West Coast Swing is a partner dance, so before you begin trying out the steps, grab a partner! Oops, there was an error sending your message. Today, these things make it one of the most versatile dances you can learn. It is not music dependent, (meaning that) IT CAN BE DANCED TO ANY 4/4 time music available (old or new) but wether you want too or not is a whole 'nother story. And the basics are easy. 5)Complete the online registration process (no walk-ins). Historically San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles all argue about what city West Coast Swing originated in, however, the Los Angeles California area tends to win the debate on its evolution. It took many dance teachers to call it "West Coast Swing" to veer away from any Country Western association, however, rare, the term West Coast Swing in print was used as far back as the mid 1940s to late 1950's. It is characteristically highly musical . Eddie and Lisa were one of the main pioneers and exponents of the Hustle. The Footwork theories have been told to me many times by various older swing dancers as: Overall, it was probably a mixture of all the above thru time and more, that lead to the massive Footwork and Bodywork that is done in this amazing dance, rather than just one scenario. Take two steps back on counts 1, 2 (left foot, then right foot). Its purpose is to promote ballroom dancing for dancers of all levels of experience and all ages. How to Dance West Coast Swing 0:00 / 13:28 WEST COAST SWING BASIC STEPS | Beginner WCS X Dance 78.9K subscribers 65K views 1 year ago West Coast Swing Basic Steps - How To Dance WCS Learn how to dance West Coast Swing. Perform two walks forward on counts (right foot then left foot). do it no matter what music was played." It's a bit more social and relaxed than other versions. These are popular, contemporary West Coast Swing variations as they are danced around the world today. In the beginning levels, partner 1 is typically a man and partner 2 is typically a woman. Instead of being afraid of making mistakes, learn from them so you can become a better swing dancer. Connection can be used to transmit power and energy as well as information and signals - some dance forms (and some dancers) are at one extreme of pure power, and others will be at the other extreme of pure signaling, but most are probably a mixture of both. Today, it is not similar to its original ancestor - the Savoy Style Lindy at all. Kids packed the Palomar and lined up for blocks to see him play. There are numerous national newspapers advertising West Coast Swing dance lessons throughout the country from the early 1940's by various studios. The film "Don't Knock the Rock" in the clip on the left strongly features the WCS Slot that California dancers prided themselves on by dancing on a couch, coffee table etc. Then in the 1970's, Disco dancing & Music became the rage, especially after the movie Saturday Night Fever with John Travolta and these Swing Dancers were now dancing to the new Disco music trying to survive and entice younger members while dancing the dance they loved. Two walks forward, followed by two triple steps. Swing Dance: The Complete Beginner's Guide You don't have to wait until your next class to review your beginner patterns. Enter your email - I'll send you the video! Our dance instructors are highly experienced and dedicated to helping you become an expert dancer in no time. Since these couples dancers were not going out and dancing and leading the way like they used too, newer dancers entering the scene generally did not know what or how to do the dances of the past. It is not high in the legs and is very grounded. There are several parts to this basic: Rock step. Steps: The Lindy Hop is made up of 8 count steps and is one of the most difficult of the various swing styles. What is Country Swing? We make West Coast Swing Easy! ), During the 1960's, Television put dancing on the back burner. Also here is a Youtube link to Dean teaching at the Palladium in 1983. Thank you for your interest in our Newsletter! As you learn more, you can discover which types of swing dance styles you prefer and work more on those. Swing (aka: Jitterbug) is a wonderful dance form in all it's versions that fits all types of music, Personalities, Finances etc. With instructor Robert Campos of the West Coast Swing . This done by placing one foot behind the other and shifting weight from the back foot to the front foot. The basic pattern is triple step, triple step, and a rock step. There are over 5000 documented patterns and more are added every year. Broadly speaking, the leader