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West Coast Swing Videos

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West Coast Swing Music   ( 112-128 BPM )

Turn on your computer speakers and you can practice dancing to the following songs !!

#BPMIntroWest Coast Swing: Pop Songs      |  Country Songs |  Oldies Songs |  Main Menu
1117Mustang Sally by The Commitments
2123Drop Down by Miranda Louise
3.118Roll With It by Steve Winwood
4.11710Cantaloop by Us3
5.120Misdirected Blues by Robben Ford & the Blue Line
6.120Redneck Romeo by the Forester Sisters
7.122Men by the Forester Sisters
8.118Kansas City by Fats Domino
9.120Shut Up and Kiss Me by Mary-Chapin Carpenter
10.125Sweet Home Chicago by the Blues Brothers
11.129No Particular Place To Go by Chuck Berry
12.127A Change Will Do You Good by Sheryl Crow
13.124Can't Get Enough of You Baby by Smashmouth
14.123Harden My Heart by Quarterflash
15.134Gonna Move Across the River by Bill Pinkney & Original Drifters
16.119In the Midnight Hour by the Commitments
17.120A Little Meat on the Side by Katie Webster
18.123Sho' Enough by Tommy Castro
19.119Beds are Burning by Midnight Oil
20.125Truckin' by the Grateful Dead
21.109Honky Tonk Piano by Rob Rio
22.113Once You Get a Taste by Tower of Power
23.112Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer
24.138Whatjado That Fo' by the Catalinas
25.123Big and Hot by the Love Dogs
26.130White Port Lemon Juice (W P L J) by Bill Pinkney & The Original Drifters
27.118Chain of Fools by The Commitments
28.134She Can't Fix Grits by Shagtime Band
29.137Jitterbug Boogie by the Fantastic Shakers
30.135Suzie Q by Creedence Clearwater Revival
31.114Dust My Broom by Taj Mahal
32.137Shakin' the Shack by the Fantastic Shakers
33.111Payin' the Cost to Be the Boss by Pat Benatar
34.119I'm on My Way by the Proclaimers
35.129Love Potion #9 by Hansel Martinez
36.136Two-Fisted Mama by Katie Webster
37.126Leading Me On by Colin James
38.114That Will Never Do by Roomful of Blues
39.Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke
40.115Don't Bring Me Down by Electric Light Orchestra
41.Tragedy by the Bee Gees
42.Keep Your Hands To Yourself by Georgia Satellites
43.Pride And Joy by Stevie Ray Vaughan
44.126Bad Things by Jace Everett
#BPMIntroWest Coast Swing: Country Songs      |  Pop Songs |  Oldies Songs |  Main Menu
1.125A Little Less Talk And A Lot More Action by Toby Keith
2.130Safe in the Arms of Love by Martina McBride
3.125I Brake For Brunettes by Rhett Akins
4.130I'm from the Country by Tracy Byrd
5.127Has Anybody Seen Amy by John Wiggins
6.122My Night To Howl by Lorrie Morgan
7.127You're Easy On The Eyes by Terri Clark
8.117No News by Lonestar
9.121Kiss Me in the Car by John Berry
10.125455 Rocket by Kathy Mattea
11.128Down on the Farm by Tim McGraw
12.129God Blessed Texas by Little Texas
13.122She Thinks My Tractor Is Sexy by Mark Chesnutt
14.120Shut Up and Kiss Me by Mary-Chapin Carpenter
15.126Poor Poor Pitiful Me by Terri Clark
16.129Where Have All the Cowboys Gone by Paula Cole
17.128You Really Had Me Going by Holly Dunn
18.123When You Walk in the Room by Pam Tillis
19.125Where I Come From by Alan Jackson
20.115Old Weakness by Delbert McClinton
21.108Go Away, No Wait a Minute by Lorrie Morgan
22.133Before You Kill Us All by Randy Travis
23.111Why Haven't I Heard From You by Reba Macentire
24.125Man, I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain
25.117Louisiana Hot Sauce by Sammy Kershaw
26.122Now That's Country by Marty Stuart
27.120If You're Not in It For Love (I'm Outta Here) by Shania Twain
28.120I Feel Lucky by Mary Chapin Carpenter
29.Come Here You by Carlene Carter
#BPMIntroWest Coast Swing: Oldies Songs      |  Pop Songs |  Country Songs |  Main Menu
1.125Legs by ZZ Top
2.108Walk this way by Aerosmith
3.120Uptown by Roy Orbison
4.128Spirit in the Sky by Norman Greenbaum
5.128Venus by the Shocking Blue
6.120Harper Valley PTA by Jeannie C Riley
7.Blue Monday by Fats Domino
#BPMIntroWest Coast Swing: Slow Songs for Practicing      |  Pop Songs |  Country Songs |  Main Menu
1.104Angel of Harlem by U2
2.104Try by Pink
3.99Are You Jimmy Ray by Jimmy Ray
4.108Gangster of Love by Johnny Watson
5.108Go Away, No Wait a Minute by Lorrie Morgan
6.103I Just Want to Make Love to You by Etta James
7.100Juke Joint by Johnnie Taylor
8.103Lets Give Them Something to Talk About by Bonnie Rait
9.105Louisiana Train - Mojo Blues Band
10.97No One Else on Earth by Wynonna Judd
11.109Harper Valley PTA by Jeannie C Riley
12.104Oh Pretty Woman by Gary Moore
13.105Put Your Mind On Hold by Bluezeum
14.106Runaway by Bonnie Raitt
15.102Steam by Ty Herdon
16.87Rocky Mountain Way by Joe Walsh
17.107Stop Draggin' My Heart Around by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty
18.106Suitcase Full Of Blues by Tommy Castro
19.101The Beat Goes On by Patricia Barber
20.107True Love by Pat Benatar
21.108Yes Indeed by Johnny Ferreira
Additional Songs for West Coast Swing (112-128 BPM)
Suggest a song for West Coast Swing!

