#ItsAllWestCoastSwing

• WEST COAST SWING: The GREAT GRAND DAUGHTER of all Swing!

West Coast Swing is the ‘Official State Dance of California‘. 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. West Coast Swing roots back to or originated from an earlier dance known as the Savoy Style Lindy, which was done at the Savoy Ballroom in New York in the early 1930’s. 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.

WCS: Dean Collins

Collins came to California in 1936 to get into the movie business and brought with him ‘his version’ of the “Savoy Style Lindy.” Collins, after dancing in Hollywood for a couple years and swing dancing in many night clubs began dancing and competing in dance contests. 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.” It was a lot different than what they were doing at the time … which they called it “The Whip” (NOTE: different than the later “Houston Whip” which is a Descendant of WCS … to make a slightly long story short,) “Sophisticated Swing” and/or sometimes the “New Yorker”.

   When Collins started winning contests everyone wanted to learn his style. Dean’s first partner was Bertha Lee in contests and film but later Collins joined up with Jewel McGowenwho was to become the hottest female swing dancer who had ever “Switched” (swivel’d back and forth) with Dean(Bertha was really frickin’ good as well). Jewell and Dean made many movies apart as well as together. When Dean would be asked what style of swing he was doing he would say “there is no style, there is only Swing.” He never said there is only Lindy Hopor West Coast or Jitterbug, etc., NEVER!, there is only swing. And being a true master of swing realized that “Swing is Swing”… period!

   Collins started teaching “his version” to L.A. and soon everyone on the West Coast was doing it. Dean finally got his break and started doing much moreHollywood Moviesin the 1940s and 1950s. He brought many local swing dancers who he had taught this “new style” with him into many of these movies as well. During this time, the movies billed WCS dance as “Jitterbug or Rock and Roll.” Many soldiers danced this version of swing in W.W. II. The soldiers and U.S.O.took “West Coast Swing” AND OTHER FORMS OF SWING all over the world … disguised as the newer term of Jitterbugor Rock and Roll(before these titles swing was known as the Lindy Hop). Dean passed away in the mid-1980’s. In the clips below you can see the legendaryKenny Wetzelinterviewing Dean at the famous Lion d’Or in Downey, Ca. As well as Dean featured in the other two clips. Also here is a Youtube linkto Dean teaching at the Palladium in 1983.

The slot is not original to West Coast Swing but is strongly linked to it today. West Coast Swing, which is a strictly slotted (a 3’X6′ or 3X8′ rectangular dance space … has the leader dance in place (Center of the slot) while the follower travels back and forth. This style of swing has some to say that this slot was born out of “WIDE ANGLE LENSES” not having been invented yet! (not totally true). The Directors needed to put the dancers in straight lines to get them all in the camera. However, many swing movies only had “one couple dancing” at a time and many previous movies of Whitey’s Lindy Hopperswill show a slot being danced (“for the camera”, I believe.)

This “Slot” idea was to get the profile of the dancers rather than the backs of the dancers to the camera. If the dancers rotated while dancing it would not have shown the moviegoers as much facial dancing. This “slotted-style” eventually caught on as the norm and STAYED STRICTLY SLOTTED! when West Coast is danced socially. 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. Don’t really know if the choreographers wanted to feature the craziness of swing (probably,) the “Slotted-Style” or the dancers making a statement, but the slot is there as plain as day. (Gil & Nicky, Freda Angela, Lennie Smith, Lou Southernand others).

   Yet, another story is that because Los Angeles had many small night clubs rather than Ballrooms that provided swing music, and there was a huge migration happening in California at the same time. The L.A. dancers had to squeeze together and thus maintained a “Slotted type movement” to avoid hitting each other. The two above ideas merging together would be the main reason people today dance slotted swing socially (I support this story very strongly.)

   One of the most famous stories of the time was when Benny Goodman played at the Palomar Ballroomin Los Angeles in the early 1930’s. Kids packed the Palomar and lined up for blocks to see him play. The newspaper reported that they were “Jitterbugging in the Isles.” That was the start of the Swing Era and Swing bands, the term Jitterbug and Swing dance for white America. Goodman’s next stop was at the Paramount Theaterin New York, again the newspaper reported that the “Kids were Jitterbugging in the Isles to Goodman’s music” (every aisle I have ever seen was a slot!).

• The Footwork !

