*** Welcome to West Coast Swing *** 

 

West Coast Swing is different than other dances we know as "Swing," "East Coast Swing," "Big Band Swing."
West Coast Swing has a distinctive elastic look.
West Coast Swing tends to exhibit very sexy, slinky walks for the follower and a masterful look for the leader.
West Coast Swing is danced in a slotted area of the dance floor, allowing many couples on the floor at one time.   The dance allows both partners to create and improvise differently while dancing together.
West Coast Swing is danced to different types of music giving WCS more leeway than any other dance.  Whether Classic Blues, Funky, or Contemporary music, the same basic WCS steps apply.
West Coast Swing is addictive as a dance.  It is fun to exchange pulsing on beat, creating "push and pull" to rhythm, and lean and leverage with body weight.
West Coast Swing Competitions are held each year on Thanksgiving weekend.
Info for competition tickets at US OPEN SWING.com.
For more details on WCS refer to Wikipedia.org, the free encyclopedia.


SUNDAY CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

BASICS / BEGINNING
2 P.M. Class covers ten basic steps perfect for beginners.  It is also perfect for seasoned dancers needing to clean up their basic lead and follow.  It is these ten basic moves from which multiple intermediate moves develop, therefore, they are most important in West Coast Swing.

A first time student does not need to know what was taught the week before.  This makes class especially comfortable if you need to miss an occasional Sunday.  It is suggested Beginning students repeat the five-week series approximately three times.

The Ten Basic Steps are a prerequisite to Debbie's Intermediate class.
Ten Basic Steps include:  4 specific Whips, 3 Passes, 1 Push,  1 Starter Step and a Tuck-send out.    See the complete list of Ten Basic Steps below.

INTERMEDIATE
3 P.M. Class covers a diverse arrangement of patterns/moves.
Each Sunday, low intermediate patterns are introduced.  As the entire class masters the pattern, a higher level of the same pattern is introduced.
Over five weeks of practice, patterns continue to develop into strong Intermediate patterns with multiple exit options.
Each Intermediate pattern builds from the Ten Basic steps.


ADVANCED/ STYLING
4 P.M. Class covers diverse footwork, body movements, and music interpretation.  This class helps the student create his own style and shine on the dance floor.
Each Sunday, class progresses differently.  Personal styling is developed through syncopated timing steps, splits, slides, body rolls, turns, rondes, single-leg spins, shoulder rhythms, jazz hips, pops, etc.  It is essential you know the rhythm of WCS before attempting to stylize the basics.


Debbie D'Aquino, Instructor (310) 833-7511
WEST COAST SWING   -    Ten Basic Steps

1. WHIP - Basic
2. WHIP - Apache
3. WHIP - with Inside Turn
4. WHIP - with Outside Turn
5. SIDEPASS
6. LEFT SIDEPASS
7. UNDERARM PASS
8. PUSH
9. TUCK SEND OUT
10. STARTER STEP

Invite your friends to join us on Sundays
The Studio, Art of Dance
113 Main Street, El Segundo, CA 90245
(corner of El Segundo Blvd. and Main Street near LAX)
    2 P.M. BASICS
    3 P.M. INTERMEDIATE
    4 P.M. STYLING