West Coast Swing Dance Facts

West Coast Swing: Dance Facts      |  Music |  Patterns |  Videos |  Main Menu
West Coast Swing Music Jazz & Slow Swing music about 120 bpm, Boogie Woogie, Blues, Rockabilly, Chicago Blues, Swing Blues.
West Coast Swing Rhythm 1, 2, triple-step, triple-step. Throughout the dance, the lead can choose to do either a triple-step or use his left foot to do tap step on counts 3 and 4.
West Coast Swing Posture Dance with good posture.  Don't lean forward when you dance.  Ladies and gentlemen keep your elbows by your sides with your hands forward.
West Coast Swing Atmosphere The atmosphere for west coast swing is often a smoke-filled bar filled with rough-cut men and bad-girl ladies that like hanky panky.  An old piano in an old saloon, an 18th & Vine Jazz bar in the inner city.  The "attitude" for west coast swing is "Ladies be slinky!"
Leading west coast patterns West Coast Swing is an Intermediate Dance.  It is not fully leadable, and the lady must know her part.  When you pull the lady, Guys, think of pulling with your body and not with your arm.  The man should start by pulling the lady in the direction that he wants her to go.
Slot Dance West Coast Swing is a slot dance.  The "Slot" is a diving board about 8 to 10 feet long.  The Lady has priority in the slot.  Ladies stay on their diving board.  The Lady travels from one end of the diving board to the other.  Each side is hot lava.  The lady stays in the slot and the guy moves out of the way.  The guy's patterns are more circular.  The man stays in the middle of the diving board, but steps to the side of the board to let the lady go by.
Starting Position Almost all patterns start in open position with the hook grip.  At the beginning of each pattern, the man's left foot is forward pointing toward the slot.  His right foot instep is behind his left heel.  At the beginning of each pattern, the lady's right foot is forward pointing toward the slot.  Her left foot instep is behind her right heel.
Notes West Coast Swing is the California state dance.

West Coast Swing Patterns

West Coast Swing: Patterns      |  Music |  Facts |  Videos |  Main Menu
West-coast swing is composed of 6-Count patterns and 8-Count patterns.

6-Count Patterns: 1, 2, 3&4, 5&6
  • 6-Count Patterns either turn a half turn or no turn as in the sugar push.
  • In 6-count patterns, the man steps forward on count 4.
  • In 6-count patterns, the lady steps back on count 4.
8-Count Patterns: 1, 2, 3&4, 5, 6, 7&8
  • 8-Count Patterns turn a full turn.
  • In 8-count patterns, the man steps forward on count 6.
  • In 8-count patterns, the lady steps back on count 6.

Playing or Syncopations
Extra steps (that often turn a 6 or 8 count pattern into a 10 or 12 count pattern) that the lady uses to "dress up" a pattern.
Man always steps forward on count 4

Anchor Step

At the end of each pattern is a triple-step called the "anchor step":

