PDA

View Full Version : How can WCS be made more inclusive and seem more beginner friendly?



StokeBloke
9th-June-2007, 08:19 PM
I come from a MJ background and have just started to attempt WCS. Maybe it is a reflection on my own insecurities, but I do find it much harder to ask WCS dancers for a dance. I know the dance is more technical and as such it feels like a WCS follow would be expecting a higher standard of dance than I can currently give them. What could be done to help eliminate this Catch 22 situation?

WCS does feel a bit of an exclusive club, this I am pretty sure isn't always intentional. How do you think this could be rectified? Because the percieved 'hotshot culture' isn't helping anyone; especially new dancers wanting to become good WCS leads.







There are some Westies who are happy to give me dances and advice, WittyBird in particular has been very patient and kind to me :flower: :worthy:

David Bailey
9th-June-2007, 09:06 PM
I come from a MJ background and have just started to attempt WCS. Maybe it is a reflection on my own insecurities, but I do find it much harder to ask WCS dancers for a dance.
To clarify, is it harder at WCS dances or MJ events? Or both?


WCS does feel a bit of an exclusive club, this I am pretty sure isn't always intentional.
All dance forms are exclusive. Salsa clubs in Central London can be some of the most unfriendly places on Earth - well, OK, maybe not, but they're pretty unfriendly.

FWIW, I think that, on the whole, any "exclusivity" is encountered mainly as a result of mix-and-match groupings of WCS and MJ dancers, where you get a group of WCS-ers and a group of MJ-ers. It's a group dymanics thing.

So avoiding having those situations would be a start :)

frodo
9th-June-2007, 10:38 PM
FWIW, I think that, on the whole, any "exclusivity" is encountered mainly as a result of mix-and-match groupings of WCS and MJ dancers, where you get a group of WCS-ers and a group of MJ-ers. It's a group dymanics thing.

Another factor I've noticed is that many of those who do WCS tend to be very some of the best and/or most experienced MJ'ers.


As a group they're they're probably not likely to seem the most inclusive and beginner friendly, regardless of the dance they move into.

If more typical dancers moved into WCS this factor, would likely fade.


However the difficulty is the classes may reflect this group, and be technical to a degree that more typical dancers are unlikely to swallow.


There is very interesting post from David(a)B on the wcsdance (wcsdance.co.uk) forum which relates to the current technicality of the subject. See the "Chat Forum"-"WCS Discussion"-"Male Sugar Push Footwork" thread.

Note that according to this thread (http://www.cerocscotland.com/forum/chit-chat/12828-hotshotty-exclusive-wcs-forums.html) the wcs dance forum does seem to be ready to delete posts they don't care for.

StokeBloke
10th-June-2007, 12:48 AM
OK - whilst interesting both are replies, how about some constructive suggestions about changing it. Rather than trying to explain why it happens? Is there a way of making WCS more accessible and less scary to the average MJ'er?

I know one of the things that kept me afloat when I was starting out at MJ was the taxi dancers. Imagine if there was a way to work out something similar for WCS at bigger events like Southport. WCS taxi dancers to assist the new WCS leads and follows - would anyone be interested in doing that? I won't hold my breath :D

frodo
10th-June-2007, 01:18 AM
OK - whilst interesting both are replies, how about some constructive suggestions about changing it. Rather than trying to explain why it happens? Is there a way of making WCS more accessible and less scary to the average MJ'er?

I know one of the things that kept me afloat when I was starting out at MJ was the taxi dancers. Imagine if there was a way to work out something similar for WCS at bigger events like Southport. WCS taxi dancers to assist the new WCS leads and follows - would anyone be interested in doing that? I won't hold my breath :D

Maybe taxi dancers would go well with a specifically scheduled and named beginners freestyle period. No one should feel a problem asking more experienced dancers as it would be specifically for doing that.

spindr
10th-June-2007, 02:05 AM
At the end of the lesson "And now, once through and into freestyle" :)

Purloin the usual MJ speech and use it in classes: "There are no restrictions on who can ask, or be asked to dance in WCS:

Followers can ask leaders — leaders can ask followers.
Ladies can ask men — men can ask ladies
Beginners can ask more experienced dancers — more experienced dancers can ask beginners."


Or "Now, everyone grab somebody you've never danced with before for the first dance in the freestyle"

Or the 'please don't turn dances down' chat.

