Do a search for “great dancing on TikTok,” and a slew of impressive clips will emerge. But let’s get real: It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that West Coast Swing.
Though the dance is a version of the traditional Lindy Hop that originated back in the 1930s, West Coast Swing is a cool and modern style backed by a contemporary, as-heard-on-Spotify soundtrack. (Sorry, Big Band music!) More notably, the majority of all that amazing dancing is improvised—as in, the partners don’t know exactly how they’ll be moving on the floor until they hear the first beat.
“It’s like you know the language but don’t have the script,” says Ben Morris, a two-time World Swing champion and dance teacher. “There are certain guidelines as to how a ‘lead’ and a ‘follow’ work, and there is a basic structure. But the exact choreography is essentially made up as you go along.”
Couple the improv element with the bite-size length of each routine, and it’s no surprise West Coast Swing has been booming in this day and age. “Social media videos are the perfect way to showcase the improv format, because the dances must only be 90 seconds long in competition,” he explains. “People start watching and ask, ‘What is this? It’s so cool!’ ”
But the benefits of thinking on your feet aren’t just limited to the dance floor. Morris explains how WCS can benefit performers of all varieties.
How does West Coast Swing connect with performance skills?
There is a fair amount of acting that goes into our dancing because we’re playing a part and feeding off the emotion from the song and projecting our bodies. And on the improv front, there are similarities in how to play off each other and play off the audience in order to create entertainment—especially if you’re doing improv comedy.
Can you give some examples?
The most obvious ones are the callbacks, which are basically when you’re referencing something that already happened to create a moment. Like, I have a joking strategy with my dancing partner [Victoria Henk], because she is far more athletic than I am. So she’ll do this incredible athletic feat while we’re dancing, like a super high split, and thereafter, I’ll do a parodied version of that.
@wcs5678 Awesome #Shivers impro dance of @benmorrisdanceofficial and Brandi Guild to @edsheeran ♬ Perfect - Ed Sheeran
How do you know if the improv is really working?
It’s a judgment call. Like: Do I think it turned out well? Does my partner think it turned out well? Occasionally, we’ll show a move—like turning my partner in a new direction—to someone else. Or I’ll show it to my wife and she’ll say, “That’s not as cool as you think it is.” If I lose the connection with my partner, then I know it was a terrible idea!
But you also have to take risks, right?
Yeah, absolutely. When you’re dancing, you want everything to work and look clean—but you also don’t want it to be boring and do the same thing every time. You need to mix it up. Maybe I don’t have a 100% success rate, but at least I’m always trying something new. So I do encourage my students to take risks because the goal is to get better.
How do you fake it in the moment when it’s not working?
It’s all about the mentality. It’s not going wrong; it’s just going differently. Or else it gets in your head and throws you off, and the rest of the dance isn’t good. The highest-level of professionals aren’t nervous about making mistakes because they’ll just let those mistakes flow through their bodies, and they’ll move on to the next thing without missing a beat.
You should also remember your reaction. I learned a long time ago that you never want to show it on your face that the performance is a mistake. So just pretend it’s going well, and then try to turn it into something actually going well.
What’s the key to doing a successful improv performance with a partner?
It’s really about building a rapport. If you’re just social dancing with a new partner, try to get on the same page with them right away and figure out the right vibe. If you’re working with a longtime partner, you’re always practicing together and teaching together and planning together. It’s very much like managing a romantic relationship, so you have to keep it healthy. And some partners are couples!
The Importance of Improvisation in Auditions (And Life)What’s the secret to mastering the art of performance improv?
Years and years and years of practice! It’s a constant obsession of working on the craft and learning. I always tell my students, “You should always be experimenting and trying things while you’re dancing and mentally storing the results of those experiments.” Remember what works and what doesn’t.
Looking for improv classes in person or online? Check out these options:
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
