A New Style of Swing Dance Emerges from California – West Coast Swing

As Lindy Hop spread across the United States, dancers on the West Coast faced a unique challenge. While the East Coast boasted large dance halls perfect for the energetic, space-consuming Lindy Hop, many western venues—bars, nightclubs, and smaller ballrooms—offered far less room. The growing popularity of swing dancing led to crowded floors and cramped movements.

To adapt, West Coast dancers developed a smoother, more compact style of swing that required less space. In the 1950s, Dean Collins—a dance teacher originally from New Jersey—moved to Hollywood seeking opportunities in movie choreography. He is widely credited with pioneering the earliest form of what would become West Coast Swing, introducing a smoother, more linear approach influenced by his Lindy Hop background. Through the 1960s and 1970s, influential dancers such as Jack Carey and Annie Hirsch, Skippy Blair, and Buddy Schwimmer further refined and popularized the dance into its modern form. (Skippy Blair, in particular, played a key role in promoting it and even helped rename it from "Western Swing" to "West Coast Swing" around 1961 to avoid confusion with country-western styles.)

West Coast Swing is a slotted dance, meaning partners move in a straight, narrow "slot" along a linear path across the floor, rather than in the circular patterns common to other swing dances. This slotted format made efficient use of limited space.

The dance incorporates both 6-count and 8-count patterns. Most patterns begin with two walking steps (counts 1-2), followed by either a pass or a push back to the starting position, and end with a triple step known as the anchor step. West Coast Swing features a relaxed posture and an elastic connection between partners, created by the constant alternation between stretch and compression as they move linearly.

Often called Modern Swing, West Coast Swing is considered a "living dance" because it continues to evolve in response to changing music and culture. In recent years, musicality has become increasingly important, with dancers emphasizing interpretation of the music. The style offers tremendous freedom of expression for both partners and stands out for its call-and-response dynamic—creating a true dialogue between leader and follower.

Check out this video demonstration of West Coast Swing in action: West Coast Swing Example

Today, West Coast Swing is one of the fastest-growing swing styles, enjoyed both socially and competitively worldwide. Dancers typically groove to medium-tempo music from genres like pop, country, blues, R&B, and more. Related partner dances—such as Nightclub Two-Step, Hustle, and Carolina Shag—are also favorites among West Coast Swing enthusiasts.

Note from the Editor: If you want to try a super simple, easy to learn style of swing dancing and you're not local to Northwest Iowa where Midwest Swing Dance Co. hosts classes and events, we also offer an online class for you and we hope you'll give it a try! You can take this class at your own pace in the comfort of your own home. Here's a link for more information and to get yourself signed up: SWING DANCE MADE SIMPLE