Trivial -- but might make it a little bit easier for new faces?

SpinDr

David Bailey
10th-June-2007, 08:28 AM
OK - whilst interesting both are replies, how about some constructive suggestions about changing it.
"Don't mix MJ and WCS groups in the same session" was my suggestion...


Rather than trying to explain why it happens? Is there a way of making WCS more accessible and less scary to the average MJ'er?
Well, probably not - I mean, it's a more complex dance, and so the dance will always be somewhat intimidating to the average MJ-er. All dance forms have that barrier, some are just steeper than others.

Chicklet
10th-June-2007, 10:20 AM
At the end of the lesson "And now, once through and into freestyle" :)

Purloin the usual MJ speech and use it in classes: etc..
For the record, I don't think this would be new for many, a version of the above has been said at every WCS class or workshop I've ever attended - covering a few different teachers so they're not all demons!
( David and Lily way back, Paul W and Cat, Lindsay and Brady, Lindsay and Dave, Lindsay and Ross, Graham Fox and Melanie, Graham Fox and another lovely little Glasgow dancer whose name escapes me I'm afraid)

TA Guy
10th-June-2007, 11:34 AM
I don't think you can.

It is a harder dance, it does require some technical ability even to dance as a beginner. That is a major handicap to inclusivity.

It's not Modern Jive and it doesn't have the advantages MJ has when it comes to mass dancing. Dance to any virtually music, easy to learn etc etc. That makes it very difficult to make it inclusive compared to MJ.

In a weekender beginner WCS lesson, prolly 70% (guess!) odd go home and have no where to dance it. Despite it's popularity, expansion seems to have stalled outside certain hotspots. There seems to be no recognised organisation in place that can produce teachers anywhere near the rate required. That is a big stumbling block. The dance suffers from not having a particularly long popular history in this country.


Here's a quote for you, from 1997 by Robert Austin (very well known respected ex-MJ'er who used to run a big MJ organisation, not that much smaller than Ceroc at that time... (for those that haven't heard of him)).
"WCS has gained popularity as a competition (routined) dance in the States, and viewed in this kind of environment the dance certainly looks impressive. However, as a social dance, it is lacking the improvisational nature that other 'swing' dances posess. Many WCS teachers in the States acknowledge the inherent weakness of the dance. Last year a well reknown ex-US WSC champion and teacher confessed the dance was trying too hard to emulate the polish of ballroom dancing and had lost it's way as a social dance. She also commented that the dance had become too complicated and the major weakness was that beginners to the dance lost interest very quickly. Over 50% of her pupils would drop out in the first month."

That is only part of the article. The caption on the page is;
West Coast Swing
Americas Dance Craze
Over-complicated, Over-rated and Over-here!

:) :) :)
Not that is particularly relevent, it's a decade old, remember that! No Jordan and Tatiana etc. but it shows that there were acknowledged problems with the social side of WCS back then. And that was in America, it's heartland.

WCS has progressed a lot in ten years, but the same basic problems remain. You can't really do anything about them without changing the dance beyond recognition.

So, IMO. the answer to the specific question is;
You can't.
The only thing that might work is dumbing down the lessons, for example, lose the triple step. Maybe accent the moves so beginners get a feeling of accomplishment early in their development. Turn it into Modern Jive in other words :) Kinda pointless :)

under par
10th-June-2007, 01:20 PM
this is taken from my post elsewhere

I have noted a slight difference between MJ and WCS that could lead to a poor perception. Dancers within MJ tend to look to dance to every or as many tracks as possible whereas in WCS there appears to be a tendency for more dancers to sit out watching or talking.

Those entering this WCS enviroment who are not aware of this see this inaction as a snub to their own quest to dance every track. This is a wrong perception as in the minds of the westies they are not doing anything different to normal.

My suggestion to the WCS world is this... if you are one of those who sit and watch as much as you dance (for whatever reason you do this) be aware of others not known to you entering your world and try and involve them in your world as early as you can. The earlier you do this the quicker they will feel at ease within the WCS world and the more westies you will recruit.

Dorothy
10th-June-2007, 05:40 PM
1 answer - simplify it.
You lose something by doing this however.

Andy McGregor
10th-June-2007, 06:13 PM
I posted this elsewhere.


I've been thinking about this over the weekend. I've come to the conclusion that the whole problem is down to WCS being incorporated into MJ nights. If WCS had its own night, or even its own room at a mixed dance event there would be no problem.

