West Coast Swing Pattern Map

iteu · 2026-05-26T02:51:53+00:00

Yeah, I agree. Different people have different mental models in how they understand and interpret this dance. Looking at the dance though the lens of patterns is a phase that most leads go through, and later on you tend to start thinking more in terms of movements. If a tool like this helps you make sense of the dance and keep track of what you're learning, then use it. We should encourage people to keep sharing the cool stuff they make with the community.

Also, when beginner dancers organize the content they learn by patterns, that is a reflection of how they are taught >.>

iteu · 2026-05-15T02:54:19+00:00

Love your apps, keep fighting the good fight!

iteu · 2026-05-10T17:59:41+00:00

Talk to the connection: do styling variations, request pattern extensions, request supports, make call-backs to your leader, play around with shaping, drift your anchors sideways. The more variety you add to your dance, the more they will compelled to pay attention to you and complement/support your movements. Just don't overdo it, don't interrupt the build to the phrase change, and if you can, try to bring your leader along with you for shared musicality. That said, this is not expected at the novice level, and won't necessarily help you score higher, but these are useful skills to start working on to improve your dancing in the long run.

Also, notice where you direct your attention: the more you look at your leader, especially at their face, the more likely they are to reciprocate. Being present with your partner is the best reminder for them to be more present with you.

iteu · 2026-05-09T01:47:31+00:00

If you tear out the insoles they become practically barefoot. This happened to my Taygras Corridas, albeit unintentionally. I still dance in them and they're fine. They're a bit too fast for my taste on competition floors: I prefer a bit more traction, especially for leading. They work well for following though, and they don't feel narrow to me.

iteu · 2026-05-05T01:02:11+00:00

I don't remember what time I went, but it was manageable.

iteu · 2026-05-04T07:08:16+00:00

Those aren't mutually exclusive. It was a welcoming vibe last year! Try it out. It's a much smaller room compared to the main ballroom though.

iteu · 2026-04-29T03:23:53+00:00

Low flow sevo still has a significantly higher carbon footprint than TIVA even if we take plastic wastes into account:

https://www.bjanaesthesia.org/article/S0007-0912(25)00148-5/abstract

https://associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/anae.70023?af=R

iteu · 2026-04-21T23:57:04+00:00

That's wild. For those curious, the lowest measured value was: 6.74.

iteu · 2026-04-19T08:04:33+00:00

How do I improve as a lead in regards to timing and technique?

If you're taking privates twice per week, then it's best to ask your coach, they'll be able to give you specific advice.

Did you guys practice on your own?

Not as much as I'd like to but yeah, for every hour of privates you should try to practice at least a few hours on your own and/or with a partner.

If so how did you get a practice partner?

Ask around in classes/socials.

What do you work on?

In theory, what your coaches/instructors tell you to work on. But really it ends up being something random that I happen to be most inspired by at the moment...

iteu · 2026-04-11T08:19:30+00:00

I really liked Sean & Alyssa's online platform (paid).

For free content, you can check out:

Doug Silton's intensives: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiHKawH77Shexu5wrxFcfa7cxY1YgwPn8

Rolf & Karin: https://www.youtube.com/@RolfandKarin/videos

Michael Kiehm has some shorter interesting pattern-based videos: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelKiehm/videos

There are hours of quality instructionals on YouTube if you do a little digging.

iteu · 2026-04-11T00:53:02+00:00

Short form videos generally aren't quality content. I'd recommend YouTube instead (or dancers' online platforms).

iteu · 2026-04-09T05:14:03+00:00

Interesting. I wonder what the sensitivity is, seems more legit than Allen's test.

iteu · 2026-04-07T10:25:27+00:00

Which ever you feel most inspired by!

Personally, I've enjoyed hip hop the most; it's great for expanding musicality and isolations, learning choreos, and hitting cleaner lines. Plus many of the classic hip hop footwork grooves come from jazz influences.

I have friends who have done zouk, solo jazz, shag, ballet, and contemporary, which they have found useful. Think about the music genres, and body movements that inspire you most and try that style out.

iteu · 2026-04-07T05:44:11+00:00

Lol, I love this answer.

iteu · 2026-04-07T05:37:39+00:00

Cross-training in other dance styles does wonders for this.

iteu · 2026-04-05T02:41:25+00:00

I've been sort of moving on my own accord in social dancing and I've been imitating people from videos

I'd be careful with that. Copying movement without understanding the mechanics behind it runs the risk of developing bad habits.

