The West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing (WCS) is a partner dance derived from Lindy Hop. It has the soul of a street dance but has been tamed by ballroom dance studios. Within the spectrum of partner dances, WCS is one of the most difficult and one of the most improvisational.
It is easily recognized by a distinctive elastic look that results from its narrow slot. It is believed that the origins of the WCS are in Savoy style Lindy. Dean Collins moved to California in 1930s and introduced the dancing scenes there to Lindy Hop, which that took a firm hold on the West Coast through the 30s and 40s. When swing fell out of mainstream's consideration as pop music around the 50s and was replaced by rockabilly, dancers on the West Coast began using swing moves to the new pop music, thus changing the dance and bringing about the variation now known as West Coast Swing.
Step sheets from ballroom studios reveal that this particular style was known under different names until it took on the name "West Coast Swing". In 1988, West Coast Swing was pronounced the Official State Dance of California.
Song Suggestions:
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Keep Your Hands To Yourself by Georgie Satellights
Son Of A Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield
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Be Bop A Lula by Elvis Presley
Little Red Rooster by Sam Cooke
She's Got The Rhythm by Alan Jackson
Black Velvet by Pat Benatar
I Heard It Through The Grapevine by The Temptations
Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself by Sly & The Family Stone
Very Superstitious by Stevie Wonder
Take It Back by - Reba McEntire
Peel Me A Grape by Diana Krall
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I Got It Bad by Matraca Berg
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It's Your Thing by The Isley Brothers
Trouble by Elvis Presley
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Kiss by Prince
You're The Boss by Brian Setzer Orchestra
True Love by Pat Benatar
Keep on rocking me baby by Steve Miller Band
Play that funky music white boy by Wild Cherry
Fever by Elvis