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47-408: Typically the follower is led forward into new patterns traveling forward on counts "1" and "2" of each basic pattern, rather than rocking back . Traditional figures include 6-count and 8-count patterns of one of the four basic varieties: (1) Starter Step, (2) Side Pass, (3) Push Break / Sugar Push, (4) Whip. The Anchor Step is a common ending pattern of many West Coast Swing figures. Alternatively

94-550: A closed position and the possibility of dancing single, double, or triple rhythm. After "Throwout" patterns began with the woman "walking in" and the man doing a "rock step", or step together for counts one and two. Although the dance remained basically the same, the Golden State Dance Teachers Association (GSDTA) began teaching from the walk steps, counts 1 and 2. It replaced Laure Haile's Coaster Step with an "Anchor Step" around 1961. "West Coast Swing" as

141-605: A different feel and look. In writing about West Coast Swing, Skippy Blair said, "The only problem that exists in swing is when someone decides there is only one way to dance it. There is never only one way to do anything." In 1994 Blair noted that the posture for men had trended to be more upright than in previous years. A 1998 summary of trends in West Coast Swing distinguished the traditional or classic style from modern variations as follows: The following are some examples of basic West Coast Swing patterns. Most are performed with

188-500: A forward step as the last step of the second triple) rather than the Anchor Step. The one song that was listed for this dance was "Comin' On" by Bill Black 's Combo (1964 Hi #2072). West Coast Swing can be danced to almost any music written in 4 time. In the past, the ideal speed for West Coast Swing was cited as 32 measures per minute or 128 bpm, compared to the recommended 112 bpm for Western Swing . In its 2014–2016 rules,

235-473: A line of communication which allows the leader to incorporate the follower's ideas, abilities, and creative suggestions into their own styling and selection of moves. In many partner dances, the leader's steps differ from the follower's. In face-to-face positions, the follower generally "mirrors" the leader's footwork. For example, if the leader begins on their left foot, the follower will begin on their right foot. In choreographed pieces and other situations where

282-400: A little weight against the leader's right hand. When the leader goes forward, the follower will naturally go backwards. An important leading mechanism is the leader's left hand, which usually holds the follower's right hand. At no point should it be necessary for any partner to firmly grab the other's hand. It is sufficient to press the hand or even only finger tips slightly against each other,

329-439: A principle borrowed from ballroom and Latin dance in which the dancer moves their center of gravity immediately over the foot when a weight transfer is desired. Traditional figures include 6-count and 8-count patterns of one of the four basic varieties: (1) Starter Step, (2) Side Pass, (3) Push Break / Sugar Push, (4) Whip. Many common West Coast Swing figures are derived from simple variations of these basic figures. West Coast Swing

376-517: A smaller audience, jump blues were popular on the West Coast throughout the 1940s and into the 1950s when they were renamed and marketed as rock and roll in 1954. Dancers danced "a 'swingier' more smooth and subdued" form of jitterbug to Western swing music. Dean Collins , a lindy hop dancer who arrived in the Los Angeles area around 1937, was influential in developing the style of swing dance on

423-451: A synonym for "Western swing" appears in a 1961 dance book. The name was used in an advertisement by ballroom dancer Skippy Blair circa 1958–1962. However, the term wasn't incorporated into mainstream swing circles until the late 1960s. Blair preferred the name "West Coast Swing" because of the ambiguous meaning of "Western" (in dance, usually referring to country and western ), as distinguished from "West Coast," referring to California, where

470-437: Is achieved by preparing for movement before the step begins. The leader-follower connection facilitates this. The principles of leading and following are explored in contact improvisation of modern dance . Sometimes a miscommunication will occur between the leader and follower. Techniques of the recovery of connection and synchronization vary from dance to dance, but below are a few common examples. A body lead occurs where

517-429: Is also a fundamentally improvised dance, and thus such defined figures are simply starting points for the skilled dancer. Additionally, West Coast Swing can be said to rely on the leader creating and redirecting the momentum of the follower in order to communicate how they wish to lead the dance. The follower's step is different from the leader's; partners do not mirror each other. Dancing to different types of music gives

