The last one of these was years ago and too tame. Share yours! Actual unpopular opinions only please, this is a safe space. 

I’ll start: 

• The Elderbrook Bette Davis Eyes sucks. I’m tired of it being played all the time everywhere. 
• Followers flinging the free arm around like an artful loose hose need to rein it tf in. 
• Advanced dancers sandbagging in novice in their secondary roles should leave novice alone.
• The What Judges Want podcast is full of thinly veiled sexist standards from guest judges. I don't get why people recommend this podcast.
• Kirkland Signature Sport >>> Liquid IV.
• Shorts are the most practical, and we should all really be wearing more shorts.
• People ascribe way too much emotional significance to dance chemistry, like they’re going to find their soulmate on the dance floor and not on some shitty app like the rest of us. You are not Cinderella, the airport hotel is not a matchmaking ball. 
• Pro-am routines are boring to watch and mostly just showcase who’s spending a lot of money.

I go to around 12 WCS events per year, and 6 SBK (salsa/bachata/kizomba) festivals per year.

The main difference in how these events are organized is that with WCS there are far, far more competitions, and far fewer workshops, and the workshops start far earlier in the day and end early as well. This makes it basically impossible to do both late night social dancing and workshops.

The one exception is Friday. WCS Friday's normally have workshops from ~10am to ~5pm, and it is reasonable to wake up at 9am as Thursday social dancing starts at 9pm.

But a generic WCS Saturday/Sunday has workshops running as early as 9am and ending as early as 12pm, with competitions from 12pm to 12am on Saturday, or from 12pm to 6pm on Sunday. That is insanity.

At a SBK event, workshops don't start until 12pm, and they usually do not end until at least 5pm. At least. Some events will do workshops until 7pm. This is true for Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday. There are far fewer competitions, running from ~6pm to 12am.

The core issue with the WCS schedule is that there is a trade off between social dancing and workshops. In order to make the workshops, you have to miss social dancing. This tradeoff only exists because of the large number of competitions. At a SBK festival, this tradeoff does not exist.

This probably explains why social dancing at an SBK festival runs far longer (by which I mean the proportion of people still on the floor at 5am is higher at SBK than WCS).

Another great thing about SBK workshops is that the high level dancers actually attend most of the workshops.

It is also a wonderful ice breaker if you are traveling to a new event and don't know most of the people, as most of the attendees will go to the workshops, whereas at a WCS event there is a significant subset of attendees that skip the Saturday/Sunday workshops to sleep in.

Hey folks,

A great friend of mine is about to realise a life-long dream and open her own bricks and mortar WCS dance studio. Besides the obvious or generic (e.g. flowers) does anyone have any really good (or fantastically bad) gift suggestions? Any help welcome, thanks!

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Edit: some great suggestions, thanks for your help!

Hi all,

question for the group: how do you manage your workshop videos, and how do you find a video on a specific topic later? Folders per event and hoping you'll remember what's in them? Or is there software you use?
Background: I had around 100 videos and at some point no longer knew what was on any of them. I searched forever for something that would let me search by keywords, gave up, and since I already had a Claude.ai account for another project, I started building an app the way I wanted it.
What I wanted: - Sort and filter by teacher, event, year, level, date and tags - Favorites, and a view that shows only those - I didn´t want to write all the summaries manually so AI writes the summary and tags (I'm lazy). Watching every video again and typing in all the info was just too much - No cost for the AI was also important for me (you use your own free API key from Google or Groq) - Videos stay where they are: on your phone or in your local folders on the PC - Removing a video from the library only deletes the entry – the file stays untouched in its folder. And I wanted to play the video in the app as well. With a loop function and adjustable speed.
A few months later it works on Windows, Android and iPhone (tested on an iPhone 12, but not in the App Store). One limitation: teacher and event names you mostly enter yourself – ususally the teacher don´t give their full names or the full event name so the AI can´t fill it in correctly. It's not limited to WCS, by the way: you create libraries per dance style, so it works for any dance where you collect workshop or class videos (Lindy, Salsa, Bachata, Zouk, Ballroom …). The AI analysis is just tuned a bit more towards WCS terminology because that's what I dance.