guides the overall structure of the dance, deciding which moves or figures will be danced, and how the couple will move around the dance floor. There is no rule written that a particular song has to have a particular dance and vice-a-versa but there are always some who UNSUCCESSFULLY try to convince us of this. It is characterized by an elastic look that results from its extension-compression technique of partner connection and is danced primarily in a slotted area on the dance floor. Beginning West Coast Swing: How to Dance : 6 Steps - Instructables Get Access to 1000+ WCS - Country & Ballroom instructional videos! Plus, there's not a better group of people YOUNG or OLD to be found. Leader: Rock step left. Country mix includes the dances of Country Two Step, West Coast Swing, Night Club 2, Waltz, Cha Cha, Hustle, Fox Trot, East Coast Swing, country line dances and country partner dances. TAKE ACTION> Download all the Beginner Patterns for FREE WCS Basic Patterns - 6 counts Sugar Push If it's written in 4/4 time and has a tempo between 135-170 beats per minute, you can swing it. Dance Starts in a Closed Starter Basic and/ or Preparatory Basic. Thanks for the hard work. This swing dance is done to medium tempo music that is slower than East Coast Swing. Today there are EIGHT BASIC STEPS that the whole dance revolves upon. This makes West Coast Swing a highly versatile dance form. If you like West Coast Swing, Country Two-Step and Shuffle, Cha-Cha, Tango, Rhumba, Waltz, Fox Trot, East Coast Swing, and more, then this is the place for you. But as with all things, you have to start with the basics. In partner dancing, the two partners are labelled as the leader and the follower, or lead and follow. Learn more here:https://www.westcoastswingonline.com/what-is-west-coast-swing/__________________________________________________________________-ULTIMATE GUIDE TO WEST COAST SWING (WCS E-BOOK):https://west-coast-swing-online.ck.page/3205d1fa2f-SLOW WCS MUSIC PLAYLIST TO PRACTICE:https://bit.ly/2XAxrif-10 BEST WCS PRACTICE SONGS:https://www.westcoastswingonline.com/10-best-west-coast-swing-practice-songs/-FREE MEMBERSHIP TO OUR SITE: https://www.westcoastswingonline.com/-LINK TO OUR MERCHANDISE: https://teespring.com/stores/dance-fun-BEGINNER RESOURCES:https://www.westcoastswingonline.com/beginner-resources/-STYLING RESOURCES:https://www.westcoastswingonline.com/styling-resources/-MUSICALITY RESOURCES:https://www.westcoastswingonline.com/musicality-resources/-TOP 5 DRILLS FOR WCS:Read this: https://bit.ly/2A1EYMl CONNECT ON FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/WestCoastSwingOnline/JOIN OUR DANCE CRUISES:https://www.dancefun.com/SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-7DK1Fr7M8UzPBVHFULk2ASee you on the dance floor!Brian B \u0026 Ms. Megan Understandably, Bands tend to play only a specific style and tend to not play other musician's songs or styles we tend to love, but these dancers do respect all these musicians, and we show our appreciation by purchasing CD's, playing them and raving about their songs. PDF Swing Dancing And we love to make new friends and have fun at work! Youll find that dancing with different people can teach you new things and will help you become a better dancer. You wont see many high kicks or moves that require the dancer to leave the floor. Basic West Coast Swing - YouTube It takes elements from different dances and combines them with contemporary constricted rhythm structures. It is a stationary dance, so dancers usually stay in the same spot on the floor, dancing in circular movements. Perform a triple step now, closing your left foot to your right foot, step again on the right foot and then step forward with the left foot. The best style would depend on what type of music you are dancing to at the time, geographic's, the theme of the dance being held, the speed in which the music is played and the dance knowledge of you and/or your partner. Rhythm: Slow, Slow, Triple Step (3-a-4), Slow Slow, Triple Step (7-a-8). There are group classes every night of the week in a variety of dance . Are you sociable, energetic, and like to move? Best of all, because of the slower tempo that you can dance to, you can dance West Coast Swing all night long with young and old alike and not have a heart attack. We offer private, semi-private and group lessons for Two Step, Waltz, West Coast Swing, Salsa, Night Club 2, Hustle, Cha Cha, and Triple Two Step. Follower: Rock step right. Here's how you can perform the Basic Swing Steps: Leader taps their right foot to the back, putting partial weight on it. The Lindy dancers did do