  • Step ball-ball-flat
  • Lady has right foot forward on anchor step.
  • Man has left foot forward on anchor step.
  • In 6-count patterns, the anchor step occurs on counts 5&6.
  • In 8-count patterns, the anchor step occurs on counts 7&8.
Transitioning from East Coast to West Coast Swing (Preparatory Basic w/Throw-Out Release):
  • (Start the west-coast swing from a preparatory closed triple-step basic. Guy doesn't travel during this step): push the lady back for her rock step on 1, 2, then:
    → throw the lady out along her slot on 3-and pivot 4, anchor step 5&6.
    Or → lead lady out on a underarm turn 3-and-4, anchor step 5&6.
Sugar push (basic step)
  • The Basic for west coast swing is the "Sugar push".
  • The Sugarpush is a 6-count pattern in open position.
  • 1,2,triple-travel (3&4), anchor step (triple step 5&6 ball-ball-flat) (or 1, 2, tap 3, step 4, tri-ple-step 5&6)
  • For practice have one person tap and one person triple
  • Guy starts back, lady starts forward
  • You should have tension (lean away) on count 1 and compression (lean toward) on count 3.
  • Guy steps forward on count 4 and lady steps back on count 4.
Sugar push - variations
  • Sugar push with sideways tap step
  • on sugar push, lady can do a kick slightly to the left rather than the tap step. If desired, the man can kick back when the lady kicks forward.
  • Sugarpush to closed promenade (on count 3) and back out to open position for the anchor step.
  • Two-hand push basic with a hitch: 1, 2, tap, step, 5 tension, 6 compression
  • Hip bump: 1, 2 (towards), bump hips count 3, step back 4, anchor-step 5&6. On count 3, put your free hands over your joined hands and either snap your fingers or point downward.
  • Hip bump with no hands.
  • Hip bump opposite hips no hands.
  • Crossover pattern.
Transitioning from West Coast to East Coast Swing (Transitioning to back to closed position Triple Lindy):
  • Whip catch method:
    bring her in like a whip 1, 2, just don't turn the corner, triple-step to the left, triple-step to the right.
  • Left Side Pass catch Method:
    lead her in a left side pass 1, 2, then triple-step with her and catch her 3&4, then triple-step the other way.
  • Sugar tuck basic: Pull her toward you using a two-hand lead 1, 2, guys push her right hand back and pull her left hand toward your shoulder and stop on 3, with your left hand raise her right hand over her head, she turns both feet ½ turn and steps forward down the slot, she finishes the turn and anchor steps on 5-and-6.
Underarm turn (6-count pattern)
  • The lady stays in the slot and the guy moves out of the way.
  • Guys, move your body in the direction you want her to go, then move out of the way.
  • Guy does 1 back, 2 cross, 3&4 triple-travel (turning), 5&6 anchor step.
  • Curved run: Lady does 1, 2, 3-(cross in front)-4, anchor step 5-and-6.
  • Straight run: Lady travels straight 1, 2, 3-, and- , half turn on 4, anchor step 5-and-6. Before the lady turns, the joined hands will go over her head and rest on her shoulder. Ladies, don't turn your shoulders until your pivot step.
  • The Lady goes past the guy before she turns.
  • Double underarm turn
Left side pass
  • Lady should put her left arm through and forward
  • Guys, move your body in the direction you want her to go, then move out of the way.
Additional patterns
  • Left-side pass no hands
  • Underarm turn → switch hands → lunge forward into right hand pass →
  • Sugar tuck (2-hand right tuck turn): sugar push and catch two hands → 2-hand right tuck turn.
  • Two hand underarm turn: two hand lead into underarm turn, then let go of one hand to finish the turn.
  • Hammerlock: left-side pass with both hands → hammerlock → unwrap.
  • Shake-hands position → right-side pass with a tuck turn.
Right side pass
  • Underarm turn → switch hands to shake hands position → man turns away from the lady → man lunges (act like she's heavy) forward 1, replace 2, triple forward 3&4, anchor step 5&6 → either switch hands now or use a sugar push with head loop (also called an "arm slide") to switch the hands.

Right-hand pass with tuck turn:
Underarm turn → switch hands to shake hands position → man turn side 1, replace 2, turn her in, step, step (3&4), and spin, step step (5&6)

Right-hand pass with two-hand tuck turn:
sugar push and catch two hands: Lady does forward 1, forward 2, turn her in 2, 3 and spin, 2, 3.

Whip turns (8-Count Patterns)
  • Ladies step: 1, 2-pivot, 3&4 back-together-forward (between the man's feet), 5-pivot, 6, 7-and-8 anchor step
  • The compression between partners on count 2 causes the lady to pivot:
    → count 1 tension → count 2 compression.
  • man's step: back left 1, cross forward right 2, in place 3-and-, step across the slot on 4, step back across the slot 5, forward 6, anchor step 7-and-8.
  • Lead: Bring the lady in, catch her on her shoulder blade, let her go by and widen the space between you without letting go, then pull her back on 5 and let her go 6, 7&8.
  • Ladies keep your shoulders facing the man's as you go around him.
  • Ladies, when the man catches you on the whip, put your left hand on the edge of the man's right shoulder.
  • Remember that whip turns are 360°. When you are finished with the whip turn, you will be facing the same direction as when you started.
Whip turns Reverse Whip turns
  • Reverse Sweetheart Whip
  • Reverse Skater Whip. The lady can make this attractive by putting her free hand through to the guy's opposite shoulder.
  • Reverse Whip with outside turn
Basket whip
  • Basket (or "man around the woman"): Lady goes forward 1, forward 2, forward together back 3&4, back 5, back 6, anchor step 7&8. Guys, do a sugar push and catch 2 hands, then lift one hand and leave the other hand down by her stomach.
  • Waist catch (footwork same as Basket): One hand lead → catch lady in the tummy with the right hand.
  • Woman around the Man: Guy take your left hand over your head, leave your right hand at waist level.



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