Swat The Flea

Also known as: Box The Flea.

An online definition may be found here.

Bars: 2.

This figure involves a facing couple, they join left hands and raise them, then they trade places. The woman turning right 180° as she passes under the raised hands, the man turning left 180° as he walks around her. The left hands remain joined afterward.

History

In March of 1951 Sets in Order published how box the gnat was danced in California, and in Texas. The California version also contains a swat the flea:

Now you box the gnat

Give right to corner and exchange places, walking past each other, the lady turning with a left-face turn under the man's right arm.

Box the flea

Pertains to the left hand with the same person, girl walking forward does a right-face turn, back to original position.

But life isn't simple, and the distinction that box the gnat was with the right hand, not the left wasn't final yet. There's a dance from June of 1951 where the words "box the gnat" are used to describe what I'd call a "swat the flea".

By 1959 the term "swat the flea" has appeared and the destinction between it and "box the gnat" appears clear.

Box the Gnat: Used to reverse direction and exchange places. Partners face and join right hands. The lady makes a left face turn under the man's raised right arm as the man walks forward making a half right face turn. They finish facing each other. Hands have been held easily enough so that the man's hand may turn over the lady's figures (Count: 4 steps)

Swat the Flea — Box the Flea: Used to reverse direction and exchange places. Partners join left hands and the lady makes a right face turn under the man's raised left arm as the man walks forward and does a half left face turn. They finish facing each other. (4 steps).

— Bob Osgood, ed.
Sets in Order, Dec, 1959

Swat The Flea

History

Some dances which (probably) use this figure

See Also