Hammerlock

A two-hand pattern that finishes a tuck turn with one of the follower's hands folded behind their back, the "hammerlock" hold. It is usually the entry to wrapped and behind-the-back figures.

DrDanceRight teaches it as a sugar tuck where the leader keeps both hands. The follower spins under the raised left hand while the joined right hand stays low, and the follower's arm settles behind their back.¹ The connection is in the fingertips with no thumbs, so the hands can turn freely and the follower's wrist is not squeezed.²

To exit, the leader lets go and the follower walks out with underarm-pass footwork. The locked arm is never pulled.³ The pair ends up offset, with the follower to the leader's right, and the leader stays off the slot until the follower has walked out.⁴

Footnotes

1. DrDanceRight, "West Coast Swing 106: Hammerlock" at 0:09–0:46. ↩

2. DrDanceRight, "West Coast Swing 106: Hammerlock" at 0:25. ↩

3. DrDanceRight, "West Coast Swing 106: Hammerlock" at 1:10. ↩

4. DrDanceRight, "West Coast Swing 106: Hammerlock" at 1:35. ↩