Lindy Hop vs West Coast Swing

By Lindy Hopper, Editor

Ask which swing dance to learn and you'll hear two names. They share ancestry and some move names, but they feel very different on the floor.

The short version

Lindy Hop is the original swing dance, born in Harlem at the end of the 1920s and danced to swinging jazz. West Coast Swing grew out of Lindy Hop in California and is usually danced today to contemporary music. They share a family tree and some vocabulary, but they move, sound and feel different.

At a glance

The slot and the circle

West Coast Swing is danced in a slot: the follow travels up and down a straight line while the lead mostly steps out of the way. The slot is often described as a long, narrow rectangle – roughly two and a half to three metres long for slower songs and shorter for faster ones – and couples stay in theirs to avoid collisions.

Savoy-style Lindy Hop, which most UK classes teach, isn't slotted – its swingout rotates the couple, so the dance circles around the floor. Hollywood-style Lindy Hop is more slotted, and the Los Angeles swing dancing of the 1940s is where West Coast Swing has its roots.

Where West Coast Swing came from

West Coast Swing developed from Lindy Hop in Southern California. Dean Collins, a Lindy Hopper who arrived in Los Angeles in the late 1930s, was an influential performer and teacher in the West Coast style of the time. In 1951 Laure Haile, a dance director for Arthur Murray studios, documented the local style as "Western Swing", and her notes became the basis of a teaching syllabus. The name "West Coast Swing" was in use by the late 1950s and early 1960s and spread more widely later that decade. In 1988 it was named California's official state dance.

Lindy Hop, by contrast, was created by African-American dancers in Harlem, centred on ballrooms such as the Savoy. Our history of Lindy Hop tells that story.

The music

Lindy Hop is danced to swinging jazz – big bands, small combos and the modern bands who play in that style. Tempos range from relaxed to very fast; see the tempo guide and swing music for dancers.

West Coast Swing is usually danced to contemporary music: blues, R&B, pop and soul. It can be danced to almost anything in 4/4 time, and much of its music is slower than a typical Lindy Hop night.

The feel

• Lindy Hop: bouncy, grounded and energetic, with a pulse on every beat. See bounce and pulse.
• West Coast Swing: smooth, elastic and stretchy, with lots of space to play with timing.

Both dances rely on a responsive connection between partners, but the quality is different. Lindy Hop tends to swing and release, using momentum and rotation. West Coast Swing tends to stretch and compress along the slot, with a lot of play in how long a moment can be held.

What carries over

• Connection skills. Leading through the body, following through a toned arm, and listening to your partner work in both.
• Rhythm. Both use rock steps and triple steps, and both mix 6- and 8-count patterns. See 6-count vs 8-count.
• Social etiquette. Asking, accepting and declining work the same way. See the etiquette guide.
• Musicality. Hearing phrases and breaks helps in any dance.

Common confusions for crossover dancers

• Bringing the slot into Lindy. West Coast dancers often keep the swingout too linear. Let it rotate.
• Bringing the bounce into West Coast. Lindy Hoppers can look bouncy in a dance that wants smoothness. Flatten the pulse.
• Anchor steps. West Coast Swing ends many patterns with an "anchor" that settles the couple in the slot; Lindy Hop's ending triple step flows into the next move instead.
• Tempo shock. A West Coast dancer's first fast Lindy Hop song can feel like a sprint. Start with medium tempos.

What a first class feels like

A beginners' Lindy Hop class usually starts with a warm-up and some rhythm work, then teaches the rock step, triple step and a few 6-count moves in open position, with partners rotating every few minutes. Expect jazz from the 1930s and 40s, a bouncy feel and plenty of laughter – see your first class for the details.

A beginners' West Coast Swing class also rotates partners and also starts with 6-count patterns, but you'll be introduced to the slot straight away and the music will probably be something you've heard on the radio this year. The movement is smoother and the emphasis is on stretch and timing rather than bounce.

In the UK, Lindy Hop has a large network of weekly classes, socials and festivals, and many cities have both scenes. If you live somewhere with only one, start there: good partner-dance habits transfer.

Which first?

If big-band jazz makes you want to move, start with Lindy Hop. If you love modern music, try West Coast. Plenty of dancers end up doing both – the connection skills carry over. If you're curious about other members of the family, try Balboa, Charleston or solo jazz, or browse all our styles. Our guide to choosing a class helps you pick a school.

Try a class

The quickest way to decide is to try one. Find a Lindy Hop class near you, search classes nearby, or start with a beginners' course.

Try it on the floor: How to Do the Swingout · How to Do the Lindy Circle · How to Do a Tuck Turn · The Charleston: Kicks, Swivels and a Very Big Grin

Read next

• Lindy Hop Instruction: Every Style, Every Level
• 6-Count and 8-Count: Lindy Hop Rhythm Explained
• How to Do Swivels

Sources

1. Wikipedia – West Coast Swing
2. Wikipedia – Lindy Hop

Last reviewed 2026-10-23.