To clumsy at double-dutch: Fret not. The key is to keep the beat (time) with your right (or left) foot. Shake your hips to that beat from left to right. When you’re doing this, it helps you to swing first the left rope then the right. Also those double-dutch songs were made for a reason… to help you keep the beat. When you have to stop suddenly in the song both rope-turners jointly swing both the ropes over like a single jump rope then pull them apart to continue in double dutch. The best and least painful rope to use was clothes line. The more painful (for mistakes) and easiest to get tangled in was telephone wire.
To Chinese jump rope flashbackees: Yes I remember playing that, too. IS 62, where it seemed like a game of Twisters with rubber bands. It was a cool game.