WCS West Coast Swing styling issue

[BR-folk-square]

I have seen several videos for "teaching" West coast swing.

One of them teaches the "touch" at compression is off to the side. This is a DVD done by a teacher that mostly does Country Western style danding.

I think, when I first learned WCS, as a part of "square and round dancing", which otherwise seems to be derived from ballroom dancing of a number of years ago, it was taught that way.

When I observe WCS dancers at dances, I think all do the touch step next to their other foot.

Question: Is the step to the side historical, regional, or mostly CW styling?

--Carey

[jennyisdancing]

Originally Posted by BR-folk-square

I have seen several videos for "teaching" West coast swing.

One of them teaches the "touch" at compression is off to the side. This is a DVD done by a teacher that mostly does Country Western style danding.

I think, when I first learned WCS, as a part of "square and round dancing", which otherwise seems to be derived from ballroom dancing of a number of years ago, it was taught that way.

When I observe WCS dancers at dances, I think all do the touch step next to their other foot.

Question: Is the step to the side historical, regional, or mostly CW styling?

--Carey

Carey, you already asked this in another thread....didn't know if there was a reason you were asking again? In any case, I would say it's not regional, as I've seen dancers from different parts of the country doing it. I am not familiar with CW styling, so someone else could speak to that. But I would say it's historical styling, since I haven't seen younger WCS dancers do it, only the older guys.

[kayak]

Knowing where you need to be and when you need to be there is more important than whether you point, tap or triple.

[RichE]

Originally Posted by BR-folk-square

I have seen several videos for "teaching" West coast swing.

One of them teaches the "touch" at compression is off to the side. This is a DVD done by a teacher that mostly does Country Western style danding.

I think, when I first learned WCS, as a part of "square and round dancing", which otherwise seems to be derived from ballroom dancing of a number of years ago, it was taught that way.

When I observe WCS dancers at dances, I think all do the touch step next to their other foot.

Question: Is the step to the side historical, regional, or mostly CW styling?

--Carey

Political; it’s called side stepping.

[McArtor]

I beleive you should only step to the side if you have not reached your full compression yet you find yourself ontop of your partner. moving to the side allows you to continue your momentum and absord the compression before being redirected backward

Now as a lead, you can step, tripple, lunge, backflip if you want, as long as you alow for compression and redirect your partner back on 4.

[kayak]

Originally Posted by McArtor

Now as a lead, you can step, tripple, lunge, backflip if you want, as long as you alow for compression and redirect your partner back on 4.

Yea, that was kind of where I was going with the knowing when and where to be statement.

[kayak]

Originally Posted by BR-folk-square

But people do one or the other, they don't vary which by what the next figure is.
--Carey

Carey,

Most dancers are using a triple step in place of the tap step these days. Still, it will not make a difference in the middle of a sugar push which tap you use to setup the next pattern. You can even put extra steps in or take steps out as long as you get to the right place on the right foot at the right point in the music. Lots of WCS dancers are thinking of green light, yellow light, red light concepts for initiating movement, making momentum changes and anchoring.