I've got 2 left feet
No problem! That's what lessons are for! Of all the partner dances, West Coast is a very non-strict dance
where creativity and freedom are encouraged! A sports or music background are assets, but not necessary.
My boyfriend
doesn't dance.
Ah, yes, that is an unfortunate stereotype. He is probably concerned that he is going to feel self conscious about not
being good at it right away. Settle his concerns by mentioning that everyone has to start somewhere, and that all the dancers in the
class are newbies too. You can challenge him by asking, "How do you know you're not going to like it until you've tried it?" It might
help to suggest that you take private lessons together first before going out in public.
Guys will think I'm a wimp.
If your
guy friends can't handle the idea of you learning to make women swoon and line up for a 3 minute chance to be in your arms...who's
the real wimp?
I heard it was hard to learn?
The WCS techniques are different from other partner dances, but not harder. All of the techniques are based in sound biomechanical principles so the dance is meant to feel natural and ergonomic. This should make it easy right from day one. If it's a struggle for you, switch instructors.
I just want to learn with my significant other, as “couple
time”.
If you want to learn with your partner for couple time or to prepare for a special occasion, sign up for private lessons! Here’s
why: West Coast Swing is a social dance, intended to be improvised with a variety of partners, like mingling at a party. Most group
classes are designed to support this, so rotating partners is required. Dancing with the same partner all class long actually makes
you progress slower. Much slower. Because you learn to compensate for the other person’s errors, then you both never learn to do anything
properly, but rather just fake it together. Rotating partners allows you to learn the DANCE, not the FAKE.
But I saw dancers doing WCS and it looked nothing like what I learned?
Well, there are two possible reasons for that. West Coast Swing
is a constantly evolving dance that is always getting more diverse, more ergonomic, and more fun. Unfortunately, this makes it hard
for most local dance teachers to keep current, so their material and teaching methods get outdated quickly, which means their students
do too. You may have learned WCS from an outdated source and the dancers you observed were current, or vice versa. The other
possibility is that you may have been watching dancers from another area of the continent dancing a regional style of WCS.
I
took a class last year, so I know my basics, isn’t that enough?
I would love to say yes, but the answer is no. After one snowboarding
lesson, did you feel ready to ride every run on the mountain? You can’t just click download and expect your body to perform the dance
at a reasonable level. Your one class served as an introduction to the basics, not the complete basics. Like any physical skill, it
takes a continuous cycle of lesson-practice-feedback in order to improve. Neglecting to learn your foundation skills, like on the
mountain, is likely to result in injury and disappointment.
Can I use my moves from another dance style?
Absolutely! WCS is the
most flexible partner dance. It welcomes the introduction of ideas from other dance styles. They can’t always be used verbatim, but
there are lots of ways to convert your favourite moves.
Is there competition? Do I have to be really good to compete?
There are
competitions available for every level of dancer - newcomer to pro. You only have to know your basics, which means you could compete
after 6 weeks of training or 6 years! You are only ever competing against people of your same level. As you get more advanced, there
are competitions for choreography, but it's all optional.
I have lots of classical dance training - is this an advantage or disadvantage?
This is an advantage. Anyone who tells you otherwise doesn't have the training to communicate to you exactly HOW. It is a common misconception
that ballet and jazz will "taint" or "ruin" your ability to learn Swing. That's a load of crap. Just like university teaches you how
to think (regardless of the subject area), dance training teaches you how to manipulate your body (regardless of the dance style).
In short, dance training will make you a quicker learner. Yes you will have some habits to change, but that is the case for all dancers,
trained or not.
Before you Go
Isn't it expensive?
Don't I need a partner?
Do I need to dress up?
How do I choose an instructor?
Does it matter where I take lessons?
What is a "Swing Club"?
Isn't it expensive?
No! With good instruction, West Coast is a dance you can learn and use immediately in a club scene. It's cheap
fun, too - $12 per lesson or per cover charge for most dances.
