If you’ve been trying to learn West Coast Swing here in Orlando and feel like it just hasn’t clicked, this video might be the breakthrough you’ve been waiting for. Anthony and Rose from Country Dance Orlando are diving into the part of West Coast Swing that most beginners struggle with the most: 8-count patterns.
Now, if you’ve taken a class somewhere and were shown a bunch of steps and patterns without really understanding how they work, you’re not alone. That’s how most people are taught—and it’s also why so many dancers get stuck. In this lesson, Anthony and Rose walk you through what’s really going on behind the scenes in 8-count patterns, so you can stop memorizing and start understanding.
They start by explaining the difference between 6-count and 8-count West Coast Swing patterns. In a 6-count pattern, the follower typically travels from one side of the slot to the other in six beats. But with an 8-count, she goes to the other side—and then comes back. It’s more movement, and it requires a better understanding of timing and structure to make it feel smooth (and fun).
That’s where this video comes in. Rather than treating 8-count patterns like a bunch of random steps, Anthony breaks them down into four sections—each one lasting two beats. These four sections are:
- Come Toward Me – The follower starts moving down the slot toward the leader (beats 1-2).
- Come Back – The follower is redirected back toward where she came from (beats 3-4).
- Something Happens – This is where the variation occurs. Maybe there’s a turn, a styling detail, or a change in direction (beats 5-6).
- Anchor – Both dancers stabilize in place, grounding the end of the movement (beats 7-8).
That’s the structure. And once you understand that, suddenly all those complicated whip patterns and turn variations don’t feel so overwhelming. Instead of trying to remember “a list of steps,” you just follow the logic of the pattern’s structure.
To make this crystal clear, Anthony uses a super simple visual metaphor: pink and blue circles. The follower moves between two pink circles on either side of the slot, and the leader moves between three blue circles (left, center, and right), depending on where he needs to be to guide her. It’s easy to picture, and it helps make sense of the movement, especially for people who are visual learners.
Throughout the video, they demonstrate several variations—whip, underarm turn, outside turn, behind-the-back hand changes—and show how each one still follows the same basic structure. You’ll start to realize that 90% of the “advanced” stuff is really just a remix of the same four building blocks.
And here’s the best part: this approach works for both leaders and followers. Leaders learn how to think ahead and guide the dance with confidence, and followers can finally feel what’s coming next without guessing or relying on memorized choreography.
So if you’re in Orlando and have been struggling with West Coast Swing, this is a great place to hit reset. Whether you’re learning for the first time or just need things to finally make sense, this video takes the pressure off and makes it all feel doable.
Want to take your dancing further? Anthony and Rose teach beginner-friendly West Coast Swing lessons every week right here at Country Dance Orlando. Their classes are relaxed, down-to-earth, and focused on helping regular people become confident social dancers—without overthinking it.
Watch the video, then come join us in person. West Coast Swing doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to make sense.