The #1 Key to WCS Musicality!

Learn the #1 key to mastering musicality in West Coast Swing! Improve your dancing and connection with the music with this essential tip.

#musicality #swingdancing

[gokblok]

Being a drummer, I understand exactly what you're doing with the counting. I don't understand how this helps you land particular movements against particular aspects of the song--which is my interpretation of "musicality".

[richardpperalta]

Can you rephrase this? I think it's what I need, because I'm having trouble with staying on 6, switching to 8 when I get comfortable, but I still don't understand the difference in this short.

[LilHeavenlyTreasures]

I live in Louisville and would love to learn to dance . I have no rhythm and arthritis in my joints. I worry about my body not allowing me 😔

[stephentaylor]

First of all, I love your channel and learn from it all the time. BUT — I must say that I disagree with this approach, which I have seen before. I have a practice partner who wants to do this — and it’s fine . . . But, as you say (in different language), swing dances have a ‘structural syncopation’ since most basic patterns are 6-counts into 8 beats. Starting from the 1, this means the first step of the 2nd dance cycle falls on 3 of the second measure (or on the 7 if you count in 8). How does it help people to count in 8? The 3rd beat of the 2nd measure (the first step of the second pattern if in basics) in most songs is very weak and not often accented. This is made harder by the fact that if you do 2 consecutive basics (eg, sugar push then LSP), you start the next cycle (after the LSP) on the downbeat (the 1) of measure 3 —- but in most music, this is the last measure of a phrase . . . Yikes — but (and you obviously know this very well), this is what gives swing the bounce (along with the sub-divisions with the ‘rolling count’ and triple steps — which you explain really well in another video). But here you are saying something else. I wonder if this is the easiest way to convey this? Think of 12-bar blues, like Crossroads. Each stanza (‘going down to crossroads . . . ) starts on the 1st measure, goes for 4 measures and then there’s a second stanza starting on the 5th measure (again lasting 4 measures) — finally there is the last phrase, 4 measures starting on the 9th measure — ending with 12 measures. If you count 6 into 8 (even if adding 8 count cycles), this will end up ‘catching up’ by the end of 12 bars. This might be easiest to see in ECS counting 3 into 4. Just listening to Crossroads: a new 3-count cycle will start in the downbeat of the next verse. My question — and this comes from a place of deep respect for you as a teacher — why not ask people to learn a few basic aspects of music — verse-chorus, for example. And the repetitive structure of nearly all dance music — ie verse-chorus. These almost always start and stop the same way, at least in most songs people dance to. Also, every blues song (and most pop songs) end a verse with a very obvious ending-thing called a cadence. Why not teach people to listen for that. Most blues songs add a ‘turnaround’ at the end of a verse or chorus. Most music has a ‘pickup’ in the drums every 2 or 4 measures — the drums will always tell you where you are. Finally, I suggest that the ‘musicality’ people are seeing by watching champions and all-stars on YouTube comes from the fact they have danced these same songs (or seen them being danced) and these types of songs and know where the accents will fall — BUT, BUT BUT . . . They know that these accents follow the basic rules of pop / rock / blues / roots / jazzy music. . . almost always. So, learning to listen to music a certain way seems critical to me.

[carmichaelt]

Wait... so what you're saying is that there is timing?!?! 🤔