The Footwork theories have been told to me many times by various older swing dancers as:

1) Tap Dancing

1. Tap dance was the start of the main footwork within the African-American community early in the birth of swing. As time went on, this footwork became a stable of movement and ‘Laid the Ground Work’ for the syncopation framework within the swing dance community which would be changed and modified to suit the ever changing times. Eventually, this footwork and syncopation would dis-associate itself from the standard Tap Dancemovements and grow into something more within the swing dance family. Some of these foot movements are still done today while others have faded away. And as time went on ….

2. Blues music was very popular with the African-Americans again as well and in the late 1940’s was to explode and later become Rock and Roll for various reasons that are too long to explore here. Many swing dancers started swingin’ to the Blues, both fast and it’s slow and or burlesque sounds. On the clip to the right George Christophersonand Freda Angela Wyckoffdance to both speeds. 95% of the videos available today are only of a performance nature (fast). This clip shows some WCS Blues messin’ Around in the 1950s.

3. Latin Music was being born in the states and was becoming very popular. As the dancers learned Latin movement they would incorporate it into West Coast Swing. The ladies and “Pachuco’s” would do what is referred to today as a Latin West Coast Swing (or Latin Swing) to slower sexier Latintype music and incorporate Latin body and footwork movements into the dance. Since the Cha-Chaand the Whip are of the same 8 count rhythm, it was simple to add this style of movement. During W.W.II, many men were in the service and many of the “Hot Clubs” were no longer hopping locally. However, many of the Latin places were booming with all kinds of dancers and new music. This gives rise to why West Coast dancers love to West Coast to Cha-Cha based music as well as the slower tempo for West Coast Swing being preferred to faster music. 100-120 Bpm. is great for syncopation’s and the body movements we see today with a preferred sexier and slower tempo ranges of 80-100 beat per measure (Bpm.). Even the Lindy dancers are preferring the slower tempo of West Coast Swing. …

4. The Prostitutes in some of the dance halls and night clubs in the 1940’s on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach and San Diego California would get kick-backs of liquor sales (became illegal) in which the sailors would purchase. The Prostitutes, knowing the sailors were on “short leaves” (the sailors were warned about their nightly profession) and knowing the Sailors also loved to dance (and so did the ladies of the night btw) would regularly use the dance and drink idea. The sailors would get drunk on their leave and these “Ladies” would dance with them, entice them, and as they got drunker the sailors couldn’t dance so well so these “Ladies” would just hold on and sexy wiggle and do sexy footwork (enticing) at the end of the slot till he was ready to spend the remainder of his money behind closed doors … Well, that’s enuff! … You get the idea … he-he!… There were also the “Victory Girls!.”

         (Note … To clarify: These ‘prostitutes’ and/or “Victory Girls” were not the typical WCS female dancers of the time, and should not be representative of them. The majority of the female dancers in the clubs were not prostitutes or the like. These particular type of clubs were not frequented by the general dancing public and as such is only a story of CERTAIN MOVEMENTS told by sailors, etc. of the time, but other than that, this does not offer much in the overall validity as a whole.) Later the …

5. The “Switches” (right & left motion or switch back and forth for the ladies) commonly done in the Lindy eventually gave way to a not so simple (forward) Walk-Walk on counts 1-2, and the Coaster Step (a Back Together Forward) replaced the circular crossing step shuffle of the Lindy Circle and Swing Out on 3&4 of the whip, plus all the patterns began to “Anchor Step” (last 2 beats in place) instead of Arthur Murray’suse of the Coaster Step (a back-together-forward step) at the end of each pattern. This Anchoring added a lot of SYNCOPATED freedom to WCS for both leads and follows. Add the Sugar Push from the earlier “Sugar Foot” step and a little better posture and the rest basically, remains the same. As a side note, basically WCS and Lindy are in stark contrast to each other or think ‘reversed foundation’. West Coast Swing and Hollywood Style, generally, altho they can, do not use any of the Charlestonmovement or patterns that the earlier Lindy Hop used. …

6. The Flying Lindy and Aerials: (Leg Flying Movement) and/ or Double Shuffle Speed Swing (delayed single rhythm unit) are two main components of dancing West Coast Swing to fast or Boogie Woogieand ‘Jump Blues’ music and are geared more toward this faster style of West Coast Swing. Aerials(air-steps) done in West Coast are done thru competition “Showcase Divisions” only these days and are not part of the social structure of this dance, however, it is still a big part of the Hollywood style, but again, mainly becoming for competition/ exhibition purposes only there as well. The West Coasters only use AERIALS (aka air steps and/or Adagio) in the “Showcase” division during competition, some do them extremely well, but most (not all) of the ‘Westies’ are unable to do a good showcase routine due to the aerial and ‘side by sides’ requirements thus opting for the “Classic” styled division’s instead.

