East Coast Swing; A Ballroom "Invention"?

[Steve Pastor]

"The Ballroom community, looking for a much more simple and mild form of swing, invented a much simpler and milder form called "Eastern Swing" (East Coast Swing) in the forties. In Los Angeles in the 1940's and 50's many teachers would dance West Coast Swing as sort of an enticement."
The above was taken from a popular dance web site.
If you carefully read what people write on these sites, you will become totally confused about what happened when and where.
Arthur Murray did not use this term in his books thorugh 1954. So who were the people that were using this term, if anyone?
Other than noting the above information from the Murray books, I haven't seriously looked into when the name East Coast Swing began to be used.
Like it or not, the use of that name is common usage now.

 

[dancedevine]

ecw

"The Ballroom community, looking for a much more simple and mild form of swing, invented a much simpler and milder form called "Eastern Swing" (East Coast Swing) in the forties. In Los Angeles in the 1940's and 50's many teachers would dance West Coast Swing as sort of an enticement."
The above was taken from a popular dance web site.
If you carefully read what people write on these sites, you will become totally confused about what happened when and where.
Arthur Murray did not use this term in his books thorugh 1954. So who were the people that were using this term, if anyone?
Other than noting the above information from the Murray books, I haven't seriously looked into when the name East Coast Swing began to be used.
Like it or not, the use of that name is common usage now.

i am totally confused! Why do we hear of two classes ECS and WCS at diverse studios? And some people have an almost cult like intensity regarding whatever brand of swing they 'use'?

I am baffled. Why must things be so bloody complicated? This takes all the fun out of it... :cry:

 

[DennisBeach]

i am totally confused! Why do we hear of two classes ECS and WCS at diverse studios? And some people have an almost cult like intensity regarding whatever brand of swing they 'use'?

I am baffled. Why must things be so bloody complicated? This takes all the fun out of it... :cry:

That is a good question. We dance and like both ECS and WCS. WCS has various styles and I enjoy seeing good dancers, do the various style. I just enjoy sharing the dance floor with other people, who share my love for dancing, what style they do is irrelavent too me. I think they are all great.

 

[tangotime]

Dennis-- if you go back to earlier posts, a lot has to do with musical influences .

Swing ( e.c ) being a watered down version of a combination of dances, promoted by the chain schools to adapt rhythms ,to slower tempos, with a choice of 2 dominant rhythms ( syncop. bar and a s.s.q.q. ) which would better suit their clientele . They also wanted it to look more refined .

Its a funny thing, if one thinks about it-- the " laziness "of the w.c. and the " speed " of the e .c. , seem to typifiy the laid back persona of the west coast ( calif. ) ,as opposed to the hustle and bustle of the east ( like n.y.c. )

 

[DennisBeach]

Swing ( e.c ) being a watered down version of a combination of dances, promoted by the chain schools to adapt rhythms ,to slower tempos, with a choice of 2 dominant rhythms ( syncop. bar and a s.s.q.q. ) which would better suit their clientele . They also wanted it to look more refined .

QUOTE]

I noticed in some advanced East Coast videos, that a lot instructors, enhance East Coast by putting a lot of the Lindy type stuff into it. It became more fun when we learned some of those types steps.

What I was getting at in the first reply, was I don't see why people have to put down other types of dances and the people who like them. There are some dances I have no interest in, but I still appreciate and respect peopl who do like them.

 

[tangotime]

dennis

On the A / M step list, there was a step called " Lindy Turn ".