Courses

PROGRAM WORKSHOPS AND COURSES

We have many courses and workshops most of our workshops are free for our members, but you have to pay a fee to be able to join any of our courses. Read more about our courses in our course portal.

To our course portal

Are you looking for our free tryouts and socials? If so, then please visit our page for tryouts and socials.

OUR COURSES

Step 1 – Beginner

We go through the basics of West Coast Swing. The focus is on the four fundamental patterns: Left Side Pass, Under Arm Turn, Sugar Push, and Whip. We also cover the Starter Step and, if time allows, different variations of the basic patterns as well as styling.

The course has no prerequisites! Repetition is included, and the goal is for you to feel confident using the basic patterns in a social dance after completing the course.

Patterns: Left Side Pass, Under Arm Turn, Sugar Push, Whip, Sugar Tuck, Starter Step, Inside Turn. Concepts: Posture, Frame, Compression, Stretch, Chill Steps.

Step 2

Have you completed the beginner course? Then this is the next course for you! The course content is more or less the same in each session and is a direct continuation of the beginner course.

This course primarily focuses on learning new patterns and introducing individual styling. If you have only attended “Prova På” classes, we recommend taking the beginner course first to establish a solid technical foundation.

Patterns: Roll-in Roll-out (+ different handholds), Outside Turn, Whip with Inside/Outside Turn, Hip Catch, Slingshot. Concepts: Keeping Momentum, Posting/Floating Anchor, Body Lead. To progress to Step 3, participants should be able to perform and demonstrate an understanding of the patterns and concepts taught in Steps 1 and 2.

Step 3

This course is for those who want new material, variations, and styling and have completed Steps 1 and 2 or an equivalent level. The course content changes each session, allowing you to take this course multiple times while learning something new.

We will continue building on the patterns you already know and introduce more complex patterns and concepts. Additionally, we will work on musical adaptation, focusing on pattern selection for leaders and styling for followers.

Patterns: Shadow Position, Roll-in to Closed, Rock and Go, Individual Styling, Different Handholds, Variations on Starter Step (Basic, Tap Step-Triple, Hitch-and-Go), Sweetheart, Basic Patterns in Closed Position, Show Time, Passing Tuck, Whip Variations (Reverse, Underarm Turn). Concepts: Extending 6-Count Patterns to 8-Count, Individual Styling, Timing, Weight Transfers, Resisted Release, Phrase Changes, Active/Passive Lead. If you’re unsure whether this level is right for you, please contact one of the course instructors.

Step 4

In this course, we delve deeper into technique and musical adaptation. We will also introduce new patterns and individual styling. The course content changes each session, allowing you to retake it multiple times while gaining new knowledge.

This course requires solid dance experience, including regular participation in courses, workshops, and events both in Sweden and ideally abroad. The interaction between leader and follower should be well-integrated into your dance. You should feel confident using the patterns and concepts from Steps 1-3. It is not enough to just be familiar with these concepts; you must be able to apply them at an advanced level. You should also be comfortable incorporating individual styling. An audition is required for admission to this course!

To pass the audition for Step 4, dancers must demonstrate:

• Correct timing in executing patterns, including critical timing
• Good connection
  • Good frame
  • Good stretch
  • Followers waiting for the lead
  • Leaders lead with their body
• Basic spin technique
• Musicality
• Ability to recognize phrase changes
• Correct execution of patterns listed in Steps 1-3

The purpose of the audition is to ensure that dancers have the necessary skills for the highest level. The audition will assess both technical execution and proficiency in different patterns.

Auditions are scheduled before each course enrollment (twice per semester).

Patterns: Whip Variations with Passive Lead, Telemark, Fly-By, Dips, Ducks, Rides, One-Foot Spins. Concepts: Phrase Changes, Leverage, Acceleration and Deceleration, Contact Improvisation, Dancing to Different Tempos, Dancing to Different Music Styles, Active/Passive Lead, Syncopations, Leader/Follower-Initiated Extensions, Blues/Swung Rhythm. If you’re unsure whether this level is right for you, please contact one of the course instructors.