this as well in their day by adding the dances of the time such as the Charleston, Shimmy, Black Bottom, Baltimore Buzz, Grind, Mule, Apache, Texas Tommy, Mooch and Sugar and more to the Breakaway etc. Superb work! There are many variations of swing dance that developed throughout the last century. DanceOKC.com is here to help you find out about dancing in Oklahoma City. There are plenty all over the country year-round. West Coast Swing has both 6 and 8 count basic patterns. Triple step right, Triple step left. In the Video clip on the left we can see a UK TV Advertisement done in 1960 that portrays WCS. A musical person has the ability to perceive differences in pitch, rhythm and harmonies. Instead of a rock step, the woman walks forward on count one. rhythm and blues, country, pop, and even rock. 0:00 / 33:24 Learn the Basic West Coast Swing Steps for Beginners West Coast Swing Online 36.2K subscribers 4.5K views 4 weeks ago West Coast Swing Steps If you're new to West Coast. . It's also a formal ballroom dance and the easiest to learn. In this blog post we will talk about the history of swing and some differences between the many variations of this fun style. Triple step right. We hold a country mix dance each month. September 5, 2022 | Alise Borne # Beginner Guides Born in California during the 1940s, the West Coast Swing evolved from Lindy Hop. Map to Club (Wed) 6 Week Master Class Map to Studio (Sun) Got Shoes ? By taking swing dance lessons, you can improve your technique and your style. Learn the Basic West Coast Swing Steps for Beginners - YouTube The Ballroom Dance Club of OKC was founded in September 1999. Eventually the style was standardized and became a part of the competition circuit. These classes are taught on a monthly cycle. In that case the pattern would be step, step, rock step or rock step, step, step, depending on how you start counting. It uses disco-style music and revived partner-style dance among nightclub dancers in the 1970s. Swing as a dance was the main dance that would be changed, revised or another variation of the same swing dance was introduced with a change such as "single rhythm" instead of the "triple rhythm" and a new name as well as many performers trying to take credit for a new style by giving it a new name, most didn't catch on tho but confused the heck outta the public for a time. Instead of a rock step, the woman walks forward on count one. The clip here represents the Showcase Division of competitive WCS of Benji and Torri in the 11/2012 US Open Swing dance championships. He would get to know some of the other local dancers, which they have been said to have "not seen that style of swing before, but they liked it very much." East Coast Swing was much easier to teach, learn and sell to the then racially segregated parents. Before you start any type of swing dance, consider these beginner tips: Learn the basics of swing dance and the traditional swing dances if you want to become a swing dance pro. West Coast Swing is a form of swing dancing that is danced in a slot to moderate tempo blues, R&B and, in recent times, contemporary music. Leader: Step left, right. You have a customer who GREATLY appreciates it. Whether youre learning the Lindy Hop or Jive, you can learn any type of social dancing at any age. Here is a scene from their first one in 1937, the Marx Brothers movie A Day at the Races: http://www.savoystyle.com/QT/DATR_norma.mov. WEST COAST SWING BASIC STEPS - Intermediate West Coast Swing Moves West Coast Swing - podstawowe kroki (1) ab5dk 31K views 6 years ago WEST COAST SWING BASIC STEPS | Beginner WCS X Dance 74K views 1 year ago How to Dance the West Coast Swing. If you are familiar with the West Coast Swing basic steps, try these intermediate west coast swing moves with Anthony and Rose Lewis of Country Dance X.In th. Carolina Shag footwork is being added to its already extensive list of WCS footwork patterns (Swag,) Zouk (Swouk) and even the Tango has been injected (Swango). Ready to start learning? Steps: The jitterbug basic is similar to the East Coast Swing. All eight (8) of the UCWDC's competitive Couples and ProAm dances are represented. When Dean would be asked what style of swing he was doing he would say "there is no style, there is only Swing." Characteristics: West Coast Swing is a slotted dance, meaning the dancers stay in a rectangular area, or panel, of the floor. Put on some shoes that you can slide around the floor in, but that won't make you fall over if you misstep. In the U.S., there is a West Coast Swing, an East Coast Swing, and many other types of swing dances. West Coast