Reverse Whip

A whip danced with the redirection happening on the left/reverse side: the leader steps into the slot mirrored from a standard whip and the follower is turned counter-clockwise at the post.

Because everything happens on the "wrong" side, the reverse whip is a favorite test of whether both partners are actually dancing connection rather than pattern memory. Timing is standard 8-count whip timing.

Common notes

• The good news is asymmetric: the leader keeps basic whip footwork while the follower's footwork changes — turning away from the partner, over the left shoulder, instead of toward them.¹ Brian B has also heard the pattern called the cutoff whip; naming varies between scenes.²
• Filipe de Barros preps the reverse turn by slowing one side of the follower's body — letting the right shoulder stay back on count 2 — and stresses catching the follower's back early, around "3-and": taken too late, the connection is already gone.³
• A practical use: when a follower breaks frame and walks in on you, a reverse whip often absorbs the situation cleanly.⁴

Footnotes

1. Brian B & Megan, West Coast Swing Online, "The Reverse Whip for West Coast Swing" at 0:45. ↩

2. Brian B & Megan, West Coast Swing Online, "The Reverse Whip for West Coast Swing" at 0:22. ↩

3. Filipe de Barros, "The Reverse Whip & Variations - West Coast Swing Tutorial" at 2:04–3:01. ↩

4. Filipe de Barros, "The Reverse Whip & Variations - West Coast Swing Tutorial" at 0:36. ↩