Picture the newby WCS dancer at an MJ event. They've done a couple of WCS classes and would like to have a few dances to practice. At a WCS night they would be asked to dance by the better WCS dancers and they would have an idea who the other beginners were. At an MJ night with a few WCS dancers at it they would not be identified by the experienced WCSer. Would the newby WCS dancer ask those great WCS dancers they see? I don't think so. I doesn't happen in MJ and is just as unlikely in WCS.

So, I think the answer is for WCS to stop trying to be part of MJ nights or dances or blues rooms at weekenders or whatever. Get your own room at mixed dance weekenders and run your own nights - and be friendly to beginners in every case. The friendly nature of MJ nights is what kept me coming back and it is what will help WCS.

Oh, and you're still not smiling

I think the way to make WCS more popular is to simplify it. Keep the slot and take out the & - but then you'd have MJ :devil:

Minnie M
10th-June-2007, 07:04 PM
If you love WCS tell your friends and encourage them and help them in their early days of learning, it is down to all of us, not just the teachers. Nearly all the MJ weekenders now have WCS workshops, stay after the class the help the newbies with the lesson.

Sarah Van Drake when she was here last October, encouraged her class to ask the newbie westies to dance, and even though they maybe awful at WCS, turn it round and get the best out of it. That will give the newbie confidence and you a sense of achievement.

I know we all need our dancing fix, be it MJ or WCS, but surely we can all find time to dance with beginners ocassionally :flower:

PLUS .........

If you are a follower - please don't hog the experienced dancer
If you are a female lead - please help leads and followers
If you are an experienced lead - please don't hog the pretty ones
If you are an experienced lead - please don't dance all evening with your friends
If you are an experienced lead - please ask followers you don't normally dance with ocassionally
If you are an newbie lead - please ask the experienced dancers (but don't hog)
AND for all dancers - if you have to refuse a dance, go back later and ask that person

jive-vee
10th-June-2007, 07:38 PM
I don't really see why WCS should be simplified - MJ is a dance where it is claimed you will be dancing by the end of the night, WCS is not. I think the main problem is that WCS classes are not readily available in all parts of the country and not everybody can afford to or has transport for travelling to the nearest monthly workshop. (I have tried it and enjoyed it but I have only attended a few workshops/weekender classes due to transport/location/money).

I haven't learnt enough to be able to freestyle it - I have to think about counting/steps a lot and am very conscious of getting it wrong whereas with MJ I have done it for a while now and am confident enough to laugh off anything that goes wrong.

When I started MJ after a few months if I saw someone that I thought was a fab dancer then I would make a conscious effort to ask them for a dance - reasons being I thought it would help build my confidence, I liked their style, I wanted to get over my intial nerves at asking better dancers to dance and I thought it would be fun. Nobody owes anybody a dance, once you've paid your money you are responsible for your own night - if you don't like the music then request a song you do like, if you're not getting dances then maybe you need to check that you look approachable/like you want to dance/friendly/are also asking people for dances (when I taxi I tell people that the more you ask people to dance then the more you will be asked - that's the theory anyway).

If I could dance the basic steps in WCS without my head hurting too much and I wanted to practice it then I would ask people I saw dancing it for a dance, eventually I'd like to think I'd also ask those I see as the great WCS dancers (even though yes I probably would be intimidated/nervous/aware of my limitations) as that would be the only way for me to improve and overcome my nerves. Unfortunately I don't see myself being able to get to that stage without the benefit of weekly or fortnightly classes and they sadly are not available to me at the moment.

I don't think there is a need to simplify it - I don't expect to be able to learn to WCS in one night, I expect it to take months of weekly lessons to learn the basics and years to master and develop it. It appears that the local availability and frequency of WCS classes is the problem - yes people complain about "hotshots" - this may just be a perception or there may be some truth in it - but if current WCS dancers want the scene to grow in the UK then I'm sure if there were weekly classes they would be all for encouraging and dancing with beginners as they were all beginners once too.

I'm not trying to upset/offend anybody with this post, just chucking my two pennence worth in :grin:

MartinHarper
10th-June-2007, 09:08 PM
I find it hard to see West Coast as "lacking an improvisational nature".


1 answer - simplify it.
You lose something by doing this however.

West Coast tends to be taught with a good deal of precision. I don't think the dance needs to lose this. All that is needed is a shift in perception/attitude whereby that precision is considered a long-term target rather than a short-term requirement.

