| Home | Ask Dr Matt | Call Dr Matt | Meet Dr Matt | Quotables | The Book | Answer Archive |
   
Talk to Dr Matt!
 Complimentary Consultation
When you buy
 Changing Your Stripes 

Come visit Dr Matt at Facebook!

Find Stuff at Dr Matt's Website! Enter Keywords in the Search Box:      

Loading

 


West Coast Swing Dance Lessons 

Here are Dr Matt's lessons for learning West Coast Swing:
Archive    1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    pics

Best Music Tempo for Learning West Coast Swing
  by Dr Matt  

Hi West Coast Swingers:

When learning the West Coast Swing, it's good to practice to slower music; this way, you force yourself to articulate the rhythm of the footwork more accurately.

              Buddy Guy: Mustang Sally = 108 bpm - beats per minute

              Spice Girls: Say You'll Be There = 110 bpm

              B-Witched: C'est La Vie = 112 bpm

              Fantasia: Chain Of Fools = 115 bpm
                            * Live American Idol performance — music starts at 0:15

              Anastacia: I'm Outta Love = 118 bpm
                            * Watch the U.S. West Coast Swing Champions dance to this music

              Anastacia: Made For Lovin' You = 120 bpm

Practice your BASICS to the beat of the Music:

              Sugar Push
              Underarm Pass
              Left Side Pass
              The Whip

For excellent explanations of how each of the previous basic steps are danced, visit BallroomDancer.com — their detailed descriptions are excellent! In the mean time, here's my description of the Whip Footwork:

After TWO Slow walking steps that turn right 180 degrees, you do a Coaster Step:

      BACK      TOGETHER     FORWARD   =    description of your foot placement
      Right          Left                   Right            =    which foot does what?
      quick            quick              Slow          =    footwork rhythm
        3                      &                    4             =    musical counts as you do this step

The Coaster Step is a kind of "Triple Step" . . . this means you will step 3 times during 2 musical counts of the music.  To Repeat: that's 3 foot movements in 2 musical counts!

Again, try to imitate the way Donna Roselle does the basics.  You can absolutely SEE THE RHYTHM IN HER BODY

Note that Donna does a Lock Whip (she calls it a Basket Whip); and the rhythm of this step is exactly the SAME as all other Whips.  The rhythm for the Whip can be described three ways: 

        Double  Triple  Double  Triple     OR     
          1  2,       3 & 4       5  6       7 & 8         OR   
         S S          qqS         
S S       qqS               OR   
Slow Slow, quick quick Slow, Slow Slow, quick quick Slow    

As opposed to the footwork rhythm of the Sugar Push, Sugar Tuck, Underarm Pass, or Left Side Pass:

        Double  Triple  Triple     OR     
          1  2,       3 & 4      7 & 8         OR   
         S S          qqS         
qqS               OR   
Slow Slow, quick quick Slow, quick quick Slow    

As you can SEE, the Whip adds Two Extra Counts to the basic rhythm

Happy Practicing,
Matt

Dr Matt will always connect you to the coolest steps!

Hey Dance Fans, have you read my review of the
most popular dancing TV show this fall?

Dancing with The Stars

And have you read my review of the
most-watched TV show of the summer?

So You Think You Can Dance

 

 
 


The Greatest Prize
for Life's labors isn't
in material possessions
or impressive accomplishments,
but in the progress of personal character.
You labor for your own becoming, this is your richest reward.
Who You Become is your greatest possession,
make it your Masterpiece!

(Changing Your Stripes, 2nd Edition, page 274)
.

"Changing Your Stripes" presents principles for getting out of
the ditch in which you've been dumped (the difficulties of which you are a victim),
and the ditch in which you've jumped (the difficulties for which you volunteer).

"Mastering a challenging situation
is ultimately a matter of
mastering yourself!"

- Matt Moody 

"Changing Your Stripes," teaches you the principles that lead to lasting change,
making you a new kind of creature capable of communicating
with calm, even as storms of contention swirl.

If these ideas resonate and ring true,
then . . . this book is for you!


Sold Exclusively

through this website

Changing Your Stripes is a
unique reference book that will help
you understand, . . .
and solve all of
Life's ever-appearing problems
Here are more reasons to buy
Changing Your Stripes


Social Psychologist & Personal Advisor
 

 
Talk to Dr Matt!
 Complimentary Consultation
When you buy
 Changing Your Stripes 
 

Want More Info on: 

What Love Looks Like:
Standing vs. Falling

A Better Premise for
Great Relations

Compatibility
and Attraction

Change of Heart

Why You Can't Keep
New Year's Resolutions

Being Clueless, a.k.a.
Self-Deception,
In Denial

Default Duet: Deceived
& Dancing with the Devil

Superlative
Parenting Power

7 Habits of Highly
Effective People

Facts about PTSD

Crystal Clear Communication

Book Review:
Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking

For those who have Suffered
Extreme Abuse

The Anatomy of Peace

Invitation to
the Life Coach

 

The Perfect Woman

Dissecting The Secret

Perfection without Stress

When Loved Ones Pass Away

The Difference between Facts and Truth

Buzz About American Idol Season 8 Eight

So You Think You Can Dance: Season 5 Five

Dr Matt's West Coast Swing Step Archive

Dancing with The Stars Season 7 Seven

SYTYCD Season 4

Learn the Latin Hustle

Free Phone Counseling
with Dr Matt

Dr Matt's Disclaimer

Free Email Advice
from Dr Matt

Ask Dr Matt
Answer Archive

Site Index for
CallDrMatt.com

Contact Dr Matt

Dr Matt's Blog

| Home | Ask Dr Matt | Call Dr Matt | Meet Dr Matt | Quotable Quotes | The Book | Site Index