PERSONAL TRAINING

This course focuses on individualized training. You will set a personal goal to work toward, such as improving your social dancing, performing better in competitions, refining your timing, or enhancing your connection.

Based on your goals, our instructors will help you create a training plan and suggest exercises to work toward your objectives. You will take responsibility for your training and should be willing to practice both solo and with a partner. Throughout the course, you will document your progress in a training log, and our instructors will provide feedback and follow-ups.

The course is open to everyone, but we recommend that you take Step 3 at least once and have a clear goal for your training.

If you’re unsure whether this level is right for you, please contact one of the course instructors.

TECHNIQUE

In this course, we focus primarily on technique and refining the knowledge you already have. Each session will have a specific theme, with plenty of time for practice and repetition rather than an overload of new input. You should be open to discussing and analyzing your dance and willing to practice certain elements independently, without a partner. The goal of this course is to deepen your dance technique and provide you with tools to develop your dance style.

The course is open to everyone, but we recommend that you take Step 3 at least once.

Concepts: Critical Timing, Connection Strength (Bone, Muscle, Air), Weight Transfers (Partial, Full, Delayed), Active/Passive Lead. If you’re unsure whether this level is right for you, please contact one of the course instructors.

REFRESHER

Have you danced WCS before? Maybe you took a beginner course but then took a break that lasted a little too long? Now you have the chance to make a quick comeback! We offer a refresher session where we go through all the basics, try different handholds, and explore some variations of what is normally taught in courses Step 1 & 2.

Please note: We expect that you have done this before—we will not teach the patterns from scratch but rather review and refine them, polishing anything that may have gotten a bit rusty during your break. The goal is for you to be able to join Step 2 or 3 after this weekend and feel more confident on the social dance floor!

Individual Practice

This is an open practice session, not a course, without instructors or structured lessons. You are fully responsible for your own training, so it’s helpful to have a plan for what you want to work on—whether you’re practising solo or have arranged to train with a partner in advance.

We will primarily play music from the club’s playlists, and the volume will be kept at a lower level to allow for conversation and focused practice.

This training time is for our members—we look forward to seeing you there!

HOW TO REGISTER

Registration for courses & events

1. Click on REGISTER
2. A new page will open (https://yggdrasil.wcsumea.se)
3. Click on “Sign Up” and enter your First Name, Last Name, Email Address, password och select if you want a newsletter.
4. Once the account is created, you must activate the account via a link sent to your specified email. You can now login for course registration.
   
   You must first register for “membership 2022” (SEK 100/calendar year), then you can register for the course.
5. Click on the course you want to attend & register
6. Three options will appear:
   – Single registration – if you are going to register without a partner.
   – Start Couple Registration – if you want to register with a partner but where the partner has not yet registered.
   – Complete Couple Registration – must be used if your partner has already registered and received a REF NR which you must state here.

This is an automatic system that sends out confirmation emails directly as we can offer places at courses.

We manually register all payments so it may take a week or so before you see that your payment has been registered.

When payment is registered, you can log in yourself and print your receipt via the registration page.

Student Discount

We have a student discount on the courses.

Membership

To attend weekly courses, participate in training on Tuesdays, and join our socials, you must be a member of Umeå West Coast Swing. Membership costs 250 SEK per calendar year.

Rules Regarding Course Payments

When you register for a course or an event organized by West Coast Swing Umeå, the following applies:

• Payment must be made no later than 10 days after you have been accepted into the course; otherwise, we have the right to cancel your registration. However, removal does not happen automatically, so if you decide not to attend, you must contact us to deregister.
• If you have been accepted into the course (this does not apply if you are on the waiting list) but are unable to participate, you must notify us at least 5 days before the start of the course/event. In this case, you are eligible for a partial refund of the course fee, though a 150 SEK administrative fee will always be deducted.
• Alternatively, you can choose to keep the payment as credit for another course within a year, in which case no administrative fee will be charged.
• If you cancel less than 5 days before the start of the course, a partial refund is only possible in the event of illness.

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