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564-413: Is also helpful for dancers to regard their partners in terms of their points of balance to help the leader initiate movements for their follower. These points of balance include the front-facing side of the shoulders, the front facing side of the hips, and the follower's center (the abdomen). If the leader wants to bring the follower close, the leader is to apply tension and draw the hand in and down toward

611-411: Is often used in place of "hijacking". However the two terms have significant differences, stemming from intentions. The first difference is superficial; hijacking is usually an occasional "outburst" from the follower, who otherwise diligently follows the lead, while a "backlead" may refer to a consistent habit. The second difference is more significant; hijacking is an actual reversal of roles, meaning that

658-424: Is when a follower is executing steps without waiting for, or contrary to the lead's lead. Both are considered bad dancing habits because it makes the follower difficult to lead and dance with. Backleading can be a teaching tool that is often used intentionally by an instructor when dancing with a student lead, in order to help them learn the desired technique. Backleading sounds similar to "hijacking", and indeed it

705-576: The United Country Western Dance Council (UCWDC) specified a range of 102–114 bpm with a preferred speed of 108 bpm "for all." West Coast Swing dancers have adopted music genres such as hip hop and blues, both of which often range well below 100 bpm. West Coast Swing is an evolving social dance that has gone through many changes throughout its short history, over time incorporating techniques from numerous dance styles. However, there are many guidelines that should be followed to maintain

752-746: The West Coast of the United States as both a performer and teacher. Collins was humble about his contributions to the style. According to one of his former students, a member of his last dance troupe, Collins himself said that he had nothing to do with the West Coast Swing style. Lessons in "The New West Coast Swing" were offered at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios in San Bernardino and Riverside, California in December 1948. By 1954 West Coast Swing

799-572: The leader , who is comparatively stationary. Slotted dances include: West Coast Swing, Dallas Push, Houston Whip, Supreme Swing in Tulsa, Imperial Swing in St. Louis, Alcatraz in New Orleans , Carolina Shag, DC Swing, as well as variants of other dances, such as Salsa or Hustle , that may be performed in a slotted style as well. As a rule, the leader mostly stays in the slot, leaving it only to make room for

846-540: The swing era of jazz. During this period many jazz, blues, and country musicians incorporated swing in their music. Writing in the Arthur Murray Silver Dance Notebook , Laure Haile, who first described "Western Swing", listed the following songs as "Good Swing or Fox Trot Records": Western Swing was documented in the 1971 edition of the Encyclopedia of Social Dance , listing the "Coaster Step" (with

893-533: The United Kingdom. Follower (dance) In some types of partner dance , lead and follow are designations for the two dancers' roles in a dance pairing. The leader is responsible for guiding the couple and initiating transitions to different dance steps and, in improvised dances, for choosing the dance steps to perform. The leader communicates choices to the follower, and directs the follower by means of subtle physical and visual signals, thereby allowing

940-505: The above-mentioned dances belong to the "West Coast Swing family" of dances, they may have developed independently. The differences have been both acknowledged and listed; Swing Dance Encyclopedia by CoupleDanceWorld lists the differences among the dances. The most typical slotted dance is West Coast Swing . The origin of this style is uncertain. By one theory, the slotted style was born in Hollywood : film directors supposedly wanted to keep

987-479: The basic patterns in West Coast Swing are defined as: Push Break (or Sugar Push); Left Side Pass; Right Side Pass; Tuck Turn; and Whip. Virtually all other moves in West Coast Swing are variations of these basic patterns. West Coast Swing has the leader using "body leads" versus the "arm leads" of East Coast Swing . The origins of the West Coast Swing are in the Lindy Hop . Western swing , country boogie , and, with

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1034-427: The connection from the follower's side. "Unusually" meaning more than typically required for the execution of the current step (by these partners). For a follower to hijack, they must be sure that the lead will understand or at least guess the follower's intentions. Slotted dance In slotted dances , the dance slot is an imaginary narrow rectangle within which the follower moves back and forth in relation to

1081-428: The dance floor is not crowded and the couple is afforded more space, such as during a competitive event, the dancers may move the slot around the floor more liberally. There are urban myths regarding the origin of the slotted style. According to one version, it was an invention of Hollywood film makers who wanted "dancers to stay in the same plane, to avoid going in and out of focus". West Coast Swing can be traced to

