West Coast Swing was the second most difficult dance for me to learn. I bought West Coast teaching videos. I joined the Atlanta Swing Club and took their basic lessons and I repeated the basic class three times at Daza! Yes, three times!! Talk about feeling stupid! How could this dance be the official dance of California?

          Well, I am getting it. West Coast Swing has six count patterns and an eight count patterns meaning that each involves either six steps or eight steps. There are numerous West Coast Swing elements.

          Last night I finally got the six step pattern. I remember hearing that there is an emphasis on the fourth and sixth beats but I was always too busy rushing the steps that I never got it. The emphasis at four and six is a slight hold on that beat. It's a pause in your body's movement and involves either looking at your dance partner or performing some embellishment.

          Musicality is feeling the music and incorporating the music in your movements. Essentially, your body, your mind and the music become one. The experience then feels good and you want more. For some people, I truly believe that there is an actual endorphin release the same way that runners experience a "runner's high".

          With emphasis on four, you are facing your dancing partner and hold to look into her face. In fact, however, West Coast partners are supposed to be looking and facing each other for most or all of the movements.

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