Other
Basic WCS Information:
In one of Arthur
Murray's dance books in the mid 1940's, Murray describes
a dance called "Rock
and Roll dancing." 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." Today there are eight basic steps that
the whole dance revolves upon. They Are:
1) Closed Starter Basic and Preparatory Basic, 2) Throw-Out, 3) Under-Arm Pass, 4)
Under Arm Pass with a Hand Change, 5) Side Pass, 6) Sugar Push (es), 7) Open Two Hand
Tuck Turn, 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. Murray to document
the dances set in Murray's curriculum and the current dances
being done around town. This was no easy task, but she did
it beautifully. She knew Dean Collins and some of the other
dancers and documented what they along with the Sailors in
San Diego and Long Beach were doing at the time. 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 Ballroom in Los Angeles, California
coined the term "Sophisticated Swing" in a conversation
to Arthur Murray describing what she saw being done around
Los Angeles in the early 1950's. Although a song title with
that name did 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.
American
Bandstand introduced a dance called the "Slop" which
was just another term for West Coast Swing when done as a
couples dance. 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 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 or another variation of the same dance was introduced
such as "single rhythm" instead Of the "triple
rhythm" as well as many performers trying to take credit
for a new style by giving it a new name.
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 (East
Coast) Jitterbug
(as you were only allowed to teach the studio's syllabus governed by the Dance
Masters Org.) and signed them up. Plus add the fact that America was racist about
teaching their adorable young school children this vulgar African-American vernacular
based dance of any form and could get you shot (well fired maybe) by doing
so. East Coast was much easier to teach, learn and sell to parents. However, the student
would think they were getting one style, but unfortunately was taught THE OTHER (See
East Coast)
and if they could advance they were finally taught WCS privately. 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 due to racial factors (like above) at the
time as well as it being much easier to do.
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 and almost in
everyone's home. Since these couples dancers were not going
out and dancing and leading the way, newer dancers generally
did not know what or how to do the dances of the past. In
walks a dance called the "Twist,
Frug, Hully Gully etcetera" plus "dancing in the
sand" at the beach would be the death blow to most structured
partner dances (thanks gidget) and no one had to
learn anything, just flap your arms, shake your hips or twist
and shake the night away". Other freeform style dances
would follow and a whole generation grew up without partner
dancing. However, there were still a small group that did
dance 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, Disco
became the rage and these Swing Dancers were now dancing to
new Disco music
trying to entice younger members. These new dancers of the
1970s did not know of the earlier dances and copied some of
the Swing and Salsa dancers that they saw or remembered. (The
Hustle is a mix
of Latin
and EC Swing.) Then a few years later, Country Western music
and dancing gained popularity and people were now confusing
"Western Swing (WCS)" with Country Western dancing
or Country 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 and dated documentation that
exists prior to their 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 to Sexy and to
much Attitude along with stating it NOT being Country. However
after awhile everyone wanted to do it except for the die hard
C/w dancers.
When the music (Big Band) died in the
1950's and Rock and
Roll music became popular, swing dancers had to adapt
and swing 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 danceable 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. Today's dancers tend to like the different
rhythms and syncopations of the different music styles to
dance too and play with which helps keep them dancing all
night long. West Coaster's generally do not like dancing to
live music, (Blues being the exception) as the
musicians/singers are usually not versatile enough or do not
want to play all the different styles of music (Latin, Funk,
Pop, Motown, Soul, Disco, R&B, Blues.) Understandably,
they 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 musicians, and we show our appreciation
by purchasing CD's and raving about their songs.
West Coast Swing is still evolving. Today,
it is not similar to its ancestor - 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.
The basic music for West Coast Swing is generally the Blues
which, is generally made up of swung eighth's (a type of
shuffle rhythm.) However many dancers also like dancing
to the more up-tempo rhythms of Funk,
Disco, Jazz, Soul, Motown, Beach, Techno, Rap, Pop, as
well as Country,
Big Band Swing, Retro, and even some Latin. As long as they
can count it and feel the "swing" or pulse of the
Down and Upbeats and 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.)
