• Behind the back toss out
• out and in
• Lolly
• Lolly turn

Ponderings

• How cohesively do I construct my dancing when looking at phrase over phrase
• How do I mark the end of larger section and note the beginning of another section? ie. band section into solo section
• How do I carry energy between sections?

Trumpet Solo - A

00:54 – 01:03

Solo section begins and soars with a cascade of energy

Partner alignment

Movement between flies out into a playful orbit that recalls familiar shape. Stylings are consistent groove maintains and holds between both dancers.

Musical expression

Trumpet solo comes in punctuated followed by a flurry and the partnership responds with the same. The soloist brings the energy to a rest at the end of the phrase and partnership slows down the energy.

Irina

• Free hand carries a consistent shape that we’ve seen before
• twist of the wrist when the energy is redirected or slowed
• Under ear tuck for reconnect

Jacob

• Repeats the half dream motif!
• Motif carries similar rhythmic energy
• Expands orbital shape and and outward slope
• Slows down energy for the behind the back pass

Patterns Observed

• Half dream
• Toss out
• Come around
• outside turn into behind the back pass

Ponderings

• How do I carry energy that wants to resolve by the end of the phrase?

Trumpet Solo - B

01:03 – 01:11

This section signals the end of the high energy soar

Partner alignment

Both dancers seem in tune with the decisions that are happening, they veer towards stage left, but bring it back to the center leading into the next section. Energy is carried by both dancers and uniformly collected.

Musical expression

This is the end of the trumpet solo, they began in an open position coming from a cascade of energy during the A section and closed it into a spiral priming the viewer for the potential pure bal to come.

Irina

• Under ear tuck for reconnect holds consistency
• Pulsing into the ground keeps the energy alive through the section
• Foot styling is consistent to the shapes shown

Jacob

• Coming from a big open section to wrap the energy up into a closed position preparing for the next section
• Precursor to the messaround motif is done, but great constaint shown by him to redirect that energy instead into circular quicks priming for what might be a pure bal section to come
• Footwork very punctuated and precise
• Placement and postural hold carries energy in a way that appears steady and free

Patterns Observed

• toss out
• out and in
• circular quick quicks

Ponderings

• What does it look like when I take an entire phrase to prime for the next section?
• How does contract between sections show up in my dancing?

Piano Solo - A

01:10 – 01:19

This section showcases the couple’s pure bal fidelity

Partner alignment

The energy carried over from the previous section is dissipated in one 8 count. They both shift attention to pure bal movements and Irina holds pure bal connection in with her hand shift.

Musical expression

The energy shift into the piano solo is exactly as expected and energy is quickly collected and attention is redirected into footwork finesse. Groove is aligned with the piano’s playfulness.

Irina

• Eyes closed
• Left hand placement shifts up and around leader’s neck/back
• Responsiveness is showcased and pure bal is locked in

Jacob

• Pulse has at least 3 oscillations
• Keeps rotational momentum going to dissipate remaining energy
• Super smooth pure bal with triple step shuffles thrown in
• Groove is locked in!

Patterns Observed

• Uphold
• Downhold
• Triple-step shuffle

Ponderings

• How quickly and cohesively do I dissipate energy in response to shifts in the music?
• How responsive am I to my partner’s direction when entering an energetically new section?

Piano Solo - A Out 01:19 – 01:27

This section marks the end of the solos and lead back to the top

Partner alignment

There is a novel move that garners audience reaction and leave the flow undisrupted. Both dancers navigate that energy and prime for the top of the band section

Musical expression

This section is marking the end of the solo section back to the top, the partnership moves from pure bal to closed position to one free spin before the next phrase to suspend the energy before the band section. There’s some novelty to the moves in service to the playfulness of the piano and the energy indicates we’re going to pick up in the next section.

Irina

• Carries the energy of a novel movement and flourishes it with a kick
• Pulsing into the ground kick releases consistently through the dance seen here.
• Carries the energy through the outside turn into the next phrase

Jacob

• Opens from pure bal, but keeps the position closed
• Novel idea with the hop kick out
• Unseen shape, but cohesive to the existing partnership
• Follows it up with the messaround precursor, the sort of out and in backwards walk to collect, but with an outside turn to suspend the energy leading into the next phrase.

Patterns Observed

• Downhold
• Hop Kick
• Downhold
• Out and in
• Out and in with outside turn

Ponderings

• How does novelty show up in my dancing?
• where does energy and movement cohesively exist in a close position embrace in my dancing?

A Section [Final] 01:26 – 01:36

This section extrapolates on the partnership we were introduced to

Partner alignment

Both dancers are now engaged with a familiar melody and they show it. They’ve built a consistent and cohesive partnership and this showcases their individuality through the scope of the partnership

Musical expression

This is the reintroduction of the main melody and both dancers do a phenomenal job of reintroducing motifs previously showcased. There is a homogenized blend of rhythmic and lyrical expressions through this phrase and it walks straight into the final section

Irina

• Arm styling leading into the section
• Free arm holds consistent shape as we’ve seen
• Lolly suspension motif is re-introduced!!
• Free arm is always and immediately engaged in an intentional shape
• Arm to arm hold, the legs come up to figure 4 nearly parallel to the ground

Jacob

• Repeats the lolly suspension we started with!!
• Opens up to a similar shape we saw with the half dream
• Arm to arm hold feels really jaunty and playful
• Such a bright smile entering the top and

Patterns Observed

• Lolly suspension
• open cross hand hold
• Shoulder wrap
• Arm to Arm

Ponderings

• How do I take care to create a cohesive relationship in the partnership?
• Where can I take steps to trust in the partnership and step outside the structure to allows the partnership to exist free now free of scaffolding?

B Section Out [Final] 01:36 – 01:45

This section marks the end of the dance and unravels in a high orbital energetic climax

Partner alignment

The orbital engagement of both dancers is exemplary, they maintain an orbit while initiating multiple spins with no disturbance to the flow. The end pose is the bow that represents the showcasing of this partnership. Both dancers and showcased and balanced.

Musical expression

This section does a great job of building an immense amount of energy which is released into the musical ending and dissipated through the flourish of Irina’s hand styling at the very end.

Irina

• Carries the energy with no disturbance to the flow
• Double spins and reconnects into an out and in back into another double spin with no friction
• The hand twirl at the end pose!!

Jacob

• Unraveling of the energy and everything that has been built to this point
• The orbital momentum created generates a lot of energy
• On the final open free spin, he misses the hand and catches it on the second spin which resolves to the music even better

Patterns Observed

• Toss out
• Come around
• Outside double turn
• out and in
• tuck
• double free spin

Ponderings

• How sensitive am I to my partner’s drive of the energy?
• Why do I end my dances the way that I do?

Overall

This is one of my favorite dances from 2025. Both of these dancers are remarkable on their own, and together they create a playful, high-energy dance that grooves rhythmically over an exceptionally smooth pulse. The elastic orbit reads as a partnership deeply entrained in trust.