Effortless is the way to describe West Coast Swing dancers when they move. There is just something about the dance that attracts so many. Off the top of your head you might be thinking, “Well, it looks cool,” or “There is a wide variety of music,” or even “I like that I can dress up or down for an event and still get a dance in.” These are all great attributes of WCS, but I think the engine that fuels the dance is the stretch in west coast swing.
Every teacher I ever had taught some variation of “back to go forward,” and they all had their own twist on why it’s important. The bottom line is that two things have to happen to be successful as a leader or a follower: energy production and connection.
Sum of the Parts Are Greater Than the Whole
Sprinters are not allowed to cross the start line already moving at top speed. They must have a static start, which limits the energy production at the beginning of their movement, but they have plenty of distance to reach top speed. Swing dancers have a slot that is roughly the length of three regular paces. More advanced dancers can achieve similar speed and power to a sprinter at top speed by using stretch in west coast swing with their partner and keeping their steps short.
Stretch happens in one of two ways: followers sending their hips back in complete opposition to their leader, or followers who simply hold their position in partial opposition until the stretch has occurred. Either approach will build up enough energy in the partnership to achieve real power and speed. That power and speed come out of connection, so we are both on the same page.
The Number-One Connection Killer
The number-one connection killer is the energy-sucking “long step.” This is mostly an issue with followers who are trying to emulate the speed and power they see on the dance floor. The attempt is to drive their bodies down the slot by moving their legs faster through a longer stride, completely independent of their leader. When this happens, the leader cannot feel the energy until it’s too late, because the energy did not start in connection. No one knows where anyone is, and the figure is doomed to failure.
Stella Can’t Lose Her Groove Though
I can’t stress enough the value of practicing solo and with music that you love. Connect something stretchy to a doorknob and practice feeling the band stretch before you move forward with a tiny step. Simply setting your intention on stretching and taking small steps, without the pressure of a partner in front of you, will change how you dance technically without removing the grooviness you have when you freestyle.
When you treat stretch as the true engine of West Coast Swing, everything else—speed, power, connection, and that effortless look—falls into place. Short steps and intentional opposition turn a three-pace slot into pure rocket fuel, while long, disconnected strides drain the dance of its magic. So practice the stretch, protect the connection, and keep the groove alive; the floor will feel bigger, your partners will feel lighter, and the dance will finally move the way it was meant to.
