West Coast Swing: Starter Kit

A very nice beginner DVD - “a private dance class on a disk.” (For the price of one group class you can rent this for months and months!)

Good set, good lighting, good sound, decent pace, detailed explanations. If it has any problems it’s mostly that they don’t demonstrate the moves* in “real time” before or after the explanations of the moves. Oops!

If you want to see the moves so that you know exactly which move they’re “getting into” they do have a very nice dance demo on the disk that labels each move as they do them. If you’re new, or, nearly new to WCS, start with viewing that part of the DVD first – many times until you “know” what they are doing as they do them; then watch the rest of the disk where they “get into the explanations.” It will ALL make more sense if you do…

Their explanation of WCS – the history, style, etc. – is short but helpful to “newbies.” Their “break down” of the basic WCS moves is also very good – so good you may be tempted to learn both the lead and follow part if you watch enough times. Which, as they point out, is actually a very good idea for those “normally” leading or following. A good idea, but not necessary to learn “your part” - up to you...

This is a beginner disk, and like most beginners disks it teaches “the moves” as if you’ll be dancing as slowly as they are showing you. That, of course, is not true – any music will be two, three, or, x times faster than their simple walkthroughs. So, burn the moves in “step by step” and then put on some music and start “working” what you’re learning.

Last, this is a “beginner disk” with a few very basic – but essential - moves. Learn these well – especially the Sugar Push - and any “advanced” disks you rent after this will be much easier than if you “blow off” what’s offered here.


*Sugar Push, Sugar Tuck, Left side pass, Underarm Turn, Basket Whip, Regular Whip.