One pattern. All the nuance. Deep dive.

What It Is

In a dance built on adaptability, nothing matters more than knowing how to really use your fundamentals.

Pattern of the Month is a monthly series that takes one core West Coast Swing pattern and breaks it down — not just step by step, but layer by layer.

Each post explores:

• 🎥 Live action and/or stop motion video
• 🛠️ Technique and rhythm drills
• 🎵 Musical phrasing application
• 🧠 Partner reads, variations, and corrections
• ⚠️ Danger zones and common breakdowns

This isn’t a combo dump. It’s a tactical refinement series — drawn from my perspective and experience as a professional dancer and teacher. Every pro brings something different to the table, and this series reflects my personal approach to movement, mechanics, and musical interpretation.

Why Just One Pattern?

Because most dancers don’t need more moves. They need more understanding of the patterns they already use.

By isolating one pattern each month, you build:

• Muscle memory with intention
• Technical control and body awareness
• Phrasing recognition and groove flexibility
• Stronger connection to both music and partner

Each pattern becomes a lens to explore:

• Frame evolution
• Stretch and compression
• Foot placement, body flight, and weight transfer
• Musicality tools like stillness, bounce, syncopation, or suspension

What to Expect

• A visual walkthrough using live footage and/or stop motion figures
• Clear mechanical breakdowns (Strike, Transfer, Collect, and beyond)
• Applied groove: when to smooth it, when to punch it, when to suspend
• Technique drills with progression ideas (solo + partnered)
• “What goes wrong” clips using Greyscale, our misalignment model

Built for Growth

Each month’s post is structured to help you grow across multiple dimensions:

• 📈 Solo skills: Footwork drills and groove patterns
• 🤝 Partner play: Where connection breaks down — and how to fix it
• ⏱️ Musical awareness: How the pattern shifts across different tracks
• 🔁 Variation options: Ideas for reshaping the same base structure

Who It’s For

• Advanced beginners working to solidify timing and body position
• Intermediates looking to deepen their groove mechanics
• Advanced dancers wanting to refine control, phrasing, and presence
• Instructors and competitors seeking fresh vocabulary within a strong framework

Note: These breakdowns reflect my personal understanding of each pattern. West Coast Swing is a living art form, and professionals across the scene bring their own unique and valid interpretations. This series is one lens — among many — designed to help you grow.

It’s not about doing more. It’s about dancing better.
[Explore Patterns →] or [Subscribe for Full Access →]