Learn the Basics of West Coast Swing - Michael Kiehm!

[@MelodyMaker]

Wo. This fellow is very good with detail and an effective communicator. Consummate professional.

[@TheEdge008]

WOW! Now *that* was awesome! Thanks for sharing, Michael.

[@bill945]

One of the best insights into leading and following for beginners is at about minute 7. Leading is about signaling to the follower and the follower executes ... "The rest is up to you (the follower) ... you're responsible for turning yourself, you're responsible for anchoring yourself, ...". Over simplifying here, really over simplifying, the leader signals and then gets out of the slot to make way for the follower. Thank you Michael!! Excellent vid!!!

[@davidalen9279]

superb...the kind of basics that can make your dancing come alive...and they apply to any partnered dance...thanks for this!

[@eruditadellanatura6488]

I love this. It would be great if the quality were better, but even as is, it's one of the best, most useful videos for learning WCS.

[@floridance253]

I assure you ALL this is one of the best WEST COAST SWING instructional series you will find. I am not sure if those calling is East Coast Swing know what you are talking about? You do realize this gentleman is a highly trained and respected instructor and the follows (ladies) he is using as partners are the same caliber. One of the ladies you see in the series is Brandi Richey (now Tobias) and she is a multiple world master champion. I am instructor who has trained since I was three in dancing. I competed for six years before going into full time instructing. You folks need to quit acting like Michael is an amateur and feel lucky that he has released this incredible series. I guarantee you that if you practice through his videos you will be able to walk onto any dance floor and dance with any follow. As far as the "homophobic" comment, I am gay and did not bat an eye to his comment. Enjoy dancing everyone!

[@cezbabe]

I really like how he goes into the details, but I thought West Coast Swing did not use the rock step?

[@metridium2002]

Great tips, dude's a pro.

[@kjean86]

100 percent West Coast Sweing. The ECS type beginning is still very common in some areas of the country and not in others.. but it's a standard starting move from closed.

[@natesoup56]

Wow! I met Janelle in July 2000, but haven't seen her since.

[@SteinbeckFamily]

Excellent stuff. Thanks for the great tute

[@mr1data]

this is a great class to bring a pillow

[@devlincolleen]

This isn't East Coast Swing. It's very basic West Coast Swing instruction. If you watch more carefully, you'll see that the woman is dancing in a slot, and Kiehm talks about "the slot," and they do a number of whips classic to West Coast. Look up Kiehm on you tube and you'll find some of the best WCS dance stuff around, both in competition and lessons.

[@ginsushark]

@NKdude - naw lindy is purist retro swing. wcs is anything goes modern swing. so it has disco salsa and any/everything else mixed in.

[@mrsmjackson1]

Helpful teacher. Good vid. thanks.

[@sperlinj]

wonderful explanation!! my english is not the best i i understand most of it... Great job thanks for posting

[@Cliff-Notes]

I found the list of DVDs at Starlight Dance. Which video is this clip from? the full title? Thanks I just started lessons; done a lot of surfing for DVD instruction and Michael Kiehm is the best instructor I've come across.

[@ijustpostmemesinthecomment8338]

Kept waiting for this to turn into an analog horror. Guess I've spent too much time watching Kane Pixels

[@CFITOMAHAWK2]

Looks like they start with Triple Step Swing, called also East Coast Swing, then do The Throw to start the WCS.

[@burpo]

Smooth.

[@munson0523]

Both west coast and east coast swing use this 6-count step. the difference is the styling and principles BEHIND the dance. East coast and lindy are much more athletic and clean cut. west coast, on the other hand, is smoother, sexier, etc.

[@HunterstonB]

Anyone who says this is East Coast Swing knows nothing about either ECS or WCS

[@peggyt1243]

This is East Coast Swing also known as Jive. West Coast Swing is different.

[@Hans293]

The video looks east-coasty for the first two and a half minutes and then the rest is more clearly west coast.

[@Amyaayaa]

True- this is East Coast Swing

[@LuXunish]

If you're looking at this, stop looking. Start dancing lindy hop instead

[@uploadmorenaruto]

@clearerblue no, he has not taught anything for west coast swing. he is however, doing east coast swing correctly.

[@AZANDAE]

Great instruction but bad video quality. Next time guys. Much thanks for sharing.

[@johnsilv]

Good ideas!!!.. but this is East Coast, not West

[@Thn1kk4man]

Considering the West Coast swing has no "rock step", yeah, this is east coast swing. West coast is forward and back, east coast is side to side, like the dance they are doing here.

[@hustledude]

Thn1kk4man wrong, the rock step is an alternate basic sometimes used as a starter step.

[@AARON12895]

You spent 8 minutes on talking but only 23 seconds on dancing. Is dancing that unimportant?

[@ginsushark]

hard to watch. the professional ballroom stylings are so sterile and effete

[@tapnodyl8875]

as usual....too much info for beginner stuff.

[@jackiebartlett3840]

I don't like your homophobic comment.