WEST COAST SWING DANCE | 8 Count West Coast Swing Secrets

[@SweetIdealist]

I have tried for years to learn West coast swing. I was a dancer my entire life and even minored it in college. This was the first video I have ever watch that actually helped make sense this dance. Thank you

[@countrydancex]

We’re so glad we could help!!! Thanks for being here

[@RAe-om3ld]

finally I understand WCS !! FINALLY!!!! thank you so much !!!

[@countrydancex]

Love this comment! This makes us so happy to hear ❤️

[@janetclements8988]

I love your recipe for cooking up a 6 or 8 count pattern. It makes it easy to understand. I look forward to watching your new videos.

[@countrydancex]

Ha! I guess it's like baking a cake. You gotta have the right ingredients mixed it the right order... and then baked at the right temperature (HOT) hahaha So glad you join us here :-)

[@rezamorin-dayani8715]

Love your simplifications. Structure is simple, patterns are infinite.

[@Danny-ig7tp]

Sweet break down. Simplifies it so well.

[@countrydancex]

Thank you for watching and your encouragement!

[@crazyleaf257]

This is great thank you so much for sharing this! I would love to see a video where you are doing different West Coast swing counts and variations but fairly slowly and possibly repeated multiple times with less of the talking and details in between. I love that too but I'd like to just watch and copy for a little bit

[@msdungan]

Fun lessons, and very clear, concise breakdowns. Your engaging presentation captures and holds my attention.

[@countrydancex]

Such a nice thing to say. We’re so glad you enjoyed it!

[@reallythankful2856]

*1-7-20* *Got it* ! Congrats to me. Nice breakdown of the steps. I like the 8 count. I just did that West Coast Swing to "Sing,Sing, Sing" and nailed it. Thanks for the lesson🤗. *You rock* !

[@countrydancex]

We LOVE to hear that! Thank you so much for joining us :-)

[@EquusIV]

Great explanation!!! You described exactly the frustration I've had with West Coast Swing, and your description of what the 8 count accomplishes overall vs just describing all the individual steps makes SO much more sense than other WCS videos we've seen. THANK YOU!!

[@countrydancex]

That is the kind of comment that makes us so happy to hear! Thank you so much for watching and your encouragement. We're so glad it helped you!

[@rannesmanfan]

I dance WCS for over 15 years, I recently want to learn how to lead and come across your videos. Very clear explanation and simple break down. Thank you very much for doing that. But I have difficulty to follow your video without break it down slowly and step by step of the hand movement. Do you have some videos to show the hand movement step by step in order to lead correctly ? How to place the hand is the main key to lead / guide the follower. Thanks

[@countrydancex]

Have you checked out XDance.com ?

[@monikacordery11]

Enjoying you both so much and you make so much sense. I like that you break it down so simply .

[@countrydancex]

Thank you so much for saying that and for watching. We're so glad it's been helpful :-)

[@roberteskut5195]

I just started West Coast swing at the ballroom I have been going to for 10 years. I normally do international Latin but we wanted to expand at the competition we go to. My teacher has been asking me to watch your videos so I can get a good picture of steps and how to change them up so that it makes it fun for the ladies.

[@countrydancex]

We love this comment! Anthony started with American Smooth/Rhythm in the mid 90s too. You’ll love WCS. It’s forever expansive and fun. Thank you for joining us here :-)

[@DennisMahaffey]

You make me want to learn WCS, go out and try it, something happens and then come back and learn some more. Thank you

[@countrydancex]

That sounds like a great plan to us! Thanks for watching :-)

[@kikoreinoso6943]

Thanks a lot from Spain. Clear and straight to the point. It seems what I learned here as lindy hop

[@robote7679]

Soooo clearly presented. Great!

[@Claud_us]

Very nice tutorial. Like with any other type of dance, take a time to master basic steps. Sometimes it takes few days, sometimes few weeks and before it gets exciting it may become boring. Don't give up and Don't try to introduce patterns till both partners are ready for, give yourself a time. After it becomes your second nature, you both of you will start throwing extra movements, hand motions, turns. Your imagination is the limit.

[@countrydancex]

Totally agree!!

[@thebobhannah]

Excellent. Thank you for this! Coming from east coast; this explanation cleared up a lot for me

[@countrydancex]

Love that! Thanks for joining us :-) Here’s an ECS one you may enjoy too... kzbin.info/www/bejne/oJysXpVrptean9U

[@luistentindo6334]

This is great info, thank you and keep up the great work!

[@countrydancex]

We love that you enjoyed it! Thank you for being here

[@bonniebluelass161]

So helpful! Thank you.

