Lindy Hop, West coast, East coast swing

[twobarbreak]

I really want to learn Lindy Hop but the only kind of dance lessons I can get around here are west coast swing. How similar to each other are they ? Would I be happy learning this style since I can't learn Lindy?

Your in Orange County so there are plenty of Lindy Hop dancers and teachers, and some of the better ones in the world.
I beleive www.OCswing.com will point you in the right direction, which is run by Shesha Marvin.

If you still want to decide between ecs and wcs I'd say start with the west coast, it tends to focus more on leading and following abilities and will get you better much faster. It's just the modern styling of WCS you want to avoid which is easy. Its the music you will be dancing to the most that will shape your look or style.

European Boogie Like Jive was just an interpretation of what they thought was being done in American and over the years has become it's own dance.

Jive from the UK has actually made more of an impact in recent years which is being done at Rockabilly Events.

Euro Boogie is rare in the states, and most of the great Boogie dancers in Europe switched over the Lindy Hop which has less limitations...It's seen like East coast swing and is more as a stepping stone type of dance, which will lead you to do other dances....

 

[BakingInPearls]

Leaning to dance is one of the best experiences I have had. I took lessons in Whittier from Lee and Essex at Memories. They have a wonderful 6 week series that breaks down dancing so everyone can learn it if you are willing to give it a shot. If that isn't in your area like twobarbreak said ocswing would be a good resource.

 

[Vintage Betty]

I just wanted to give anyone who wants to start learning a heads up to check out your local universities. I found some great beginner lessons taught by some cats from Houston Swing Dance Society at the Rice University Social Dance Society. Most University's social dance societies are open to the public and are CHEAP. Best thing is, it's an entire semester worth of classes (once a week) and since I'm a uni student (although not at Rice) I'm only paying $10 for the entire course! Wooh!

I'd like to know if anyone reading this had lessons at Stanford with Richard Powers. I did, but would like to reserve my comments until someone else posts a reply.

VB

 

[twobarbreak]

I'd like to know if anyone reading this had lessons at Stanford with Richard Powers. I did, but would like to reserve my comments until someone else posts a reply.

VB

I know Richard's work as a historian, more so then a teacher so I can't comment on what he teaches or how he teaches. But I believe his knowledge is respectable on earlier Rag dances then swing era dances.

 

[$ally]

TwoBarBreak: I guess that's why I like Lindy best, everything else just seems like a watered down imitation.
btw, are you the "twobarbreak" with all the great clips on YouTube?

 

[twobarbreak]

TwoBarBreak: I guess that's why I like Lindy best, everything else just seems like a watered down imitation.
btw, are you the "twobarbreak" with all the great clips on YouTube?

i understand your view on Lindy Hop...

yes, thats me on youtube....sorry, about the delay in getting more clips up i've been real busy....

 

[$ally]

i understand your view on Lindy Hop...
yes, thats me on youtube....sorry, about the delay in getting more clips up i've been real busy....

Don't apologize, you have already posted so many clips from my fav movies/dancers, and a couple I'd never seen. Thank you! We've found your website useful too. You are doing a us a service and we appreciate it.

 

[twobarbreak]

Don't apologize, you have already posted so many clips from my fav movies/dancers, and a couple I'd never seen. Thank you! We've found your website useful too. You are doing a us a service and we appreciate it.

Thank you much, I was on a rampage to get as many clips up! moving and traveling so much slowed me down...it looks like I might be in Arizona in January for a workshop (still figuring out the details). thanks again...

 

[$ally]

We look forward to meeting you!

Thank you much, I was on a rampage to get as many clips up! moving and traveling so much slowed me down...it looks like I might be in Arizona in January for a workshop (still figuring out the details). thanks again...

 

[reetpleat]

Your in Orange County so there are plenty of Lindy Hop dancers and teachers, and some of the better ones in the world.
I beleive www.OCswing.com will point you in the right direction, which is run by Shesha Marvin.

If you still want to decide between ecs and wcs I'd say start with the west coast, it tends to focus more on leading and following abilities and will get you better much faster. It's just the modern styling of WCS you want to avoid which is easy. Its the music you will be dancing to the most that will shape your look or style.

European Boogie Like Jive was just an interpretation of what they thought was being done in American and over the years has become it's own dance.

Jive from the UK has actually made more of an impact in recent years which is being done at Rockabilly Events.

Euro Boogie is rare in the states, and most of the great Boogie dancers in Europe switched over the Lindy Hop which has less limitations...It's seen like East coast swing and is more as a stepping stone type of dance, which will lead you to do other dances....

