isa::dance
page_alias::wcs
Some of my favorite videos (all improv): wcs/video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhhEqzGbZQg - one of my most favorite dances out there, strong contemporary influences
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r79icCclQI - incredible quality of movement resulting in great micro-musicality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijV3ie60AP8 - silly and fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bASfDOJVUx0 - amazing execution to a faster song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb1oLfM_8c0 - bringing new movement to the dance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTyg2lE95XE&t=55 - really enjoyed the lyrical improvisational aspects of it
Why I dance WCS specifically:
I’ve done Argentine Tango a while back, which I enjoyed, but it had some things I wasn’t happy about - it has to be danced to a specific music that I’d usually not listen to by default (though now as a consequence of doing Tango - I've discovered some tracks that I enjoy), and it made me feel a bit stuck in the past (there’s Tango Nuevo, but it’s almost its own new style)
I’ve tried Salsa (though far more briefly) and haven’t felt inspired by it (for partially similar reasons).
Then I saw someone dance WCS at a party and became curious because it looked great, and they were dancing it to contemporary music.
That's how I discovered WCS exists
To sum it up: I like how it looks & feels, and I like that it can be danced to the most music you’d hear. 🙂
Other styles that share some of those properties are:
Zouk (I just like WCS more 🙃)
Fusion (or Blues Fusion) (curious to try it sometime! I think the common wisdom there is that you want to be comfortable with at least one other dance before going there as it combines aspects of many dances)
Modern Jive - looks interesting, but doesn’t seem to be popular in US
See Deliberate Practice in West Coast Swing on me figuring out how to get better at WCS
Dancing West Coast Swing is actually one of my favorite things to do these days.
These days I spend most of my time dancing and thinking about how to apply my tech skills to get better at dancing. I'm also interested in fostering a community focused on systematically thinking about dance together.