[@countrydancex]

You’re very welcome!

[@judyhowell6742]

Makes so much sense to me. Thank you so much.

[@countrydancex]

So glad it helped!

[@finnerutavdet]

Do'no if you're ever gonna read this but,............. My most common problem, is to do what the music makes me feel I should do. ............. Getting started on one is mostly not a problem. Then doing some figures (6 and/or 8), with as few or many variations as one is capable of remembering (as you point out in this video), but then, I don't know where I am in the (swing) music, but I can feel from the music, that now I should wait for a while until it's natural to get going again (for instance with an 8, waiting out to complete the preceeding 24),........ and then my leading stops !, because how on earth am I gonna fill in 2 or 4 beats ?,........ nobody thought me that (so far),............ and I'm not aware (have no memmory), it's just a feeling,.............. I guess I could do a kick ball change to wait out 2 beats, and some nice followers do that with me while waiting for me to feel for when to continue (feeling from feeling the music),............ I've attended a lot of swing classes over the years (but I'm kind of new to west coast). ........ And I don't care where or with what we lead as long as we have a connection, and WCS is mostly left or right or "whip", so your way of simplifying it is just perfect for my limited memory and way of thinking / managing,....... but do you have or know about any video addressing my challeng above ?,........ I can not do something different from what the music makes me feel, and yet, lack of feeling everything within the music is part of my challenge. ......... I once was watching the orchestra playing, watching and tuning in to each instrument,..... that did help,....... but that was jaz/lindy where the music was new to me. ......... West coast is mostly danced to music that's not new to me, so kind of easier as I grew up with at least some of the music, but still it happens all the time, that I feel I should fill in something on two or four beats, and fail to do so. ........... :-) ................

[@davidlammermeier4884]

As usual, great video

[@countrydancex]

Thanks, David! We’re glad you enjoyed it.

[@Oahnay14]

Wow, finally. Thank you so much, this helped me tremendously. Why don’t they teach this in the beginner class??

[@countrydancex]

Good question!

[@zenaidaneduasa3831]

Very good explanation

[@countrydancex]

That is so great to hear! Thank you for watching :-)

[@bennynguyen6317]

Wishes you have more steps you're the best instructor loved very much thanks

[@countrydancex]

Thank you, Benny! We post new stuff every week :-)

[@RichSheftman]

Great detail on most of the whip pattern. I suggest you spend more time on the leader and follower roles between counts 1 and 2. As a follower, I'd ask "how do I know I should turn?" As a leader, "how do I communicate to the follower to turn?" I think some discussion is needed on compression and frame.

[@countrydancex]

Thanks for watching and contributing. That’s an important point to make during a video covering whips. There are literally hundreds (or thousands) of things to cover, so we try to stick to one video, one topic. This video covers the structure of eight count patterns.

[@jbpangee]

Ive had 2 West Coast lessons and I'm loving it, but I get confused out on the dance floor during the "social dance" after class. SO MANY LIGHT 💡 💡 💡 💡!! ?Question?: HOW to read that my lead is doing an 8 count. Is it the change in direction again? Is it always a whip? You mention covering it in a video, but i can't find it.

[@sjormasklin]

I just keep watching your videos.... nice breakdown.... hope i can reach at least small part of your lvl it all seems hard now as beginner

[@countrydancex]

We love that we can steal so much of your time hahahaha. Thank you for joining us :-)

[@nellydiaz9888]

Hermosos movimientos

[@countrydancex]

gracias

[@hannahlynndesrosiers]

Did you ever post a video explaining how to tell the difference between when a 6 count and an 8 count step is happening? It seems mostly like intuition but I'm not sure if you have any tricks for identifying it quicker. Thanks!

[@countrydancex]

Hi there! I don’t think we’ve done a whole video on that, but have mentioned it in videos before. That would be a good idea for a video, though. The “secret” is count 4... does it *stay, or does it *go? IF the follower passes the leader to the other side of the slot, she’ll either stay on the new side of the slot (6 count pattern), or she’ll return to the original side of the slot (8 count pattern). This is usually lead on count 4, which is the end of section 2. On count 4 (end of section 2), she should know whether she’s going to do a triple rhythm (or anchor) to complete a 6 count pattern, or a walk-walk to do an 8 count rhythm on section 3. Sorry... I hope that makes sense. It’s tougher to explain in words

[@hannahlynndesrosiers]

@@countrydancex thank you! So basically just pay close attention to where he leads on count 4, gotcha.