Swing Please Submit Any Questions in the Chat. So enjoy them and mainly smile, laugh and have fun. All swing music has a 4/4 time and both types have the same basic six-count timing of 1,2,3-and-4, 5-and-6. Swing dancing is not just one type of dance. Sort videos by level, technique, counts & more. Im enjoying your site LOTS to learn and motivate me, thanks for all youre doing for the WCS community! Should You Go to a National West Coast Swing Event? The clip here represents the Showcase Division of competitive WCS of Benji and Torri in the 11/2012. Location: Oaks Park Dance Pavilion 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland, Oregon ** $3 On Site Parking Fee** Time: Every Thursday 7 PM Dance Lesson (Beginning & Intermediate) 8:15 -10:30 PM Mixed Variety Social Dance Dance Styles: West Coast Swing, Country 2 Step, Night Club 2 Step, Hustle, Cha Cha, Waltz, and More! Ballroom Dance and Wedding Dance Lessons in Chicago | Duet Dance Studio, http://www.savoystyle.com/QT/DATR_norma.mov. Here we will show you the basic 6 count step for East Coast Swing. The Jive is the European version of East Coast Swing dancing. The likely origin of country swing came as hustle dancers followed John Travolta off the disco dance floor and into the country bar after the hit movie Urban Cowboy. Start with your weight on your right foot and your left foot free. The Ballroom community, looking for a much more simple and mild form of swing, invented a much simpler and milder form called "Eastern Swing" (East Coast Swing) in the forties. West Coast Swing Boogie Woogie and a few others Here is a great little video that will give you an introduction to the swing dance era. Here is a video of our students demonstrating a triple swing: History: Began as Western Swing in 40s and 50s. Learn Basic Swing Steps This clip shows WCS being social danced at our Wednesday pre dance to the US Open in November (2012). One theory of the creation of West Coast Swing claims that it was developed because people were dancing in the aisles at concerts. Once you learn, you will have many friends for life as well as being able to dance to all kinds of music, anywhere, anytime with anyone. The leader may start a movement, but the follower reserves the right to hijack the action in order to add some flavor of her own. It's known as a triple step swing. WEST COAST SWING BASIC STEPS | Beginner WCS - YouTube Swing dancing is known as the group of dances that came about during the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s. What Is West Coast Swing and Why Is It Such a Great Dance? It's tricky to switch from 6 to 8 counts but the whip will open up lots of intermediate patterns for you later.What is west coast swing? 12:00 pm - 9:30pm (Gil & Nicky, Freda Angela, Lennie Smith, Lou Southern and others). As you get better at this dance, you can do it to fast tempo music. Jewell and Dean made many movies apart as well as together. The overall progression is, of course, the same. Swing" (pulsing up, strictly slotted but uses side edges of slot more) with the basic steps being exactly the same, just done to different types of music which gives a different feel and look. Learn all about the great dancingin Oklahoma City. So much more than just patterns. While dancers do follow specified foot patterns, improvisation is also a large part of West Coast Swing. Start around 3:20. "We loved Swing dancing and would Although WCS was not invented by, it was indirectly spawned by a man whose name was Dean Collins, who also danced at the Savoy while he was living in New York. of DAYS GONE BY (To bad they did not have Hustle, Disco, Lambada/Zouk, Dirty Dancing, Mambo, Latin, Cha-Cha, freestyle dance, Hip-Hop dances etc. The 80's introduced Rap and Hip Hop to the scene and some elements can be seen today in modern WCS. Todays dancers tend to like the different rhythms and syncopations of the different and varied music styles to dance too and play with, which helps keep them dancing all night long. Saturday by Appointment, Copyright 2023 Dancing FADS. Check out this video of our students demonstrating the Jitterbug/Single Swing: History: This is the most common swing style, also known as Eastern Swing, American Swing, East Coast Lindy, and Triple Swing. West Coast Swing Basic Steps - WCS Beginner - YouTube The ladies are told to take " Two Walk Steps forward " on counts 1-2 towards the man (and not away) and describes the "Coaster Step" and "Anchor step" very clearly. You'll be amazed with how quickly you'll find solutions to your dance challenges. Welcome to SwingShoes! Sign up for an introductory dance