Not all musical accents are the same. The notes in “How Long Can a Fool Go Wrong?” demand a sharp, hard movement. Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain” calls for a longer, softer, drawn out movements. Learning to dance the same accent in either a hard or a soft way can substantially improve the musicality… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: variations
Learning from Pro Styling
Developing your own style is a challenging task. Most of us look to pros for inspiration on what our dance can look like. This exercise will help you move from inspiration to imitation, so that you can start adding elements of the pro’s styling into your own dance. The Drill: Make a list of your… Continue Reading
Expanding Your Palette
This entry is part 7 of 7 in the series Coloring the DanceThis series has gone over a number of ways to add color to your dance. At this point, you know enough about coloring your basics to start exploring new ways of coloring on your own. This post will give you some ideas for… Continue Reading
Coloring with Rotation
This entry is part 6 of 7 in the series Coloring the DanceAnother way to add color to the dance is through rotation. Increasing or decreasing the amount of rotation in a pattern can dramatically change the feeling of a movement. In general, changing the amount of rotation in a pattern is done by the… Continue Reading
Coloring with Arm Movements
In WCS, arm movements are used to either finish or dissipate the energy of a move. An arm that goes goes up or out signals energy; contained arms or arms that finish downwards tend to look calmer and less busy. By adjusting your arm movements, you can ramp up the energy of a movement or… Continue Reading
Coloring with Footwork Activity
This entry is part 5 of 7 in the series Coloring the DanceOne of the things we notice about music is how energetic or quiet it is. Some songs are relaxed; other songs have a driving club feel. Great songs switch between these options; the song may have a booming energy until the bridge, when… Continue Reading
Coloring with Width
This entry is part 4 of 7 in the series Coloring the DanceA third dimension of patterns that can be modified is the width of the slot. Wider slots feel more relaxed as the pattern drifts from side to side. Dancing in a narrow slot creates a tight, crisp look. This drill is designed to… Continue Reading
Coloring with Length
This entry is part 3 of 7 in the series Coloring the DanceAnother easy way to add color to the dance is by changing the length of the slot. Although it is easier for the leader to control this aspect of the dance, the follower can request a longer slot or shorter slot by changing… Continue Reading
Coloring with Level Changes
This entry is part 2 of 7 in the series Coloring the DanceOne of the easiest way to color the dance is with level changes. Any pattern can be danced at different heights: low, normal, or high. By changing between levels during a pattern, the dancers can match the patterns to the melody line of… Continue Reading
Coloring the Dance: Introduction
This entry is part 1 of 7 in the series Coloring the DanceWest coast swing gives dancers more liberty to change the look of the dance basics than most other forms of social dancing. Being able to modify the look of the dance within the basics is an important skill for both competitive and social… Continue Reading