Some history

West Coast Swing originated from the Savoy Style Lindy Hop, which was done at the Savoy Ballroom in New York in the early 1930's. Originally called Western Swing, it was later named West Coast Swing to differentiate it from Country Western swing dancing.

Dean Collins, who also danced at the Savoy Ballroom while living in New York, began competing after dancing in Hollywood for a couple years. When Dean Collins started to win contests, everyone wanted to learn his style. When Dean Collins would be asked what style of swing he was doing he would say "there is no style, there is only Swing."

When the music started to change in the late 40’s, the dance ‘Sophisticated Swing" began to flourish. The real push behind its development came’s in the '50s, in the studios of Arthur Murray. He can be credited with the first codifications of West Coast Swing.

West Coast Swing is a strictly slotted dance, and the leader dance in place while the follower travels back and forth.

The basic music for West Coast Swing is generally the Blues, but many dancers also like dancing to the more up-tempo rhythms of Funk, Disco, Jazz, Soul, Motown, Techno, Rap, Pop, Country, Big Band Swing, Retro, and sometimes Latin. West Coast Swing is not music dependent, and can be danced to any 4/4 time music available.

Current WCS styles vary considerably. Modern WCS can be conservatively upright-postured, smooth and warm, or a funky, hot partnered-jazz dance. It’s a lead-follow dance with lots of room for the woman to play, out-of-the-box is definitely a common characteristic.