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.

Other Basic WCS Information:

        In one of Arthur Murray’sdance books in the mid 1940’s, Murray describes a dance called “Rock and Rolldancing.” It names the “Under Arm Pass, the Whip and the Sugar-Push.” 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.

    Later he would call this style of “Western Swing” “Sophisticated Swing.” In the Video clip on the left we can see a UK TV Advertisement done in 1960 that portrays WCS. It’s an interesting watch as they didn’t hardly use any triples … namely tap-steps and step-taps (aka the Dbl. Shuffle).   

Today there are EIGHT BASIC STEPS that the whole dance revolves upon. They Are:

1. Dance Starts in a Closed Starter Basic and/ or Preparatory Basic.

2. Throw-Out.

3. Under-Arm Pass.

4. Under Arm Pass with a Hand Change.

5. Left Side Pass.

6. Sugar Push(es) / Push Break.

7. Open Two Hand Tuck ‘In’ Turn. (Done from open position).

8. The Basic Whip (the Whip is also the very first pattern into intermediate as well).   

     In the 1940’s Ms. Laurie’ Haile(d.) was hired by Mr. Murrayto document the dances set in Murray’s curriculum and the current dances being done around town. This was no easy task, but Haile did it beautifully. 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. She called it “Western Swing” which is were we get the name “West Coast Swing.” However, the term Western Swing as opposed to Eastern Swing would later be confused as Country Western Swing or Western Swing Music (think Bob Wills) because of the western part in the name and Country-Western Swing was not West Coast Swing by any means. This was right about the time of Murray’s book (above.)

    Myrna Myron of Myron’s Ballroomin Los Angeles, California coined the term “Sophisticated Swing” in a conversation to Arthur Murray years earlier by describing what she saw being done in and around Los Angeles in the early 1950’s. Although a song title with the namedid exist earlier, it was not associated with swing as a dance but rather a musical style. West Coast did not look like the reckless abandon of the previous swingers and looked much more smooth, polished and stylish. Murray used this term quite frequently to describe West Coast Swing. There are numerous national newspapers advertising West Coast Swing dance lessons throughout the country from the early 1940’s by various studios. Skippy Blair is credited for changing the name from Laurie’ Haile’s ‘Western Swing’ to ‘West Coast Swing’ in California and with California being the home of WCS, that cemented it’s use.

        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 slopwith West Coast Swing having some air time as well but not named as such (except thru the A.M. Television show.) Historically, the Dance Master’s of America were trying to control what people danced and tried every year to create, develop and introduce new dances to the money spending public. When the music would change, often, they would just change the name of some of the dances and re-introduce them to the public.   

    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. The clip here shows WCS on the 1985 “Dance Fever” Television show by Lance and Maryanne who were the top WCS competitors of  the 1980’s.

   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. In Los Angeles in the 1940’s and 50’s many teachers would dance West Coast Swing as sort of an enticement. But when the potential student would ask what it was and where they could learn it, they would be told it was Jitterbug(as you were only allowed to teach the studio’s syllabus which was fiercly governed by the Dance Masters of America Org.) and signed them up to actually learn ECS. Plus add the fact that America was racist about teaching their adorable young school children this vulgar African-American vernacular based dance(s) of any form and doing so could get you shot (well fired anyway) by the complaining mothers of the day.

    East Coast Swing was much easier to teach, learn and sell to the then racially segregated parents. However, the student would think they were getting one style, but unfortunately was taught the OTHER style (See East Coast) and if they could advance, they were finally taught WCS privately or went on to the clubs. Many dancer’s of the 1950’s grew up on East Coast Swing as that was the only style of swing that was allowed to be taught in the dance studio’s and schools of the time due to racial factors (like the above) at the time as well as it being much, much easier to teach ECS. However, some independent studios taught both. (Even when I started dancing … East Coast Swing was done by 90% of the people dancing swing.)

