West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing · Level 2
- Time signature
- 4/4
Social tempos vary widely; part of the skill is matching the size and style of movement to the music.
Origin
A child of the Lindy Hop that grew up in California — smoothed out in the dance halls and studios of the 1940s and ’50s, and now the official state dance of California. Where East Coast Swing circles, West Coast dances in a slot.
Music
4/4 time — everything from traditional swing and blues to pop, funk, jazz, reggaeton, and hip-hop. The songs run a wide gamut, and the dance stretches to fit them.
Character
Elastic and smooth — a slotted dance of stretch and compression, with room to play with the music.
Figures
- 1
Sugar Push
Outside Turn (Sugar Tuck) · Inside Turn
- 2
Right Side Pass
Outside Turn · Cut Off · Fake Whip · Same Side Roll In Roll Out
- 3
Left Side Pass
Inside Turn · Tuck Turn · Roll In Roll Out
- 4
Whip (8-Count)
Basic Whip · Reverse Whip · Basket Whip · Same Side Whip · Whip Outside Turn · Whip Inside Turn · Apache
Additional Skills
- Enhanced connection
- Styling & body isolation
- Slot dynamics
- Musicality (syncopations, accents)
- Advanced lead/follow techniques
Elsewhere in West Coast Swing
Want to learn the West Coast Swing?
Every figure on this page is taught in the studio, one lesson at a time.