westcoastswing.wiki

Glossary

A reference for the vocabulary used throughout the wiki. Where a term is the subject of its own page (e.g. anchor), the definition here is intentionally short and links to the longer treatment.

A

Anchor. The closing action of nearly every WCS pattern — a settling, weighted movement (most commonly on counts 5 & 6 of a 6-count pattern, or 7 & 8 of an 8-count pattern) that re-establishes stretch and connection with the partner. The anchor is the feature most often cited as defining WCS against other swing dances. See Patterns → The anchor.

All-Star. A WSDC division above Advanced and below Champion. See Competitions → Divisions.

B

Basket whip. A whip variation in which the leader catches the follower in a "basket" wrap on the way through, then releases. An intermediate-level pattern.

Beat. A single pulse of the music. WCS is danced in 4/4, so beats come in groups of four.

Body flight. Continuous motion of the dancer's center through space, as distinct from stepping or footwork. A core concept in modern WCS technique.

C

Center. The dancer's core. Lead and follow signals originate from the center, not the hands; the arms transmit but do not initiate.

Champions. The top WSDC division. Entry is by invitation or by opt-in for qualifying All-Stars.

Classic. A choreographed-routine division judged on technique and performance, with strict limits on lifts and non-WCS content.

Compression. One of the two physical states of connection (with leverage). In compression, partners are pushing toward each other; the hands or frame absorb the energy and return it.

Connection. The shared physical conversation between partners, mediated through the frame, hands, and centers. The means by which lead and follow communicate.

Continuous whip. A whip pattern that loops without resolving to an anchor, chaining into the next whip.

Counts. Numbered beats within a pattern. A 6-count pattern uses counts 1 2 3&4 5&6.

F

Follower. The partner who responds to the lead's invitations. Historically gendered, but modern WCS communities largely treat the role as independent of gender.

Frame. The structure of the arms, shoulders, and torso that holds and transmits connection. A good frame is firm without being stiff.

J

Jack & Jill (J&J). A contest format in which leaders and followers are randomly paired and dance to music they have not heard before. The primary points-earning format under the WSDC system. See Competitions → Jack & Jill.

L

Leader. The partner who initiates patterns and invites the follower's response. As with follower, the role is increasingly considered independent of gender in modern WCS communities.

Leverage. One of the two physical states of connection (with compression). In leverage, partners are pulling away from each other; the frame holds tension that powers the next move.

Left-side pass. A 6-count basic in which the follower passes the leader's left side. One of the six core patterns.

M

Musicality. The art of shaping the dance to the music — hitting accents, holding through long notes, dropping into breaks. Distinct from technique in judging.

N

Newcomer / Novice / Intermediate / Advanced. WSDC divisions ordered by points earned. See Competitions → Divisions.

P

Pattern. A named sequence of steps that traverses or returns to the slot. The six basics are the sugar push, left-side pass, right-side pass, underarm turn, tuck turn, and whip.

Phrase. A musical unit larger than a measure — typically eight counts. Skilled dancers feel the phrase and align big moments (dips, breaks, hits) with its boundaries.

Pro-Am. A category in which a non-professional competes with a professional partner. Often offered as a separate division within Strictly Swing or routine formats.

R

Right-side pass. A 6-count basic in which the follower passes the leader's right side. One of the six core patterns.

Rolling count. A subdivision of beats into & a 1 (or similar) developed by Skippy Blair to describe the smooth, continuous weight transfer characteristic of WCS. See Music → Counting and phrasing.

S

Showcase. A choreographed-routine division with broader creative latitude than Classic — lifts, drops, and theatrical elements are permitted.

Slot. The imaginary rectangle along which the follower travels back and forth. The leader steps off the slot to clear the follower's path. The slotted character of the dance is one of its defining features.

Stretch. Elastic tension stored in the frame at the end of a movement, released into the next. A central mechanical idea in modern WCS pedagogy.

Strictly Swing. A contest format in which a chosen partnership dances to unknown music. Tests partner chemistry within an improvised dance.

Sugar push. A 6-count basic in which the follower walks in, meets the leader in compression, and is sent back to the anchor. The follower does not travel down the slot.

Sugar tuck. A sugar push variation that ends in a tuck turn rather than a clean anchor.

Syncopation. A step placed between main beats — usually expressed as an & count. Common in triple steps and in stylized footwork.

T

Tempo. The speed of the music in beats per minute (BPM). Most modern competitive WCS sits between roughly 90 and 115 BPM, but the dance is regularly practiced from the 70s into the 130s.

Triple step. Three weight changes in two beats, typically counted 3 & 4 or 5 & 6. The triple is the rhythmic signature of swing footwork.

Tuck turn. A 6-count basic in which the follower is compressed, "tucked" toward the leader, then rotates outward through the turn.

U

Underarm turn. A 6-count basic — a right-side pass with the follower turning under the leader's raised left hand.

W

Whip. An 8-count basic in which the follower travels around the leader and is whipped back into the slot. Whips are the dance's primary source of travel and rotation, and admit a wide variety of named variations (basket whip, reverse whip, continuous whip).

WSDC. The World Swing Dance Council, founded 1994. Maintains the points registry that standardizes competitive divisions across sanctioned events worldwide.

See also