I would have to give a different opinion. East coast is a great start as it teaches the basic feeling of opposition and back together. Many people who learn lindy first never get that, although west coast will teach it too.

But easst coast will serve you anywhere in the world, in five minutes you can be dancing, you can teach a follower with even a little feel for it in five minutes and be dancing, and you can dance with most lindy hoppers as it is a part of lindy hop. Once you have it down good, you can leanr a swing out and you are two thirds to being a lindy master. The third would be charleston.

It will also serve you at a rockabilly show, in europe, it is an easy step to do european jive which the european rockers do too, you can do it at a country western bar too, and doesn't take up much room.

West coast swing you can only do with west coast swing dancers.

As far as going to a senior center, I wouldn't suggest it. The vast majority of people back in the day did the back and forth step, which is actually not a bad thing to learn now that I think of it. But you probably won't learn east coast swing from them. Besides, most followers will not be able to teach you how to lead.

Here si athough though. I often think east coast swing is better taught in one private lesson with a good teacher than many group lessons. You need to learn the basic step and the feel and everything else comes from that.

 

[Paisley]

You Can Dance with Anyone If...

I often think east coast swing is better taught in one private lesson with a good teacher than many group lessons. You need to learn the basic step and the feel and everything else comes from that.

I'd never thought of that, but it's probably a good idea. It's really hard to learn with a partner who doesn't know what they're doing. That's why the next best thing is to rotate partners in a class. There are people of different abilities. Your better partners are in a position to tell you whether you're actually leading or following, if you want to know.

Going to a senior center just seems like asking a random person to teach you to dance. Even if they have classes, swing is a more vigorous dance than they typical senior is up for--heck, I've seen middle-aged people who couldn't make it through a one-hour class. As for retirement homes, the residents live there because they are too frail to take care of themselves.

At dances, the vast majority of guys I see teaching on the floor don't know what they're doing. There are far better options out there. If there's no swing at all in your area, I'd take a social dance class that emphasizes leading and following. If you know that, you can dance with anyone else who knows how to lead or follow.

 

[dakotanorth]

Best way to learn?

(This similar thread is going on under "Swingin on Nothin" as well.)

Rotating partners doesn't mean you will get better- neither does sticking with one partner either. It all depends on the partner!
I've noticed, both as a student and as a beginning-level instructor, that having one good example of the move/technique/step is the best way to teach someone. SOOO many times I've heard the same complaints: "None of the leads know what they're doing so I can't even tell if I'm learning it right!"
(Don't worry, leads say that about the follows too) lol

The biggest issue is, people don't always learn what they see, they learn what they THINK they see. If the teacher can rotate in, it gives that person a taste of how it's done.

 

[reetpleat]

(This similar thread is going on under "Swingin on Nothin" as well.)

Rotating partners doesn't mean you will get better- neither does sticking with one partner either. It all depends on the partner!
I've noticed, both as a student and as a beginning-level instructor, that having one good example of the move/technique/step is the best way to teach someone. SOOO many times I've heard the same complaints: "None of the leads know what they're doing so I can't even tell if I'm learning it right!"
(Don't worry, leads say that about the follows too) lol

The biggest issue is, people don't always learn what they see, they learn what they THINK they see. If the teacher can rotate in, it gives that person a taste of how it's done.

God point. I have often thought it would be good class if the teacher took ten minutes with each student, male with females and female with males. I would bet you could learn just as well or better, and yes, actually have an idea what it is supposed to feel like.

As for teaching on the floor, I don't do that. It would be rude. But oh how I wish women would ask me to take five minutes to teach them how to actually feel a lead and follow it. I dance with women who have taken lessons for years and danced as long and they still do not understand that basic connection. I blame a lot of teachers who just teach steps but not the lead follow connection.

Teachers with a background in ballroom usually do. Paul and Sharron in San Francisco, while I was not into their style, always started classes teaching tht basic connecton

 

[Forgotten Man]

Get out of the OC!

I know many dancers and some complain about the OC being the West Coast “Eagle's Nest”!lol

If you have a car, try and visit many of the other fine dance venues around the LA area. There are many people who are fantastic Lindy Hopers that could teach you a basic Lindy very easily! There may be a “Lounger” near you who could help you with your basic lindy. Also, a few of the weekly dance venues have a basic Lindy class before the dance for a few bucks extra... take a look into it.

Best of luck,

FM~

 

[Paisley]

Just last night, I danced with someone who said, "We danced a long time ago and you taught me so much about leading. Thank you!" (And he was a good lead!) I didn't even remember him, but he must have asked me for advice, since I very rarely give it unsolicited. I honestly tell people I don't know how to lead, and direct them to classes, but I can give them basic tips.

