What is West Coast Swing?

West Coast Swing, the State Dance of California since 1989, is a form of swing dancing that evolved on the West Coast in the early 1940s from the Lindy Hop and Jitterbug of the 1920s and 1930s. Unlike other forms of swing dancing with circular patterns, West Coast Swing is danced in a linear slot, allowing a large number of dancers to pack a dance floor. The basic patterns (underarm pass, side pass, push break, whip, etc.) are 6 or 8 counts long, and there are hundreds of intermediate and advanced patterns and syncopations of various lengths, providing endless variety in an evening of dancing.

Who created West Coast Swing?

Nobody knows for sure. Some claim the dance evolved by necessity in overcrowded California dance halls during World War II. Others credit Dean Collins for creating slot patterns to keep dancers within camera range. Dean was a legendary Lindy dancer who came to California in the late 1930s and choreographed most of the swing dancing performed in Hollywood movies during the next two decades. Some give at least partial credit to Laure Haile, who developed the first syllabus of steps for the Arthur Murray Studios in the mid-1940s based on what she saw the street dancers doing. Whatever its origins, the dance was known as "Sophisticated Swing" or "Western Swing" until the 1950s, when the dance was renamed "West Coast Swing" as a parallel to "East Coast Swing" and to distinguish it from Country-Western dancing. Check out more History of West Coast Swing and other Styles of Swing. 

Do people dance West Coast Swing in other places besides California?

Yes. West Coast Swing is very popular throughout the United States and Canada. In Texas, Push (Dallas area) and Whip (Houston area) are regional forms of swing dancing that are very similar to West Coast Swing. Although the basic patterns have been around for a long time, the dance continues to evolve as new dance music appears and dancers join the West Coast Swing dance community from other dance backgrounds. The popularity of West Coast Swing has sky-rocketed in the last 10 years!

Are there other swing clubs in Northern California besides the ones in the Bay Area?

Yes. Four other swing clubs a bit farther from San Francisco are the Capital Swing Dancers in Sacramento, the Santa Cruz Swing Dance Club, the Redwood Empire Swing Dance Club in Santa Rosa, and the Biggest Little Swing Dance Club in Reno. Some of our members attend their dances, and some of their members come to ours. Some dancers belong to multiple clubs. In addition, there are several dance studios that feature West Coast Swing dancing throughout each week. Check our monthly calendar on this Web site for details about dances and other events sponsored by these clubs. And it's not just West Coast Swing -- Lindy classes and dances are offered throughout the San Francisco bay area. Go to lindylist.com or swingtalk.com to see what is going on at any given time.

Where can I connect with other dancers?

If you would like to connect with other dancers on-line, read the newsgroups ba.dance and rec.arts.dance (RAD) (found under Groups at www.google.com) for discussion of various types of social dancing, including swing, by dancers from the San Francisco Bay Area or all over the world, respectively.