Swing is a VERY popular dance these days, and has been for decades. However, little known fact, there are SEVERAL types of swing and it is important to know which swing you want to learn before you begin.
Before we even begin with differentiating them, lets talk names….So depending on the studio or where you are geographically, the same swing dance style may be called different things by different people. The most commonly danced swing style is the triple swing or east coast swing. This dance style is defined as “side triple step, triple step, rock step”. Now, I have heard some people refer to this as the west coast swing, jitterbug, or just THE swing. So it is important to know how they’re danced more than what they’re called, because names can be very misleading in this arena. So for our intents and purposes we will be referring to them by their names as we call them AS WELL AS their foot patterns.
Above all, the music decides the swing style. By listening to the music’s tempo, time signature, and general tenor you can get a better idea about which form of swing dance is going to fit it best. If you’re listening to 80s rock then you’re probably going to be dancing a triple swing or east coast swing “side triple step, triple step, rock step”. If it sounds like bluesy, jazzy, slow rock then west coast swing will be your pal, “back walk, triple fwd, triple step”. If it is fast and peppy then it’ll be a single swing or jitterbug style of “side, side, rock step”. Speaking personally, I can probably spell out about 9 different forms of swing alone that I teach regularly, which is WAY more than you want to hear about here. But suffice to say, music matters when it comes to swing styles.
So how do you know which swing dance style you want to learn? LEARN ‘EM ALL, I say. The majority of the swing styles are very similar in framework and steps from one can easily be transferred into the others. The best way to start is with the music styles you like, these will narrow down your initial choice to one or two swings that you’ll at least like practicing because you like the music. Then you’ll become a swing addict that can’t get enough swing, so you’ll spiral into the more obscure swings and then wake up one day and realize that you’re a swing master that must dance through the city shouting your love for swing from every hilltop…or you’ll just be really good at swing and share your sweet, sweet swing skills with any and every one you dance with.