Now, if I can do so much in a few minutes with someone, why don't instructors do it? Maybe smaller class sizes would help with more time dancing with instructors. Students also have to be willing to hear honestly how they're doing. I danced with someone last week who had had four lessons and was ready to give up. I told him he was doing fine for a beginner; it took lots of practice and classes to get good. Most people, though, seem to think they're better than they really are.

 

[twobarbreak]

I would have to give a different opinion. East coast is a great start as it teaches the basic feeling of opposition and back together. Many people who learn lindy first never get that, although west coast will teach it too.

But easst coast will serve you anywhere in the world, in five minutes you can be dancing, you can teach a follower with even a little feel for it in five minutes and be dancing, and you can dance with most lindy hoppers as it is a part of lindy hop. Once you have it down good, you can leanr a swing out and you are two thirds to being a lindy master. The third would be charleston.

It will also serve you at a rockabilly show, in europe, it is an easy step to do european jive which the european rockers do too, you can do it at a country western bar too, and doesn't take up much room.

West coast swing you can only do with west coast swing dancers.

As far as going to a senior center, I wouldn't suggest it. The vast majority of people back in the day did the back and forth step, which is actually not a bad thing to learn now that I think of it. But you probably won't learn east coast swing from them. Besides, most followers will not be able to teach you how to lead.

Here si athough though. I often think east coast swing is better taught in one private lesson with a good teacher than many group lessons. You need to learn the basic step and the feel and everything else comes from that.

whats your definition of east coast swing? I just think of it as 6 count patterns, and depending on how its taught which various from studio to studio it's either with triple steps which can be styled like west coast or Dean Collins Lindy, or it can have no triples which is just Lindy Hop without the 8 count patterns.

While it all is something valuable to learn at some point in the learning process I know I have changed my view points on how to get beginners on the floor and having fun and I've seen greater results in saving the 6 counts for until after they have a grasp of 8 count patterns.

The simple reason is that it's easier for beginners to always step down on the downbeat of a measure over and over, where as crossing over measures and stepping down in middle of a bar can be confusing...

I know I can get first time dancers doing swing outs within an hour, and going to closed position with simple side by side variations, which is something that took me over 10 years to discover in experimenting during instruction...

 

[twobarbreak]

I know many dancers and some complain about the OC being the West Coast “Eagle's Nest”!lol


FM~

OC was and has been the epicenter for west coast swing, being the term was first used in 1959 in Fullerton...

The good thing about west coast swing, is if your a Lindy Hopper you'll have no problem social dancing with them...

 

[Forgotten Man]

onlyoneintown:

Best thing you can do is listen to twobarbreak! I know him to be a very fine dancer from the LA area! I've known him for a good many years now... Charleston, shag, bal, lindy, west coast... name it, he dances it well!

He wont "Lead" you astray!

FM~

 

[reetpleat]

whats your definition of east coast swing? I just think of it as 6 count patterns, and depending on how its taught which various from studio to studio it's either with triple steps which can be styled like west coast or Dean Collins Lindy, or it can have no triples which is just Lindy Hop without the 8 count patterns.

While it all is something valuable to learn at some point in the learning process I know I have changed my view points on how to get beginners on the floor and having fun and I've seen greater results in saving the 6 counts for until after they have a grasp of 8 count patterns.

I tend to teach and think in terms of one two, not six and eight count.

The simple reason is that it's easier for beginners to always step down on the downbeat of a measure over and over, where as crossing over measures and stepping down in middle of a bar can be confusing...

I know I can get first time dancers doing swing outs within an hour, and going to closed position with simple side by side variations, which is something that took me over 10 years to discover in experimenting during instruction...

I have had a few glsses tonight, but even on a good day, you would probably be losing me as far as brs etc.

All I know is the six count pattern has been easy for me to teach men, women and couples in a matter of minutes. Of course, the swing out is a whole other thing to learn, but someone can learn a six count ecs pattern easily and quickly learn five or six turns and such which all come back to the rock step so it is easy to stick with.

As far as single or douple or triple, I just tell people you cna do any one depending on how you feel with the music.

 

[reetpleat]

OC was and has been the epicenter for west coast swing, being the term was first used in 1959 in Fullerton...

The good thing about west coast swing, is if your a Lindy Hopper you'll have no problem social dancing with them...

Would you say the same thing about all west coast swing dancers, or is california wcs different. All I know is the wcs I learned in my ballroom clases many years ago is fun and I cna do it, but I don't think those dancers would be able to do a lindy swing out. Maybe the california dancers are more flexible and used ot lindy dancers mixed in.