West Coast Swing

Learning a Little Differently

By Daniel Korus

Dancers Studio was kind enough to hold a west coast swing party on December 30th. West Coast parties always seem to have the same effect on people; there’s a boisterous, excitable atmosphere that’s highly contagious. As my friends and I took a break and observed the room of talented dancers, we noticed a small group of young adults in the corner that seemed to only know how to single swing. In the heat of the dancing spirit, we took it upon ourselves to each pick one of the people from the group and give them a quick west coast lesson. They responded with bright enthusiasm and were open to learning the new dance. After a song we let them dance together to see their progress and it was amazing what five minutes could do. They gained confidence and each had a personal style that matched their personality. Watching them all giddily dancing together brought back many memories of when I was learning to dance.

Observing the younger dancers learning brought several things to my attention that often go overlooked to many others. First of all, making mistakes is encouraged. There’s something about learning from our mistakes that’s incredibly powerful. Those who laughed off their mistakes and made them frequently seemed to learn quicker and had a better time than those who were frustrated and had a frown on their face. Secondly, those who observed had more progress than those who were told what to do first without a visual representation. Humans are visual creatures, after all. Finally, everyone danced differently, and that’s ok. When you west coast dance socially, you will have different connection, different moves, and different flair from everyone else. This is what makes you unique and gives you a personal style that only you can have and others can only imitate. Make you own style to match how you feel and who you are. You don’t have to west coast like other people because you are told that you need correct form. West coast is a dance of expression and emotion so let your thoughts and emotions speak through your dance. If you keep note of these three things, learning west coast will become more enjoyable for you and your partner. West coast is a such a special dance, and was actually the first one I learned. Make it your own, and never be afraid to show off your moves.