lessonnow to get started! Westies (West Coaster's) generally do not like dancing to live music, (Blues being the exception) on a weekly basis as the musicians/singers are usually not versatile enough or do not want to play all the different styles of music (Latin, Funk, Pop, Hip-Hop, Motown, Soul, Disco, R&B, Blues.) Walk forward left, right. Swing dancing is fun and not that difficult when you compare it to some other dances out there. Speeds of music for this type of swing vary greatly but will generally fall between 90 to 120 beats per minute, or bpm. See my recommendations and links to find the shoe(s) that make your dancing live up to its potential. This website uses cookies and third-party services to improve your experience and analyze our website traffic. West Coast Swing seems to have been born during the late 1930s through early 1950s, the same time-frame of many of the other forms of Swing: East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Jitterbug, etc). When Big Band Music waned and died out in the 1950's for various reasons and Rock and Roll music became popular, swing dancers had to adapt and swing dance to Rock and Roll music. Club Photo's Dance History Archives Dance Films Dance Books DJ Stuff Dance Gifts Dance Timing Page Basic Foot Positions CA. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or if you just need a little encouragement.RegularLabs.EmailProtector.unCloak("ep_195b9c8b", true); RegularLabs.EmailProtector.unCloak("ep_0c4cd9d3");RegularLabs.EmailProtector.unCloak("ep_7843d946", true);917-414-3105, Copyright 2001-2023 SwingShoes Entertainment LLC, Hustle 3-Week Series (Week 1) in Norwalk, CT. Should You Take Lessons From a Main Instructor or Many Different Instructors? You can dance it to almost anything, and you can be creative! To join our dance classes, please do the following: 2) Select the date of the class you wish you take. Steps:The West Coast Basic is danced in 6 counts. American Bandstand (and others) and Arthur Murray's television show's introduced many a dances over time such as the Twist, Hully Gully, The Swim, Watusi, the Bop, the slop with West Coast Swing having some air time as well but not named as such (except thru the A.M. Television show.) Collins started teaching "his version" to L.A. and soon everyone on the West Coast was doing it. Then the 1960's came along and the Twist again they adapted to the music. It will create a good foundation and is the base for other more complex versions. Murray used this term quite frequently to describe West Coast Swing. The UCWDC is proud to present free, downloadable teaching syllabi for Newcomer IV, III, II levels. Calling yourself a swing dancer means you can at least do the basics in many forms of swing and a few well. These types of swing include: East Coast Swing is also known as Triple Step swing because of the rhythm of the basic triple step. Easily adaptable to a wide range of tempos, it involves movements with lots of swinging, spinning and rhythmic, creative footwork. Our home base is conveniently located at Dance Dimensions in Norwalk, CT, close to the junction of I-95 and Route 7. Lessons 6:30-8 PM: Beginner and Beyond the Basics West Coast Swing; Right foot steps behind, left foot steps side. The West Coast Swing is a "slotted" dance which means the lady or follower travels forward and backward along a straight line on the floor and the leader guides the turns and variations from a single spot on the floor. They are easier than the basic sugar push.The whip is the first 8 count pattern in WCS. Class Cards reduce the cost to take weekly group classes. Characteristics: Similar to the Lindy Hop, Jitterbug is usually very energetic, usually including very sharp, jerking movements. However, there is no best style. Not at all! Bored with your dancing? UCWDC Syllabus. Shuffle). We love West Coast Swing so much, we made a whole playlist of West Coast Swing music! The beauty of West Coast Swing is you can basically dance West Coast almost anywhere, almost any place and at any time with almost anyone, almost any way you want to do it (classic, contemporary, old skool etc,) however this does not mean making up your own dance version. Ballroom Dance Lessons, Latin Dance Classes, Swing Dance Lessons, Wedding Dance Lessons and Classes in Durham, NC 919-489-4313. She knew Dean Collins and some of the other dancers and documented what they did with swing dance along with the Sailors in San Diego and Long Beach were doing at the time by Arthur Murray. Get styling tips to look great! Focus on technique, spins and turns, and moves to become a more proficient dancer.
