West Coast Swing
2 performances · avg 21.50
West Coast Swing
Charts
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West Coast Swing
Category: Swing (slot)
Also known as: WCS
DWTS performances in dataset: 2
Average total score: 21.5
First appearance: Season 7, Week 5 — Lance & Lacey (Breakin' Dishes)
Lift rule on DWTS: Allowed (non-core / specialty style on DWTS).
Origins and history
West Coast Swing evolved in California from Lindy-derived slot dancing and became a distinct smooth swing style danced to blues, R&B and pop. NDCA lists nightclub tempos around 28 MPM.
Sources
- Wikipedia: West Coast Swing — California slot swing
- DanceManual: Dance Tempo Chart — NDCA nightclub tempo
How it is danced
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Time signature | 4/4 |
| Tempo (MPM) | ~28 NDCA Nightclub |
| Tempo (BPM, approx.) | ~90–120 typical |
| Character | Elastic, slotted, bluesy-to-contemporary; anchors and stretch connection. |
| Hold / frame | Open; slot-oriented. |
| Basic steps & figures | Sugar push, underarm turn, left-side pass, whip; 6- and 8-count patterns ending in an anchor. |
| What judges look for | Connection stretch, musical interpretation, slot clarity. |
Competition tempi cite WDSF Competition Rules E.3.2 and related DanceSport charts where applicable; theatrical styles are song-driven.
History on Dancing with the Stars
Statistics below are computed from the Data with the Stars SQLite performance and score tables (not invented).
- Times danced: 2
- Score range: 21.0 – 22.0 (total judges’ score as stored)
- Perfect nights (every judging mark = 10): 0
Average score by era
| Era | Performances | Average total |
|---|---|---|
| S1-10 | 2 | 21.5 |
Best scores
- 22.0 — S7 W5: Toni & Alec — The Way You Make Me Feel (Michael Jackson)
- 21.0 — S7 W5: Lance & Lacey — Breakin' Dishes (Rihanna)
Lowest scores
- 21.0 — S7 W5: Lance & Lacey — Breakin' Dishes
- 22.0 — S7 W5: Toni & Alec — The Way You Make Me Feel
Most-used songs
- Breakin' Dishes — Rihanna (1×)
- The Way You Make Me Feel — Michael Jackson (1×)
Charts
- Data CSV:
data/west-coast-swing-by-season.csv - SVG:
charts/west-coast-swing-frequency.svg,charts/west-coast-swing-score-trend.svg
Watch top performances
- No linked YouTube clips in the dataset for this style yet.
Educational fan reference. Dance histories paraphrased from cited sources; DWTS stats from project data. Not affiliated with BBC Studios or Disney.
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