1128-404: The dance will best support the follower by giving clear directions. For the leader and follower to interact with each other, communication needs to occur between the dance couple. Dancers take cues through physical connection, with the follower using it to communicate feedback to the leader just as the leader uses it to suggest moves to the follower. The most accomplished dancers use connection as

1175-415: The follower is in a tandem position or shadow position, the leader and follower will use the same footwork. Usually both partners move together as a unit, but in some dances the partners move in opposite directions - together and apart again. In partner dancing, dancers seek to work together to create synchronized or complementary movements. The leader is largely responsible for initiating movement, whereas

1222-413: The follower to pass by. The leader almost never makes the follower circle around when passing by; they may go into a common rotational figure when the follower happens to come close, but such figures are usually in a tight position and do not change the overall "slotted" appearance. Factors that have often been looked upon as contributing to the development of slotted dance style include: Although most of

1269-498: The follower's hand following the leader's hand. Another important leading mechanism is hip contact. Though not possible in traditional Latin dances like Rumba , Cha-cha , Tango Argentino because of partner separation, hip contact is a harmonious and sensual way of communicating movement to the partner, used primarily in Standard or Ballroom dances (English / slow waltz, European tango, quickstep etc.) and Caribbean dances. Backleading

1316-440: The follower's role is to maintain this movement (though they may choose not to). This process can be described as involving the initiation of momentum or 'energy' (by the leader) and then the subsequent maintenance, exaggeration, decreasing or dissolving of this momentum by both partners. This momentum or energy may be manifested as movement (in its most obvious form), or in a range of more complex interactions between partners: It

1363-457: The hijacker leads the leader and takes control of the dance, while backleading only takes care of the follower. Sometimes the follower steals the lead and the couple reverses roles for some time. This is called hijacking (also known as lead stealing ). Hijacking requires experience and good connection, since without proper timing it may look like sloppy dancing. A signal for hijacking is typically an unusually changed (mostly, increased) stress in

1410-415: The leader begins by taking his or her center back, indicating a backward walking move. As the partners' arms/points of contact move away from each other, they develop tension, which the follower may either break by dropping their arms or breaking the hold, or 'follow' by moving. A more experienced leader may realize (if only on an unconscious level) that the most effective execution of even this "simple" step

1457-402: The leader each time they pass. The use of the "dance slot" for energetic and improvisational dances like the West Coast Swing allows for dancers to dance on a crowded dance floor without colliding with other couples; remaining within one's slot is considered proper etiquette. Couples usually establish their own slot parallel with dancers who have already established a space on the dance floor. If

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1504-405: The leader initiates a lead by moving their body, which moves their arm(s), and thus transmits a lead to the follower. 'Body lead' means much the same as 'weight transfer'. An arm lead occurs where the leader moves their arm(s) without moving their body, or moves their body in a different direction to their arm. While an 'arm lead' without the transfer of weight (or movement of the body) on the part of

1551-412: The leader is often a marker of an inexperienced or poorly taught dancer, the process of leading and following, particularly at an advanced level, often involves the contrasting uses of weight transfers and 'arm moves'. As an example, a leader may lead a follower back onto their right foot through the leader's own weight transfer forwards onto their left foot; yet at the same time turn the follower's torso to

1598-493: The leader's own hip; to send the follower away, the leader would guide the hand toward the follower and add compression, signaling the move away. A general rule is that both leader and follower watch each other's back in a dance hall situation. Collision avoidance is one of the cases when the follower is required to "backlead" or at least to communicate about the danger to the leader. In travelling dances, such as waltz , common follower signals of danger are an unusual resistance to

1645-399: The leader, or a slight tap by the shoulder. In open-position dances, such as swing or Latin dances, maintaining eye contact with the partner is an important safety communication link. For partner dancers, using weight transfers is a way for a leader to communicate a 'lead' for a dance step to a follower. In another example, for a leader to have their follower walk forwards while connected,

1692-431: The left from above the hips. The leader has to communicate the direction of the movement to the follower. Traditionally, the leader's right hand is on the follower's back, near the lowest part of the shoulder-blade. This is the strongest part of the back and the leader can easily pull the follower's body inwards. To enable the leader to communicate a step forward (backward for the follower) the follower has to constantly put

