I am currently teaching East Coast Swing in Vernon, B.C., Canada. Does anyone have any ideas as to good music to use teaching EC swing to beginners (not too fast)? Also where does one go to get Teachers Certification or instruction for dance instructors?

Sri:>Hit the Road Jack: Ray Charles<

Umm, I don't want to be picky, but wouldn't you call this a great quickstep, Sri, or maybe secondarily a single (EC version) swing? I love to QS to this tune; I don't know how I'd WC to it myself...what we call WCS out here (Northeast) is usually a slower shuffle beat blues - like "Satisfy my Soul", etc. - more of a blusey "barroom" slot dance that we have a lot of fun with in ballrooms, with a down-emphasis usually on 2nd & 4th beats. Women here love WCS, 'cuz they get to show off while the man just leads them back & forth with a real nonchalant, laid-back California attitude to 6, 8 or more counts. Sort of like he might be stoned, looking as if he's doing a lot while actually doing very little. To us Northeasterners, this is a real "attitude" dance, with no "technique" as we normally define it in ballroom.

Even when we go around the lady, it is sort of like just circling around an imaginary piece of crap on the floor at the middle of the slot(NOT describing HER hopefully!!).

Someone asked abt sugar-push timing earlier - FWIW we always push on the latter part of count 4 (man's first anchor step/the end of the first tripple).

Someone asked abt Latin hustle - the timing of that is "A-one-two-three" with mostly 4-count moves - bears no resemblance to WCS IMHO. Ladies here seem to either really love or really hate LH - the latter complaining of dizzyness or feeling too yanked with their arms crossed in throwouts (AAWWwwww....). The beat for LH is different from most EC & WC - typical good LH tunes are pulsating Motown-type numbers with all 4 strong beats - just like the usual stuff heard in '70's disco where it was born.

I've noted a number of EC & LH moves common to both dances, but not to WCS as taught & danced here. It's true that many tunes are suited to either LH or Cha-Cha, but it's hard for me to imagine one suited to both ECS & WCS unless one dance really suffers rhythm-wise.

I personally don't know how I'd survive & enjoy the usual clubs & bars with tiny floors & blues/rock fare, half-occupied with intoxicated chimpanzees, without all 3 of these dances (plus a few of the more leadable A-Latins). I also find that women who have no dance training at all can be lead pretty well (if willing or have some social confidence) though most common moves of ECS & LH (if they are not too drunk), but not WCS unless they are remarkably perceptive.

YMMV - what has your experience been like in similar non-ballroom circumstances with these dances? And what caliber concealed weapon do you do you find easiest to dance with while packing in such places, as a dancer subject to the ill will of neanderthals on the make or ignored boyfriends who get sidelined & think you're trying to take Lucy Luscious home by having any fun with her(just kidding)? )

Does WCS vary a lot from region to region?

You could try any number of WCS music. Here are some rather slow swing music songs that I can suggest off my head.

Send for me: Nat King cole
Hit the Road Jack: Ray Charles
Come on to my house: Rosemary Clooney
Something to talk about: Bonnie Raitt

I will write again if more come to mind.

Good luck.
Sri.

I don't think Colin would be altogether too happy if he knew you had spelled his name "Colon". We'll just keep that between us.

Jonatan

Brian Setzer's first Album has some good swings (fast, med, slow) and Foxtrots.

Others might be Colon James CD (Cadillac Baby is fun).

Go down to the local disco or dancing hall and listen to what the DJs are playing. Select the music which you think could be rather fast for the beginners and use it. Don't dance less than 90 percent of the speed that you want them dancing at. Otherwise, the transfer of training will be too weak.
Good luck,
Steve Genter

[This message has been edited by Steve Genter (edited 08-30-2000).]

Frank,
"Hit the Road Jack" is what I recommeded for a reasonably slow ECS. I can see however that the syntax of my sentence was such that it could have led you to misunderstand that I suggested the Ray Charles song for a WCS. Au contrare my friend, I suggested WCS songs such as "Wade in the Water" or "Natural Man" as decently 'slow' songs to teach beginners the ECS. Clarified I hope..

However, I don't think of it as that good a QS song although one could dance a QS to it. I believe certain songs portray the charactar of a dance better and if I were to chose between "As long as I'm singing" and "Hit the Road Jack" for a QS, I would go with the former. But that is just the way I interpret the music.

I often chafe at some DJ's who play foxtrot/QS songs for swing, or just songs with an appropriate rhythm but inappropriate bpm for a dance. But I guess there is little choice when one is dancing at a bar or other non-dance musical venue.. And more opportunity to syncopate and strut I imagine.

Regarding my WCS and how it is danced in this part of the country. I learned to dance the WCS in Illinois and I often call it the MidWest Coast swing. I am slowly trying to wean my ballroom training when I dance the WCS and give in fully to the sexy sultry seductiveness of the music and the dance. Before long, I hope not to stick out too much when dancing alongside Debbie and Wes and the other swing dancers from the Carolinas...

Enjoy.

Sri.