Don't I need a partner?
No! You don't need a partner to take
classes with: 80% of dancers are single. Classes rotate partners - you'll meet lots of fun people there! You're actually expected
to show up single. But feel free to learn with a friend.
Do I need to dress up?
Nope. Wear what you would wear if you were going
to a club. Dressy-casual (jeans or dress pants and a nice top) will do just fine
How do I choose an instructor?
READ THIS ARTICLE
BEFORE CHOOSING AN INSTRUCTOR
Does it matter where I take lessons?
YES. It's like playing pin the tail on the donkey with the phone book. You could get an ace professional, you could get a hack. Like you would with any professional service, do your research. Tell you what, we'll show you how: Click here to read an article on how to choose an instructor.
What is a "Swing Club"?
A Swing Dance Club is a non-profit organization that usually offers social dances on a weekly or monthly basis. It is not associated with any particular studio or school, and therefore tries to promote the dance itself, not the business of lessons. Some Swing Clubs invite local or international instructors in to guest teach workshops, and some even co-sponsor dance conventions.
Why is it called West Coast Swing?
The guy who started the style, Dean Collins, moved from
I thought Swing was a Country Dance?
Nope. Swing is a family of dances separate
from Country dancing. The Country dance world adopted East Coast Swing and West Coast Swing into their competition lineup, and modified
the dances to fit the Country music & movements. You can dance it to Country music, but it's not a Country dance.
I
thought Swing was a Ballroom dance?
Nope. Swing is a family of dances separate from Ballroom. In the 1950's ballroom studios modified it to fit their syllabus and marketed their own version of Swing (East Coast Swing) to draw in more customers. Today, Jive is one of the competitive Latin/Rhythm dances, but it is just one of many styles of Swing. Ballroom studios now offer West Coast Swing, but this version varies quite a bit from authentic WCS. If you see WCS being danced in a dress and high heels, it is likely Ballroom style, not authentic style. Read more about the distictions between dance styles on our Dance Comparison chart
Don't you have to dance
to old Big Band music from the 1950's?
Nope. You're thinking of Lindy Hop, Jive, or Rock & Roll. When WCS was developed, it focussed
more on Blues. The most versatile partner dance, WCS follows the popular music of each decade. Today, it is mostly danced to
Blues, Top40, and R&B.
Can you do it in a Club?
Hellz yeah! Dance it to anything, anywhere, except hard-core Rap or
Metal. Unless you really want to...
I did Swing in school - is it the same thing?
Probably not. Schools usually bring in instructors
to teach Lindy Hop or East Coast Swing and label it "Swing" or "Jive". But just be glad you didn't have to Square Dance! Get
info on how to bring Swing to your school
I saw Swing in a movie - is it the same thing?
Nope. You probably saw Lindy Hop, which
is the media's ignorant blanket representation of Swing. WCS is more smooth, funky, sexy, and unfortunately, more underground. But
we're working on bringing it to the mainstream. In fact, last year, the first feature film about West Coast Swing debuted, entitled,
“Love and Dancing”.
Didn’t I see West Coast Swing on TV?
YES! Yay! We are all very grateful for the exposure of dance in the media
these days. However, the
How
does it compare to other dances?
One could argue that there is no comparison...but for the sake of answering your question, see the
pretty chart on the What Is WCS page.
Defining the dance
Why is it called West Coast Swing?
I thought Swing was a Country Dance?
I thought Swing was a Ballroom dance?
Don't you have to dance to old 50's Big Band music?
Can you do it in a Club?
I did Swing in school - is it the same thing?
I saw Swing in a
movie - is it the same thing?
How does it compare to other dances?
The Learning Curve
But I saw dancers doing WCS and it looked nothing like what I learned?
I took a class last year, so I know my basics,
isn’t that enough?
Can I use my moves from another dance style?
Is there competition? Do I have to be really good to compete?
I have lots of technical dance training - is this an advantage or disadvantage?
