Duck

A move where one partner — usually the follower — ducks briefly under the joined hands as the arm passes overhead, most often layered onto an inside turn or a whip.

For followers

• Read the speed of the lead through the connection: the leader may take the turn slow or syncopate it faster, and matching their pace is what keeps an elbow out of your face.¹
• Duck late and briefly: most people get dizzy turning with their head down, so stay upright through the turn and only pop the head down and back up between counts 3 and 4, when you feel the leader's arm coming over.²
• Keep your free arm in a ready frame — a hanging arm gets trapped under the joined hands and the duck stops working.³
• On an open-whip head duck, expand and open the back on count 5 rather than collapsing the frame — that's what gives the leader room to build the window.⁴

For leaders

Brian B teaches ducks on patterns the follower already owns (inside turn from either hand, basic whip): once the follower is prepped and turning on her own, slide the joined hand down to her elbow or armpit — the elbow is "cooler and easier" because lifting it leaves more room — then travel the hand out and around her path with your elbow to the sky. A flat elbow or a cut-off path is how followers get hit in the back of the head.⁵