   During the 1960’s, Television put dancing on the back burner. Most people did not have to leave their homes for an evenings entertainment as in the past. Televisions were now affordable in almost everyone’s home. 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. In walks a dance called the “Twist, Frug, Swim, Hully Gully etcetera” plus “dancing in the sand” at the beach would be the final death blow to most structured partner dances (thanks gidget and Annette) and no one had to really learn anything, just flap your arms, shake your hips or twist and shake the night away.” Other free form style dances would follow and a whole generation grew up without partner dancing. However, there were still a small group that did dance partnered dances and kept it alive, these dancers formed Swing Dance Clubs and would continue to pass it on when they could.

   Then in the 1970’s, Discodancing & Music became the rage, especially after the movie Saturday Night Feverwith 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. Basically overnight, all nightclubs became disco’s. These new dancers of the 1970’s did not know of  most of the earlier dances and/ or copied some of the Swing and Salsa dancers that they saw or that a few could remember. The clip here shows Eddie and Lisadoing a performance Adagio Hustle dance routine on 1987 Star Search TV show. Eddie and Lisa were one of the main pioneers and exponents of the Hustle. (I listed this just so you can see the competitive form of Hustle if you were/are not aware of it.)

   (The Hustleis actually a mix of Latinand EC Swing.) Then a few years later, Country Western music and dancing gained popularity (erly 80’s) and people were now confusing “Western Swing (WCS)” with Country Western dancing or Western Swing. 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. There are some who claim to have named the dance over the years, but there is some printed, dated documentation and newspaper ads that exists prior to their date claims to discredit them. For a time many Country Western establishments outlawed West Coast Swing being done in the clubs (only a few dancers were doing it at the time) … as being too Sexy and having too much Attitude along with stating that it “NOT” being Country. However after awhile everyone wanted to do it except for the die hard C/W dancers.

   When Big Band Music waned and died out in the 1950’s for various reasons and Rock and Rollmusic became popular, swing dancers had to adapt and swing dance to Rock and Roll music. Then the 1960’s came along and the Twist… again they adapted to the music. Then the Disco beats of the 1970’s and they adapted again … where as today we no longer adapt … we embrace the new dance-able music. “We loved Swing dancing and would do it no matter what music was played.” We we’re not leaving the dance just because the music changed. Today, these things make it one of the most versatile dances you can learn. 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.

   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.) Also, DJ’s can pop a new song in they day after it’s released, where as a band may take months or longer to include it into a set, if they do at all. 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. This clip shows WCS being social danced at our Wednesday pre dance to the US Open in November (2012).

   The 80’s introduced Rap and Hip Hop to the scene and some elements can be seen today in modern WCS. West Coast Swing is still evolving. Today, it is not similar to its original ancestor – the Savoy Style Lindy at all. It does not have a certain dress style, usually just casual dress of the day … However, it does tend to be more modern in clothes. 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. The basic music for West Coast Swing is generally the Blueswhich, is generally made up of swung eighth’s (a type of shuffle rhythm.) However many dancers also like dancing to the more slowed rhythms of Funk, Disco, Jazz, Soul, Motown, Beach, Techno, Rap, Pop, as well as the up-tempo’s of Country, Big Band Swing, Oldies, 50’s/60’s Rock and Roll, Retro, and even some Latin. As long as they can count it and feel the “swing” or pulse of the Down and Upbeatsand is basically of good rhythmic sound, it becomes a song you can dance West Coast Swing to (however, it is not swing music.) Lessor trained dancers, usually can only hear one type of rhythm which is usually based on the dance they are best at. 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. Although many songs definitely have a style of dance in mind when they were written and are not crossovers, meaning that, the particular dance style should be done to that particular song (example: Hernando’s Hideaway=Tango, not another dance.)

   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. Once you learn the basics, you are never told, that isn’t original style-Don’t do it!, only maybe ‘it might work or look better like this.’ West Coast Swing is a dancers dance, it’s a living dance, meaning, that this dance will always change to challenge you but still be based on the original form, with many dance styles / movements inbred into the dance. There are over 5000 documented patterns and more are added every year. West Coast Swing has added a lot of the old hustle patterns (Swustle) as well. Carolina Shagfootwork is being added to its already extensive list of WCS footwork patterns (Swag,) Zouk (Swouk) and even the Tangohas been injected (Swango).

   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 Breakawayetc. 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. to add to the Lindy back in 1927 …. Oops, that would almost make it WCS :). 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. All forms of swing can be done fast, INCLUDING WCS, but only one can be done real slow and still look and feel great … WCS!.   The clip here shows Dean Collins later in life “adapting” to the music, as he’s seen here dancing his WCS to Michael Jackson’s song Billy Jean (1982).