Little Monkey
10th-June-2007, 09:26 PM
Simplify it???! You'd just end up with some bland west coast ceroc type thing. Yuc!:sick:

Seriously - if people think it's too difficult, and haven't got the patience to work on it, well maybe WCS isn't the dance for them. Stick to Ceroc. Or try something else, like salsa. If you really like the dance, then you'll stick with it, and practice until you can do it. Simple as that.

Honestly, if you think WCS should be simplified, then what about AT? Classical ballet? Where should we stop?? Not all dance styles are suitable for everyone, apart from maybe Ceroc, who claims to be.... :devil:

Anyway..... I'm a westie newbie, and I do sometimes feel intimidated. Mostly this is because I think everyone else is so much better than me..... But when I've been to WCS classes and freestyles, I don't get asked any less to dance than I would at any MJ freestyle. Yes, when you go to WCS sessions in the Dance Den at Southport, it might seem a bit cliquy - but if you go to an MJ event with your friends, what would you do? Stay away from your mates, and run around asking all the newbies/strangers to dance, and not socialise with your friends, or would you automatically seek out people you know? I know what I'd do....

Maybe having a taxi dancer at WCS classes might help newbies, but I'm afraid that when it comes to freestyle events, you're just going to have to do the same as you've had to do in MJ - ask people to dance!

Whitebeard
10th-June-2007, 11:08 PM
.....

West Coast tends to be taught with a good deal of precision. I don't think the dance needs to lose this. All that is needed is a shift in perception/attitude whereby that precision is considered a long-term target rather than a short-term requirement.

Very nicely phrased and something which might merit serious consideration.

David Bailey
10th-June-2007, 11:23 PM
I don't really see why WCS should be simplified
According to DavidB's post in the WCS forum, it's got more complex over that past few years, to (in his opinion) the bad. And I'm going to go out on a limb here, and assume he has a right to an opinion on that one.

It depends if you think "simplifying" it will make it easier. Simple things aren't easy, necessarily.


Honestly, if you think WCS should be simplified, then what about AT?
AT is simple. Two types of step (step and pivot), that's it.

However, it's not easy.

Making a dance "easier" is not worthwhile - making it simpler may be, in that it allows focus on technique instead of form.

robd
11th-June-2007, 10:26 AM
Simplify it???! You'd just end up with some bland west coast ceroc type thing. Yuc!:sick:


Paul Warden has been taking a series of workshops in Rushden catering to mostly new and less experienced WCSers than those who attend Bisley. In the workshop he took in the weekend prior to Southport he talked about what's important in social dancing for WCS. To paraphrase my understanding of it, he said that it was important firstly for leaders to provide a good lead and THEN to worry about the footwork. If you fudge it, you fudge it. It's social dancing not competition. Dancing with this mindset at Bisley yesterday gave me my most satisfying social WCS dancing to date. IMO it's very easy to get hung up on being very precise with the footwork to the detriment of the lead. Note that I am not saying the footwork is not important nor that correct footwork does not contribute towards providing a quality lead just that an over focus on it can hinder some other important aspects of the dance.

tiger
30th-August-2007, 10:52 AM
If you love WCS tell your friends and encourage them and help them in their early days of learning, it is down to all of us, not just the teachers. Nearly all the MJ weekenders now have WCS workshops, stay after the class the help the newbies with the lesson.

Sarah Van Drake when she was here last October, encouraged her class to ask the newbie westies to dance, and even though they maybe awful at WCS, turn it round and get the best out of it. That will give the newbie confidence and you a sense of achievement.

I know we all need our dancing fix, be it MJ or WCS, but surely we can all find time to dance with beginners ocassionally :flower:

PLUS .........

If you are a follower - please don't hog the experienced dancer
If you are a female lead - please help leads and followers
If you are an experienced lead - please don't hog the pretty ones
If you are an experienced lead - please don't dance all evening with your friends
If you are an experienced lead - please ask followers you don't normally dance with ocassionally
If you are an newbie lead - please ask the experienced dancers (but don't hog)
AND for all dancers - if you have to refuse a dance, go back later and ask that person






:respect::respect:

robd
30th-August-2007, 11:24 AM
It's not Modern Jive and it doesn't have the advantages MJ has when it comes to mass dancing. Dance to any virtually music, easy to learn etc etc. That makes it very difficult to make it inclusive compared to MJ.

