West Coast Swing Dance Checklist

• Smile
• Interpret the lyrics.
• Interpret the instruments (bouncy, smooth, or detached beats).
• Count down beats (to hit 1’s, phrase changes)
• Align thumbs and forearms in a straight line and bend middle and ring fingers to create a nice platform for the follower, like shaking someone’s hand.
• Do full weight changes by settling slightly on hips:
  • To slow down weight transfer, stand with feet apart at shoulder width.
  • Do not slide feet on even beets. The replace step must happen in place.
  • Do drop steps on 3 of sugar push and side passes.
• Keep elbows bent so they stay at or behind rib cage, not past it.
• Angle body at 2:00 to create stretch when anchoring.
  • Square up on the one and pull shoulder back into un-stretched position to “jerk” follower.
  • Stretch shoulder on the & of the &1 of a new pattern.
• Practice choreography.
• Practice engaging lats.
  • Create opposition on every step by contracting latissimus dorsi backwards when stepping backward, or engaging shoulder forward when moving forward. Only contract lat once in a triple step, not three times. Contract the lat that is opposite to the free leg when walking backward.
  • A side wave will not work because it requires bending the knees or changing levels, which will not work well with side passes or whips.

Sugar push #

Using arms and left leg as a spring during a sugar push. Do not stop follower immediately on 3. Catch on 2 and slowly absorb on 3. Be a pillow, not a wall. On 1, when squaring up from the stretch, speed up follower and catch her right hand on 2, then absorb the momentum.