West Coast Swing is a dance that works with almost any kind of music. It thrives on the joy of dancing, a creative engagement with the music during the freestyle sections, and a flexible step pattern that allows everyone to incorporate their own style.
The name “West Coast Swing” dates back to the 1940s, when the dance evolved from the Lindy Hop on the West Coast of the United States. Over the years, the movement patterns and bounces typical of swing dances were almost completely replaced. Today, West Coast Swing is danced within a narrow dance space known as the “slot.” Great emphasis is placed on smooth leading and consistent movement patterns, which give the dance a very fluid and soft appearance. Musically, West Coast Swing is very versatile today: it is danced to modern pop, rock, and R&B music in 4/4 time. There are several well-known videos on social media, such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsX87384tnQ.
A big part of West Coast Swing is the social aspect: Dancing involves partnering with different dancers and constantly adapting. To practice this, we regularly switch partners during class. That’s why you’re welcome to sign up for the class on your own. The traditional gender roles—where the man leads and the woman follows—have been adapted in West Coast Swing; there are leaders and followers. You can decide for yourself which role you’d like to dance and can even switch roles during the class or while dancing. West Coast Swing offers many possibilities!
West Coast Swing has been popular in Tübingen for several years now. Thanks to its connection to the Stuttgart scene, the open community is constantly growing, ensuring that there are regular West Coast parties. You can find more information about this at:
http://wcsstuttgart.dance/
In this class, you’ll learn the basics of West Coast Swing: the Sugar Push, Left Side Pass, Underarm Turn, Whip, simple figure sequences, rhythm and timing exercises, and the fundamental principles of leading and following. Perfect for anyone who’s new to the dance or wants to brush up on their basics.
Here, we’ll delve deeper into figures, combinations, and styling, improve our technique and musicality, and practice creative variations. The goal is to dance with greater confidence and enjoy the dance flexibly with different partners. To participate in the advanced course, you must have mastered all the basics and advanced basics in 6- and 8-count.
AT LEAST 2 YEARS OF DANCING EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
We build on the material from the advanced course with more technique and new figures. There are also additional exercises to help you create a beautiful and fluid look on the dance floor.
Prerequisites for this course are mastery of the material from the Advanced Course, as well as at least 2 years of dance experience.
Registration and the course are handled by the Olaf S. Dance School via the following link: https://olaf-s.de/hochschulsport.html
We look forward to seeing you!
Note:
- The lessons are held in German. Individual explanations are available in English.
- This course counts towards the 3 course rule. Not in the Summer break. Please note when booking.