Maybe I reinvented the wheel. But if there are other workshop video hoarders out there who find this useful, I can share the Windows installer and the Android APK.
After all the work it would be a shame if I were the only one using it. Only request: if something doesn't work, is unclear, or you have an idea for a feature, send me a message at [wcsvideoorganizer@gmail.com](mailto:wcsvideoorganizer@gmail.com) so I can look into it.
Before anyone asks: no, I'm not trying to make money with this, it's purely a hobby project. Only if enough people want the iPhone version in the App Store would I have to charge for it, because Apple charges a yearly fee just to list an app and I don't want to pay for that out of pocket forever. And if there's something better than my app out there, I'd honestly like to know – I'd switch. I don´t see how I can add screen shots and I would probably set the flair to smth like resource. But I don´t have anything like this available.

This was the first social I attended. Both me (follower) and leader are beginners . And tips or critiques for me to improve. When I watch the video I feel like I’m more choppy than smooth. I’d love feedback .

I could not figure out a way to make that title less weird so bear with me.

I was thinking the other day about how interesting this hobby is in that you can get so much contact and intensity, and only after remember to ask for each other's names. That could really scare off a lot of newbies. First lesson, you're learning everything with an open position. And then you go into a social dance and especially as a follow leads are using whips and starter steps and you expected the only contact to be hands and suddenly it's not. I was freaked out my first social, but now of course I realize it's completely normal and wasn't a lead being weirdly touchy.

Just some thoughts I've been having recently, and was interested to hear opinions from the broader community.

How often are you going to events and competing? How many comps did it take you to move through each division? I have seen people talk about things in months/years, but not in event numbers so I’m curious.

I know people in my division who are traveling and competing every month, sometimes twice a month. I’ve been doing around 6 a year/every other month and thought that was a good amount, but I’m not progressing as quickly as I “should” be (or could be if I went more often). I know comparison is the thief of joy and all that. A recent WDOTD post about the advanced division also made me realize I really don’t want to be there right now lol. 

I remember being over the moon when I got my first newcomer points years ago, and even though I’m so much more skilled now, some of that joy has been overtaken by comp fatigue and general disillusionment.

For those who stopped competing, when did you know it was time to stop? Did you ever go back?

In my city there isn't much opportunity for guided practices or socials so I mostly just take lessons and then learn other dances though out the week. I don't usually take privates just cause cash is a bit stingy right now and I don't really have a dedicated partner to work with through the week.

I'm just curious what folks do to practice getting better in their own time by themselves if any. I have time to practice as I cook and wanna jam to music.

More a random story time, but last week I decided to hit the beginner lesson as an experienced lead just walking about the venue waiting for the social, and ended up really vibing with a follow there. I asked them to dance during the social and the dance was actually SOOOO good. I only led basics, really, but the vibes, chemistry, physical connection was just there.

The thing I find so interesting is that we danced I think 4 times, and each dance became exponentially worse in a mechanical sense - we clearly were still having a lot of joy together, but by dance 4 we became really disconnected and there was no flow in the dance. I have to think that maybe I just became more and more experimental with the partnership and they were still a beginner at the end of the day, but idk lol

Do y’all ever have days or even just moments where everything goes off the rails or your favorite partner and you just aren’t making sense suddenly?

Hi!

I'm very curious : what are songs you are dancing west coast swing to, that are less known internationally ?

By that I mean : - either non english song - or english songs that seems to be special to your social scene, and if you know the reason why, I would be delighted

Here are two pieces of music i keep hearing here (i don't know if I can add youtube link, if it's okay, i'll add them)

- Chalouper (Gaelle Faye) https://youtu.be/9qJlHYk5cTA?is=wWbbAnPb8Vo_R-0Q

- Soleil Bleu (Bleu soleil and LUIZA) https://youtu.be/nd8RD3tjNQE?is=IdlBGPFzlPqOCYTI

Edit : clearer wording

I've been told that my WCS needs more dynamics, movements, isolations, etc., and that I would benefit from training in a solo dance that specifically teaches these things which I could steal and bring into my WCS.

But there are many solo dances to chose from. Hip hop, jazz, lyrical, and many more.

If I were to pick just one to focus on, which would it be and why?

What are your thoughts? Is one better than the other? Do you need to learn to do both? I mostly do heel leads but I feel like other novice follows do toe leads and it looks better. I don't understand how you can toe leads on a forward walk while rolling your feet though, is that not counterintuitive? Please help

Hello! I'm hoping someone can point me to the where the WCS in Seattle are. I current dance at mission city swing in SF which I know I'm spoiled by. I plan to move to Seattle in the next few months and would love to find a scene with intermediate & advance classes along with a social.

I saw mentions of century ballroom from a few years ago but when I look at their website I can't find anything about a WCS class and social, only private stuff. Which night has the most attendance every week?

Looking forward to dancing with y'all out there!

I'm very confused.