Nail.On.The.Head

I think many people look to apply conventions from their MJ experiences when transitioning to WCS - both in what they do when dancing and their expectations of others. This is not necessarily a bad thing - making new dancers feel welcome, encouraging their development, etc - but there should be a recognition that it is a different dance and that you as the new person should adapt to it not expect it to adapt to you.


In a weekender beginner WCS lesson, prolly 70% (guess!) odd go home and have no where to dance it. Despite it's popularity, expansion seems to have stalled outside certain hotspots. There seems to be no recognised organisation in place that can produce teachers anywhere near the rate required. That is a big stumbling block. The dance suffers from not having a particularly long popular history in this country.

I feel that the opening of a weekly class in my area (well, within travelling distance) which has 90 odd minutes of social throughout the evening has really helped develop people's confidence in dancing WCS (it may not improve their competence if, as DavidB once chided, they are just practising their mistakes).. However there are things that can be done in a partner-less non-class setting. Just a couple would be
* Listen to lots of the music that gets played, get the timing in your head, practice your basic footwork maps
* Followers, work on your frame - push breaks against a wall, practice turning techniques
For more experienced dancers, listen to music, dance your basic steps and try to mark accents, etc
Yes, it's not as satisfying or as social as a class environment but it all should help.


I haven't learnt enough to be able to freestyle it - I have to think about counting/steps a lot and am very conscious of getting it wrong whereas with MJ I have done it for a while now and am confident enough to laugh off anything that goes wrong.


It can be difficult when you are concentrating so much on counting, your footwork, etc to relax and enjoy the dance but I find myself laughing quite frequently when dancing WCS - typically as I end up double handed and launch into a pattern that I have no idea how I am going to end and it all goes t*ts up.


I find it hard to see West Coast as "lacking an improvisational nature".

:yeah:


West Coast tends to be taught with a good deal of precision. I don't think the dance needs to lose this. All that is needed is a shift in perception/attitude whereby that precision is considered a long-term target rather than a short-term requirement.

:yeah: with the caveat that some things just need that precision in order to work in WCS. I find myself offering a lot more unsolicited advice when dancing WCS than MJ because it's not possible for me to fudge certain things in WCS in the same way as I can in MJ - decent frame/tension/connection in the follower's left arm is a good example. many MJ dancers do not have this because little use is made of the follow's left arm by many MJ dancers but for a succesful WCS free spin or wrap-in it's essential.

MartinHarper
30th-August-2007, 02:29 PM
Decent frame/tension/connection in the follower's left arm is a good example. many MJ dancers do not have this because little use is made of the follow's left arm by many MJ dancers but for a succesful WCS free spin or wrap-in it's essential.

Have you tried a few right-to-left sugar pushes in that situation? Seems to work for me.

Paul F
30th-August-2007, 02:52 PM
West Coast tends to be taught with a good deal of precision. I don't think the dance needs to lose this. All that is needed is a shift in perception/attitude whereby that precision is considered a long-term target rather than a short-term requirement.


:yeah:

Well put.

There are a few on the WCS scene who like to talk about the technicalities and intricacies of WCS. Thats fine - Im one of them. However, whether they realise it or not, this is extremely off-putting to those that are just starting.

Im a big advocate of learning the essence of WCS which includes all of the techniques but there are ways to go about teaching it.

FUN :D

Thats the main thing in all stages of learning to dance IMO. Without it, it wont happen.

Im going to guess that 99.9% of the people that learn to dance are not going to take it up professionally. As a result people need to be introduced to WCS and need to have fun while learning it.
You can still articulate the necessary points while still keeping things flowing, enjoyable and GRADUAL.

Amir
31st-August-2007, 01:43 AM
This is not having a go at StokeBloke or any of the people making suggestions here. Some of them were good. Still, I propose turning this thread on its head. To me the issue is analogous to asking 'how can we make GCSE’s easier so more students pass' instead of, 'how can we create better students who pass more GCSEs?'.

So WCS is less accessible. It's harder. There is the perception that the good dancers form an exclusive club. So what? This makes for an exciting challenge. Since most of you are not in the position to implement most of the suggestions listed, why not ask a different question, one that you can start to work on straight away. What if you ask; 'how can I become a great social wcs dancer, and how can I do it fast!?!'

