Years ago, learned WCS with the coaster step but recently several instructors have shared that the coaster step has been changed to the "anchor" step. I asked my personal instructor who shared that general public finds coaster step too difficult and the "anchor" step is put in as a substitute...So what is the deal?

I've taken wc swing lessons from three teachers. The one who specializes in ballroom teaches the coaster step. The two who specialize in wc and are in tune with what's current in the wc swing world teach the anchor step.

I don't find the coaster step any harder than the anchor, but there's a different feel. Altough I'm primarily a ballroom dancer, I prefer the anchor step because it introduces more contrast in movement between the walking steps and the anchor steps and it seems to me to fit most wc music better.

It has nothing to do with difficulty. Actually, the street swing dancer's WC syllabus is much higher in difficulty than a typical ballroom syllabus. For example, most ballroom syllabi save all 8-count figures until full bronze, which is typically somewhere between 6 to 18 months into one's education. The street swingers teach a whip as one of the first 6 to 8 patterns, usually within the first few weeks. By 18 months, most street swing students can not only dance almost ALL 8-count syllabus patterns, but they can usually improvise a whole host of embellishments, variations and syncopations to boot.

Also, the Whip itself has a coaster step in it -- both on the ballroom and the street swing side -- so to say that a coaster is too difficult for a Sugarpush but not for a Whip is skewed. Your personal instructor has no idea why street swingers disapprove of the coaster as the ending to most figures, so he/she has simply assumed it must be due to a lack of ability (or lack of faith in the students' ability).

The truth is, street swingers disapprove of the coaster as the ending to most figures because it represents a complete disregard for lead & follow. The man is not moving back on count 6, so what would cause the lady to come forward? An arbitrary yank of the arm? Let's hope not!

Because the man holds his position on 5&6, so should the lady. If she comes forward, the connection will be lost, at least temporarily, and she will be unable to follow the man's lead. In fact, by stepping forward on 6, she has already disregarded his lead, so that represents a minimum of two following mistakes.

When the lady anchors on 5&6, not only has she followed the man's current lead, but in so doing she has also maintained the weight connection, enabling her to follow subsequent leads. If he decides to do something unexpected (eg continue to anchor for another two beats), she'll be ready.

Stylistically, the anchor also allows for more variety of movement, and is typically slinkier and sexier than a coaster step -- much more in tune with the character of the dance. Coasters are more appropriate where more body flight is needed, for example on counts 3&4 of a Whip.

So why do street swingers condone the coaster on 3&4 of the Whip? Simple: It's what the man is leading the lady to do.

Regards,
Jonathan Atkinson
www.ballroomdancers.com

"The truth is, street swingers disapprove of the coaster as the ending to most figures because it represents a complete disregard for lead & follow. The man is not moving back on count 6, so what would cause the lady to come forward? An arbitrary yank of the arm? Let's hope not!

Because the man holds his position on 5&6, so should the lady. If she comes forward, the connection will be lost, at least temporarily, and she will be unable to follow the man's lead. In fact, by stepping forward on 6, she has already disregarded his lead, so that represents a minimum of two following mistakes."

Not doing it because it is not what has been lead sounds like a good idea. And for most purposes that may be all that really needs to be said. But someting in the further explanation seems to make a big leap of assumption.

Surely there is at least one more way in which the leader could lead the follower to come forward, involving NEITHER moving his own body backwards, nor an "arbitrary yank of the arm".

In any arm-connected dance, it is not actually obligatory that the leader's arm be moved by movement of his body. What is obligatory is that the movement of his arm be consistent with a type of movement that would suit the follower's body. The easiest and most natural way for him to move his arm in such a manner is to move his own body, and have that move his arm. But it's not the only way - if he really has a feel for the follower's body movement, he can in fact lead her with his arm alone, by simulating the sort of movement that would come from using his body to move his arm.

Buddy Schwimmer did away with teaching the coaster step probably about 16-17 years ago mainly because of things Jonathon mentioned. He was/is very geared to the night club scene out in California. Dont know if you know him, or know of him, but he is a very innovative dancer....he is really the one who created night club two-step.