1739-578: The male dance partner is the leader and the female dance partner is the follower, though this is not always the case, such as in Schottische danced in the Madrid style where women lead and men follow (although this is not totally true: during the dance there is an exchange of roles, the leader becomes the follower and vice versa ). Many social dance forms have a long history of same-sex (e.g. tango ) and role-crossing partnerships, and there have been some changes to

1786-485: The pair to be smoothly coordinated. The amount of direction given by the leader depends on several factors, including dance style, social context of the dance, and experience and personalities of the dancers. Traditionally, the male dance partner was the leader and the female dance partner was the follower. In the 21st century, it has become increasingly common to see partnerships that buck this dynamic, particularly in more socially progressive dance styles. Traditionally,

1833-415: The performers in a straight line to keep the profiles of both dancers in sight, which also helps the camera to catch the most action, as opposed to rotational styles, in which much of the time one sees only the back of one dancer with the other dancer hidden completely. Another story is that during jazz concerts the fans were dancing in the aisles (which are essentially slots) and the style stuck. Still another

1880-634: The same "step step tri-ple-step tri-ple-step" pattern equalling eight steps in six beats of music. The term "count" is used as a synonym for a "beat", usually a quarter note, of music. West Coast Swing is danced all over the world. It is most popular in the United States, and has spread across the country since its inception. Internationally, West Coast Swing is popular in France, Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, Iceland, New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Poland, Singapore, Hungary, Romania, Latvia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Finland, Belarus, Panama City, and

1927-452: The slot is a long, thin, rectangular area whose length depends on the tempo of the music – it can be eight or nine feet long for slower songs, but will be shorter for faster music. The follower travels back and forth in the slot, while the leader moves only minimally. When the follower reaches the leader, the leader moves a minimal amount (at mid-way point) to the side, barely out of the follower's way. The follower in turn lightly brushes against

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1974-438: The strict gendering of partner dances in some competition or performance contexts. An example is a "Jack and Jack" dance contest. Partner dancing requires awareness and clear communication; this is essential both for safety and for the overall success of the dance. If following in the dance, it helps to maintain a centered readiness to the leader. This helps the follower be ready for cues both visually and physically. The leader in

2021-548: The style was actually developed. Blair credits Jim Bannister, editor of the Herald American newspaper in Downey, California, for suggesting the name West Coast Swing. While teenagers preferred to dance freestyle through a constantly changing succession of discotheque social dance fads during the 1960s, adults kept swing alive. In the mid-1970s, the advent of disco music revitalized partner dancing. In California, West Coast Swing

2068-407: The true character of the dance. A dance's character is typically defined by a basic philosophy, principles of movement, and traditional steps and figures. While these guidelines can be violated, by committing too many violations one risks departing from the defining features of the dance. Modern West Coast Swing is in large part defined by an emphasis on musicality and connection. Movement is based on

2115-481: Was one of the dances done in country western bars in Los Angeles. and an instructional booklet for the dance was advertised with a heading of "Cowboy Dancing!". By the 1990s country western dancers were dancing West Coast Swing to contemporary country western songs. West Coast Swing is a slotted dance , which means that the steps of the dance are confined to an imaginary "slot" on the dance floor. For West Coast Swing,

2162-488: Was one of the popular dances of the era. By 1978, "California Swing" had developed as a variation of West Coast Swing, with styling that Blair wrote was "considered more UP, with a more Contemporary flavor." By 1978 GSDTA had "some 200 or more patterns and variations" for West Coast Swing." In 1988, West Coast Swing was pronounced the Official State Dance of California. When Disco fell out of favor, West Coast Swing

2209-482: Was taught from Southern California to Vancouver B.C. and from Eastern Washington to Hawaii. By 1957 the dance had reached as far east as Missouri. Laure' Haile, an Arthur Murray Dance Studio National Dance Director, documented the unique style of swing dancing in Los Angeles in 1951 using the name "Western Swing" to describe it. Arthur Murray Dance Studios developed a syllabus for West Coast Swing from her notes. The Arthur Murray style taught Western Swing beginning from

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