I propose we come up with at least 20 suggestions, and here are 9 to start you off:

- Go to the classes that cover the technique and write it down, review it and practise!
- Forget that maybe you are great at ceroc and dance with lots of good dancers there, and come with the humility, wonder and curiosity of a true beginner. (They learn the fastest.)
- Focus your mind on how great it will feel to be able to do this dance. And do it really well! Keep thinking of the result you are working towards!
- DVDS, privates lessons, watching youtube videos to get the look and the feel.
- Go through a period of not dancing any other dances (gulp! can I suggest that on this forum? Well its true – like learning a language you need to immerse yourself for a time. But not right away – wait until you can start to freestyle or you’ll get too bored. )
- See if you can find someone who will practise with you occasionally in a private space.
- Don’t be in a rush to ask the best dancers in the room. When you’re ready, they will come….
- Maybe do some line dancing or similar to refine your footwork and co-ordination.
- Learn both parts (following and leading) – this will help any partner dance you learn….


You don't have to win any competitions to be the favourite person people love to dance with (this was proved a couple of weeks ago.) I know exactly how StokeBloke feels since I am continuously learning new dances and going through the same daunting beginner ‘scared to ask people to dance’ thing. But stay focused on what you can control rather than what you probably can’t and I’m sure you’ll find the answers you come up and the results they lead to infinitely more satisfying.

Have fun!

x

Amir

NZ Monkey
31st-August-2007, 03:44 AM
This is not having a go at StokeBloke or any of the people making suggestions here. Some of them were good. Still, I propose turning this thread on its head. To me the issue is analogous to asking 'how can we make GCSE’s easier so more students pass' instead of, 'how can we create better students who pass more GCSEs?'.

So WCS is less accessible. It's harder. There is the perception that the good dancers form an exclusive club. So what? This makes for an exciting challenge. Since most of you are not in the position to implement most of the suggestions listed, why not ask a different question, one that you can start to work on straight away. What if you ask; 'how can I become a great social wcs dancer, and how can I do it fast!?!'

:yeah: x lots.

WCS is harder than MJ. That's a given. It's unreasonable to expect it to compare to MJ on the accessibility front when MJ is about as accessible as it's possible to get and still be able to call it partnered dancing. Although I'm sure there are plenty of people in the greater dance community who'd say otherwise :devil:

That doesn't mean WCS is next to impossible either though, or that only natural dancers will ever be able to "get it". It just takes a bit more effort, and people need to realise they have to put that effort in to get anything out of it. WCS is not unique in this department either - the same can be said of many dance forms.

robd
31st-August-2007, 10:16 AM
- Go through a period of not dancing any other dances (gulp! can I suggest that on this forum? Well its true – like learning a language you need to immerse yourself for a time. But not right away – wait until you can start to freestyle or you’ll get too bored. )


Well, I stopped going to the monthly Jango workshops when I started doing Bisley - sometimes because they clashed and sometimes because there just aren't enough Sundays in the month.

More seriously this point also applies to social dancing in the period after classes - lots of people questioned why there was so little Jango danced at the T-Jives following the workshop and this has been discussed on here many times before. I believe it's important to persevere dancing the style you are trying to learn in the social even if it's not working well rather than falling back on MJ because it's familiar to you.

johnnyman
31st-August-2007, 01:51 PM
I agree whole heartedly with Amir's comments and sympathise with those who are still finding their way around WCS.

Having been a regular at some of the London classes and weekend events, I think that it is good to have challenges in your life. For me personally WCS is one of those and before WCS line dancing was as well.

I hadn't done line dancing for about five years before the WCS Party at Isleworth, but I found Paul Warden's fun line dance brought back memories of many nights of doing different line dances and I made some positive progress. Having done that now, I think I will be more prepared in future in WCS classes.

Line dancing is a good discipline, as it improves your sense of direction and musical interpretation and like WCS it takes time. A lot of that boiled down to the fact that there is a pre-conceived notion that it is all a case of wearing cowboy boots and shouting Yee-hah', when in fact it is all about moving your body correctly to the music and syncopating your feet in phrases of eight.

In MJ we tend to focus on looking more for the breaks than actually interpreting the whole record as best we can. In WCS instead of focusing on one beat of the music, you have the choice of eight at a time and can build up a significant repetoire of style pointers.

I will be at Southport, so will be happy to help out beginners if they need it and I will learn from the experience as well.

best
johnnyman