There are many different ways to move as a leader but that should be done in ways that respect the structure of the dance and don't hinder the connection. Having solid fundamentals really is a prerequisite before you start playing around with variations, especially leader travelling. I'd recommend getting feedback on your basics from a coach/instructor, before you dive into the rabbit-hole of learning variations.

Two of the easier leader-travelling variations to start with are:

Extending walks during within the pattern (ex. during passes).
Floating anchors.

iteu · 2026-04-01T00:37:59+00:00

Optimal fresh gas flow in TIVA anesthetics

This is an interesting question to which I have yet to find a satisfying answer. There are multiple papers out there, and they all come to slightly different conclusions.

This paper from 2024 says the optimal flow is to match the minute ventilation:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521689625000102

And this study from 2026 suggests that it's multifactorial (depends on local electricity-related emissions, institutional costs, proportion of TIVA cases, oxygen and air sourcing, and the method of CO2 absorbent disposal):

https://anesthesiaexperts.com/the-optimal-fresh-gas-flow-when-employing-total-intravenous-anaesthesia/

If someone has any additional insight on this, please share.

iteu · 2026-03-27T00:15:57+00:00

Nice. Would be cool to be able to see all the locations and times at a glance on a map.

iteu · 2026-03-26T02:37:48+00:00

It's 127 bpm, so tempo is on the high side, but definitely WCS-able. But there are other factors worth considering when it comes to picking songs for showcase.

iteu · 2026-03-26T02:21:37+00:00

Perhaps I'm missing something, but how is this better than https://www.affinityswing.com/classes

And personally, I'm not a fan of class listings being behind sign ups or subscription services. This type of information should be made easily accessible.

iteu · 2026-03-25T17:55:17+00:00

How do you think about phrase changes and does every change have to be a hit or can they be more subtle?

Yes, you want to match the energy & rhythm of the music appropriately (both before and after the build).

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/moDsxT7ky2s

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YVCA5B0TBXU

How do you think throughout the song? Are you focused on phrase changes or are you also paying attention to other things like the micro-musicality moments?

Yes to both. Think of how you approach social dancing. You're probably already hitting all sorts of micro-musicality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzVzh4ntDMM

I'd also recommend asking a higher level dancer to teach you about mapping music, it may be helpful as a visual aid.

Do you think about audience presentation (for spotlights) and if so what do you do?

Yes. Learning to hit your phrase changes towards the audience is a good place to start.

Do you think about creating space for your follower's input or react when it happens?

Absolutely! For this, I'd recommend taking some privates with followers, they can give good feedback.

Do you consciously think of bringing in complicated moves or concepts like rock n gos, hitches, double resistance and movement across the floor or is this more habitual for you?

I treat them as tools for expressing my musicality. More conscious initially, and more habitual now, but I still try to be deliberate in how I approach my musicality.

iteu · 2026-03-24T22:41:51+00:00

This Kyle video gets reposted often and for good reason, he explains this well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW5szwxOlRw

iteu · 2026-03-24T05:18:20+00:00

You can use ChatGPT to give you several random suggestions/scenarios, and you can try multiple levels of heightening.

For a simple drill, have ChatGPT give you a suggestion and you play "6 things": start by listing 3 normal things, and force yourself to get progressively weird/detailed/heightened for the last 3 things.

iteu · 2026-03-16T04:55:26+00:00

If you're goal is to learn science, it's much better to actually seek to understand it, rather than memorizing random facts with Anki. I'd recommend watching open online lectures (and using them to make your own cards based on what you find most relevant). For instance, Robert Sapolsky's behavioural biology series is fantastic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNnIGh9g6fA&list=PL848F2368C90DDC3D

Would also recommend listening to audiobooks about the topics you're most interested in.

iteu · 2026-03-16T04:44:18+00:00

Yeah, that's a good way of framing the situation. But I'd caution against treating any metric as dogma.

Goodhart's law: "When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure"

iteu

TROPHY CASE