1. Cool Cat Dancing
Once you learn basic swing steps, you're likely to be ready to learn more advanced steps and different types of swing dancing. Do the West Coast Swing if you want a softer rhythm and slower tempo. The music is cool, and the West Coast Swing is considered to be a more sophisticated dance than other types of swing, such as the East Coast Swing. Whereas other types of swing dancers move around each other, West Coast Swing dancers move in a slot. The follower dances in a rectangular area either moving forward and backward or occasionally turning within the area. The leader brings the follower forward and goes around her while performing a variety of dance patterns, eventually moving back into the rectangle or slot again.
2. With Rhythm
The West Coast Swing is a slower swing than others. Do the West Coast Swing to a rhythm of a six or eight count pattern. It's a one, two, three; and four, five and six for the six count, and it's a one, two, three; and four, five, six, seven and eight for the eight count pattern. Both are made up of single steps and triple steps. Six count is a single step, single step, triple step, triple step, whereas eight count is a single step, single step, triple step, single step, single step, triple step pattern.
3. Spinning West Coast
After you have the rhythm down, start to practice turns with your partner. Assume the appropriate couples hold and begin with under arm turns to do the West Coast Swing. From an open position (left or right), the leader steps back and leads the follower forward, spins his partner into an underarm turn and then steps forward as she finishes the spin. Next work on side passes to do the West Coast Swing, which are similar to under arm turns, but the partners change places. Right side passes follow a one, two, three and four; five and six pattern. The follower moves forward on the one, two counts and begins to turn on three while the leader turns with her to continue to face the follower. The left side pass is similar but with an outside turn. Perfect these turns to do the West Coast Swing.
4. Sweet as Sugar
The sugar push is an important step for anyone wanting to do the West Coast Swing. Start with a casual hand hold with cupped hands and the follower's hand on top. From feet together, the leader steps back with the left leg while the follower moves forward with her right foot. It also combines single steps and triple steps.
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