Why Practicing Triple Steps Will Skyrocket Your West Coast Swing


Sometimes change is good, and one of the best changes you can make in your dancing is committing to a few minutes of focused practice every day. If you truly want to elevate your West Coast Swing, there is one drill I recommend over and over again: non‑stop triple steps for the length of one song you enjoy. You do not need a partner, you do not need a big floor, you just need your feet and three to five minutes.

Triple steps are the heart, soul, and defining movement of West Coast Swing. They generate a huge amount of the partnered connection, and they shape the rhythmic character of the dance in a way nothing else does. When you string triple steps together back‑to‑back, you naturally alternate which foot starts the triple, which means you drill both sides of your body without having to overthink it. That balanced repetition builds timing, balance, and confidence, all at once.

The single biggest jump I ever made in my own dancing came from committing to this exact kind of triple‑step practice. The more you drill your triples, the harder you swing. The harder you swing, the more desirable a partner you become, and the more options you have when you want to play with syncopations, styling, and musical accents. When you watch top‑level pros pulling off wild tricks and seamless transitions, remember that underneath all of that is a rock‑solid triple step and a clean connection. If you want your West Coast Swing to feel powerful and controlled, start by making your triple step the best part of your dance. Then Try These Whip Variations:

The Formula Behind Great West Coast Swing Connection

Musicality Starts with connection

The Simple Formula That Makes West Coast Swing Feel Effortless

West Coast Swing looks “easy” when it is done well, but what you are really seeing is a very specific formula applied over and over again. If you come from a ballroom background, you may be used to clear rights and wrongs, a single correct answer for each figure, and a strong focus on precise shapes. West Coast Swing is different. It is a street dance, which means there is more room for personality, more flexibility in how you stretch and compress time, and more freedom in how long or short you make a figure, as long as you honor the underlying rules.

One of the most important ideas I ever learned came from Mario Robau: in West Coast Swing we are less about rigid structure and more about a repeatable formula. That formula is simple. Leaders step down the slot on count one and set the direction and intention of the pattern. Leaders then manipulate the motion of the follower’s wrist or connection point, setting up the stretch and timing of the movement. Followers respond with oppositional reflex, stretching away from the leader’s energy before progressing down the slot, rather than collapsing toward it. The follower keeps their wrist or connection point slightly ahead of their body so that the connection stays alive and responsive.

So long as both partners “come home” together into a clean anchor, you have honored the formula and are ready to dance the next pattern. Once this formula is living in your body, the magic happens. That is when you suddenly have the time and mental bandwidth to really listen to the music, to add tasteful flourishes, and to play with your partner without getting lost. Just like learning a foreign language, fluency in West Coast Swing makes expression feel natural. If you are looking to improve your West Coast Swing connection, spend time on this formula until it feels automatic, and you will notice every dance getting easier, more musical, and more fun.

That same formula asks both dancers to release the need to be right and move from ME to US, letting the partnership decide what happens next.

King or Queen of Harts Ball

Where would you West Coast Swing on Valentines day? Welcome to the King or Queen of Harts Ball! Straight out of the deck of cards red is a symbol of passion, love, and all that is good. Its our West Coast Swing dance for Valentines day!

Dress to impress with your outfit of red. It’s Valentines Day so if you have a date bring them if you don’t there are lots of singles coming and you will make some new friends.

We dance West Coast Swing mostly but pepper in a ton of crossover Ballroom, Country, and Hustle…If you know how to dance you won’t stop all night. If you don’t know how to dance there is a lesson at 8pm to go over the basics and lots of friendly people to help you get started all night long.

I worked out a Valentines deal with the Roma so I expect some new dancers to come exploring what is going on upstairs!

Friday February 14th 7-11pm
$20pp
Roma Restaurant
29 Middlesex St
Haverhill, Ma

Mr. Jonathan’s 47th Birthday Ball

Join Mr. Jonathan and the band “Just Alright” at the iconic:

Roma Restaurant
29 Middlesex St
Haverhill, Ma

for an epic evening of swing dancing to both live and pre-recorded music!

Early bird pricing $40 pp includes:
7-8pm Easy swing Lesson
8-11pm California Mix of Swing, Ballroom, Country
Hors D’oeuvres stations, Climate Controled Room, Wood Floor
Lots of Space to Dance, No Partner Necessary, Dress To Impress
Tickets Purchased on or by January 10th will also recieve a free lesson on January 30th’s Thursday night swing class. Tickets purchased after Jan 10th will be $47.QUESTIONS? CALL OR TEXT 603-475-1391

The Grease Bawl

If you follow me on the socials you know I love a themed party and I love to connect the dots. We dance our parties at The Roma Restaurant in their Ball Room. When ever I can I try to get the theme to be a “ball”

The Grease Bawl is all about getting dressed up 50’s style. You can come in a Tee-Shirt and Jeans or dressed as a greaser with a leather jacket. Poodle skirts are not mandatory but they are encouraged! See you on the dance floor Friday, October 11th for an easy swing lesson 7-8pm and a California Style Mix of music until 10pm. It’s a great night out for $20!

Roma Restaurant
29 Middlesex st
Haverhill, Ma