You can basically dance West Coast almost
anywhere, almost any place and at any time with almost anyone,
any way you want to do it (classic, contemporary, old skool
etc). Once you learn the basics, you are never told, that
isn't original style-Don't do it!. West Coast Swing is a dancers
dance, it's a living dance, meaning, that this dance will
always change to challenge you, 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
alot of the old hustle patterns (Sw-ustle
) as well. Carolina
Shag footwork is being added to its already extensive
list of WCS footwork patterns (Sw-ag. ) The
Lindy dancers did do this as well in their day by adding the
dances of the Charleston,
Shimmy, Black
Bottom, Baltimore
Buzz, Grind, Mule, Apache,
Texas Tommy, Mooch
and Sugar to the Breakaway
etc. of DAYS GONE BY (To bad they did not have Hustle,
Disco, Lambada, Dirty Dancing, Mambo,
Latin, Cha-Cha,
Hip-Hop dances etc. to add to the Lindy back in 1927 ....
Oops, that would make it WCS :). Best of all, because
of the tempo, 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!.
Because of the music style variation the
West Coast Swingers dance to, this dance is always under attack
from the "Purists." However, West Coast Swing is
a "Living Dance", meaning it is an old dance form
constantly evolving, growing and changing to the music style
of the ever changing times, (but we will never leave the
Blues) with the 'old skool classic style' being highly
sought after so as the dancer possesses great roots (fundamentals/basics)
in the dance, rather than just having a 'temporary-contemporary'
style that may change or be dead and gone next year. The two
main styles of West Coast are "Classic W.C. Swing (pulsing
down) and "Funky or Contemporary W.C. Swing"
(pulsing up) with the basic steps being exactly the
same, just done to different types of music which gives a
different feel and look. Without a good understanding of the
'Classic Style', you can not master the other. Although teenagers
are encouraged to try, and some have become fantastic paid
performers, movie, TV dancers and dance contestants, this
dance unfortunately is mainly for adults.
A couple of years ago (around 1997),
the Retro-Swingers started to use an the old term called "Hollywood
Style Lindy" before they realized it was basically Classic
West Coast Swing. They now just call it Hollywood Style Swing
with the term being coined by Erik and Sylvia Robeson. This
Hollywood Style Swing was actually the original form of West
Coast Swing, as done by Dean
Collins and Jewel
McGowen and others of days gone by. Many of the old time
West Coast Swingers who are still around today have helped
them with this "authentic style" which is really
very kewl. However, when they try to turn Hollywood into today's
West Coast they come up a little short (however it is very
workable.) The Westie has to dance very basic to low intermediate
style/steps with the Hollywood Style dancer until they get
the idea, then they rock!.
In competition, West Coast Swing has become
a highly technical dance, that is not very friendly to the
average competition dancer, in other words, they devour their
young!. The competitor needs to put many long hours and finances
into the competition arena and the rewards are few, (except
for the reward of looking so damn good!). On the social
side however, it's not near as serious except for being taught
like you are a future champion dancer (you could be the
next champ-right!) during the dance lessons. When learning
this dance, the dancer needs to keep a very open mind to succeed
or they will fail as the dance uses many different and varied
techniques. There is many levels of progression when learning.
Plus, there's not a better group of people YOUNG or OLD to
be found. Once you learn, you will have many friends for life
as well as being able to dance to all kinds of music, anywhere,
anytime with anyone.
Many folks ask what style of swing (Jitterbug)
is best, West Coast, East Coast, Whip, Push, Lindy, Shag etc.
However, there is no best style. The best style would depend
on what type of music you are dancing to at the time, geographic's,
the theme of the dance being held, the speed in which the
music is played and the dance knowledge of you and or your
partner. If you're partner only knows one style of swing,
then their style would be the best style to dance with them
at that time. If they only know one style they usually will
declare that the style they know is the best style above all
others and usually will make derogatory statements about other
styles for many varied reasons.
Swing (aka: Jitterbug) is a wonderful dance form
in all it's versions that fits all types of music, Personalities,
Finances etc. Calling yourself a swing dancer means you can
at least do the basics in many forms of swing and a few well.
So learn to swing dance whatever style, you're unique and
your dances should be varied and your style should represent
your knowledge of dance that other, newer dancers (and
they are the majority) don't posses and not limiting
yourself to only one. However you will eventually find you
like them all and soon you will understand the importance
of them all, as well as understand why there are different
styles to begin with. So enjoy them and mainly smile, laugh
and have fun. ... ... Copyright: Sonny Watson! |