[@countrydancex]

That’s it! In most scenarios, that’s what you need to know

[@Bepheter]

Great breakdown! What is the entrance song on this video?

[@countrydancex]

Thanks for watching! The song is called "Butterflies" by Pala

[@danceandgolf]

Thanks for demystifying this. The high price WCS gurus out there must hate you. :)

[@countrydancex]

You're very welcome. There may be a lot of reasons to hate us hahaha

[@heidibrendendansmorohamarn3803]

Thank you:-)

[@countrydancex]

You are welcome!

[@philippselectri]

Can you mix 6 count and 8 count patterns. Or do you stick to one or the other?

[@countrydancex]

West Coast Swing alternates between 6 and 8 count patterns. Most basic turns and hand changes can be used either way.

[@alexcazzetta6105]

This is awesome... but I have a question: do you ever breathe? I get lost into so many words... I am interested in learning, but I find myself skipping through as I want to see the action per se not just hear about it, but that is me. Thank you for the classes, I hope to find a video where is mostly dancing and less speech.

[@countrydancex]

Yeah, not really 😂

[@spidfire]

Just from a musical perspective, the music in WCS is 4/4? so you would count 1-6 and then count 1-6 on 7-12? so my question is should you do 2 times a 6 count before you can start a 8 count to be in the correct beat?

[@countrydancex]

Hi there. That's a legitimate question. The truth is that we typically count WCS with a down beat and an up beat. It may sound weird at first, but there is a "1" count every other beat. You can start any pattern on any odd numbered count. No one tries to mathematically calculate 6 and 8 count patterns to match 4/4 phrasing in that way (nor should you). Here is a video that talks about phrasing a bit: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bILFopd7hM-AY7c

[@reallythankful2856]

*1-7-20* Um, this video was meant to teach beginner steps. Your question sounds like it's on advanced level steps. Is it? I ask because it's a nice lesson, but for those who are looking for the *basics* . They did a great job in explaining. My opinion. Blessings.

[@Mickycho1964]

Can you show this basic part doing it by yourself i.e. without a partner so one can practice to start to get muscle memory?

[@johnbahr2317]

Finally, something my OCD brain can understand thank you. But.... the link just takes me to the 8 count video, not the secret 6 count???

[@countrydancex]

Hi there! Thank you for watching. There should be a "card" that shows up in the top right corner to that links to another video at 1:18. If that doesn't work for you, here is the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/noCUqJSYbNWFea8

[@MrAleebarnett]

I like to watch y'all, can yall do something with any "Otis Redding" songs

[@countrydancex]

Thank you. Unfortunately, we only use royalty free music in our videos (copyright laws)

[@MrAleebarnett]

@@countrydancex ok thank you

[@reallythankful2856]

*1-8-20* Oh yes, *forgot to mention* , I nailed it without leaders yet. They don't know what they're in for....🎶💃🕺 " *stop* " 🏌️ " *wrong swing* " ..... 💃🕺🏆🇺🇲

[@countrydancex]

Uh oh! Hahahaha Get 'em!

[@davidsamples53]

I learn West Coast Swing in the 80s competiton

[@pamelacross37]

What is the title & artist of the song at the beginning of this lesson?

[@countrydancex]

Hi there. It’s called “Butterflies” by Pala

[@pamelacross37]

Thank you. I like your tutorials.

[@countrydancex]

@@pamelacross37 We love to hear that! Thank you for joining us!

[@angeliquec1928]

How do I know what the leader wants me to do? Is it the position of his hands? How do I know which way he wants to twirl me? That part gets kind of confusing...

[@RAe-om3ld]

anyone know who sings the song at the beginning and the name of it??

[@countrydancex]

The artist is Pala and the song is called “Butterflies”

[@joehanson9720]

I was told the secret for fallowers is in the 4 count .six counts step 4 is away from leader in an eight count its toward the leader

[@countrydancex]

That is a valid description of how to tell if it a 6 or 8 count pattern, but could be explained a little better as that definition is only “usually” true

[@joehanson9720]

@@countrydancexjust a place to start until you start doing varied length footwork

[@hit-the-road]

I understood the 6 and 8 count i think you explanations are GREAT but your explanation lacks to show the count in a song!

[@countrydancex]

Thank you for watching! We're glad you enjoyed the teaching. We'll keep that in mind

[@jeaniefarmer1502]

so what about when i see people who make it more than 8 steps

[@countrydancex]

That is totally possible and a great idea for a video. It may sound weird, but everything in WCS is based from a 6 or 8 count pattern... even if it takes 32 beats of music to complete:-) Stick around and we may do this next week