I was under the impression that WCS used contra body. I am certain I heard that in multiple group lessons over the years.

However recently I took two private lessons at events where the instructors (one champ, one all star) told me that I was using contra body and that it was at best making life more difficult for me, and at worse it was wrong.

The two cases I heard this:

First, walking backwards while connected with both hands to the instructor. I was using contra body, and the instructor said that it is going to make it harder for me to communicate weight shifts. It can be done, but it is much easier to to communicate weight shifts if I did the opposite of contra body.

Second, leader's anchor step. Over the right foot on the 6, my torso was doing contrabody. Changing this to the opposite of contra body was apparently the correct way to do the anchor step.

Can anyone clear this up? In WCS when are you supposed to use contrabody, and when are you supposed to use the opposite of contrabody?

Disclaimer : I'm no musician and truth be told, my WCS is far from great.

Still, there's something that's been puzzling me since I started WCS 3 short years ago : the epitome of musicality seems to be knowing the song beforehand and being ready to "1-2-step" or "drop" or "touch" or whatever is in the lyrics at a given moment in time. This is especially true during comps but also seems quite common during social dancing.

Back when I used to dance lindy hop, many musics were instrumental, and for those that weren't, I don't remember anyone, pros included, tipping their hat every single time "Sweet Georgia Brown" got played. Moreover, it was not uncommon to be dancing on live music, so good luck with even knowing what would happen 3 8-counts from now when sometimes even the musicians had no idea.

So the way I see it, and I know it is a very personal view, a musical dancer is someone whose energy in the dance reflects the energy in the music, who is able to adapt the way the step, move, lead/follow, etc. to what is happening at any given time, including - and maybe especially - with a song they do not know.

I guess I don't understand why lyrics are so important. The song is the same one whether you speak the language or not, and the same pair of dancers should be judged the same way on the french or italian version of the song if they are similar. And don't take me wrong : I understand it requires a lot of technique and finesse to be able to integrate that kind of acting without breaking the flow, without interfering with the lead... I also understand it can be real fun once in a while, I just don't see why it seems so paramount.

Any feedback is welcome, as i feel like I'm missing something big...

A couple of my WCS friends attend a Fusion dance which is about an hour away from me.

They were saying that it is fun, but that the overall level of dance technique is going to be lower than what I'm familiar with at a WCS local dance. E.g. more followers are going to lack frame, or more leaders may arm lead, compared to a local WCS dance.

I do WCS and bachata and have thought about fusion for some time but have never tried it.

The only issue is that it is an hour drive away from me, and my friends' carpool is full. Of course I could try it out once, but wanted to get some perspectives from here.

Who is deciding on this outdated list of awful songs everyone hates by now? Imagine being stuck in novice and you hear the same crap over and over again? And why are the lyrics always encouraging you to do stuff that would tank your competition dance? "on my knees on my knees... I'm off timeee sometimess, I'm a little crazzzyyy" I understand there should be a bit of a standard in terms of bpm and a clear beat maybe even genre but I'm hearing the same damn songs in every competition. At my last event the bumper songs were more inspiring than the competition songs. Who is responsible!?!

About a year back I went to a WCS class at Danznik, level 2, and there were about twice as many leads as follows. Didn’t go to the social. Is this common?

I hear all about how one of the most important criteria is being on time. Well, when am I on time as a follower?

Is it correct to delay the 1, should it be done everytime or as a way to accentuate? How can it be done so it shows that it's intentional? With hitching it's pretty clear, but subtle delayed 1s not so much.

How can I even tell that I am off time?

I've tried at a few events. Approaching people in person is usually tough because the pros/allstars are usually pretty busy and hard to get a moment with. When I have gotten a moment, they tell me to reach out via Facebook, but never even look at my message. I do intend to take a lesson at an upcoming event with someone from a previously local to me scene who I have previously taken lessons with, but even though I know her I am unsure of when to inquire about her availability since it's at an event.

I live in a small city where the highest leveled dancers we have are intermediate (and only 2 of them). I would like to do regular private lessons for a couple of months and finally have someone who is interested in doing it with me so we can practice in between etc.

I am not looking for an online platform. I am looking for someone who will do zoom (or other similar platform) private lessons for us.

Generally, I don’t feel like virtual training should cost the exact same as in person but I am willing to consider it if necessary for a short term basis. I don’t have an exact budget in mind because I don’t have much of a reference point. Would like to see what’s out there and decide based on that.

We are in Canada, so bonus points for people based in Canada so we don’t also have to take the hit from converting from USD/euro.