Editing West Coast Swing (section)

== Slot ==
[[File:Hollywood Ballroom Friday West Coast Swing night in December 2023 video.webm|thumb|West Coast Swing dancing in Maryland in December 2023]]
West Coast Swing is a [[slotted dance]], which means that the steps of the dance are confined to an imaginary "slot" on the dance floor. For West Coast Swing, the slot is a long, thin, rectangular area whose length depends on the tempo of the music – it can be eight or nine feet long for slower songs, but will be shorter for faster music. The follower travels back and forth in the slot, while the leader moves only minimally. When the follower reaches the leader, the leader moves a minimal amount (at mid-way point) to the side, barely out of the follower's way. The follower in turn lightly brushes against the leader each time they pass.<ref>Swing Dance Encyclopedia. Thomas L. Nelson. 2008. second edition. Authorhouse. page 6.168. {{ISBN|978-1-4343-5960-5}}</ref>

The use of the "dance slot" for energetic and improvisational dances like the West Coast Swing allows for dancers to dance on a crowded dance floor without colliding with other couples; remaining within one's slot is considered proper etiquette.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wcs-dancer.com/SkippyBlairDanceDictionary.html|title=West Coast Swing Dancer|website=www.wcs-dancer.com|access-date=2011-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006080012/http://www.wcs-dancer.com/SkippyBlairDanceDictionary.html|archive-date=2011-10-06|url-status=dead}}</ref> Couples usually establish their own slot parallel with dancers who have already established a space on the dance floor.<ref name="Swing Dance Encyclopedia 2008. page 6">Swing Dance Encyclopedia. Thomas L. Nelson. 2008. second edition. Authorhouse. page 6.218. {{ISBN|978-1-4343-5960-5}}</ref> If the dance floor is not crowded and the couple is afforded more space, such as during a competitive event, the dancers may move the slot around the floor more liberally.

There are [[urban myths]] regarding the origin of the slotted style. According to one version, it was an invention of Hollywood film makers who wanted "dancers to stay in the same plane, to avoid going in and out of focus".<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.outtodance.com/swing-lindy-dance.html|title=Swing Dance Lessons|website=www.outtodance.com}}</ref><ref name="streetswing1">{{cite web|url=http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3wcs1.htm|title=West Coast Swing Dance Dance Evolution – Origin – Clips – History| first=Sonny|last=Watson| website=Street Swing}}</ref>