Editing East Coast Swing (section)

==Timing==

Because East Coast uses a six step pattern with music employing 4 beats per measure, three measures of music are required to complete two sets of steps, as shown in the following table.

{|
|-
| Music beats (in fours):||'''1'''||&nbsp;||2||&nbsp;||3||&nbsp;||4||&nbsp;||'''1'''||&nbsp;||2||&nbsp;||3||&nbsp;||4||&nbsp;||'''1'''||&nbsp;||2||&nbsp;||3||&nbsp;||4
|-
| Music beat incremental:||1||&nbsp;||2||&nbsp;||3||&nbsp;||4||&nbsp;||5||&nbsp;||6||&nbsp;||7||&nbsp;||8||&nbsp;||9||&nbsp;||10||&nbsp;||11||&nbsp;||12
|-
| East Coast Triple Step Timing:  (1 and 2, 3 and 4, rock step)||R||||S||&nbsp;||3||a||4||&nbsp;||5||&nbsp;a||6||&nbsp;||'''R'''||||S||&nbsp;||3||a||4||&nbsp;||5||a||6
|-
| East Coast Single Step:  (1 2 rock step)||R||&nbsp;||&nbsp;S||&nbsp;||3||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||5||&nbsp;||||&nbsp;||R||&nbsp;||&nbsp;S||&nbsp;||3||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||5||&nbsp;||
|}
The rock step starts on 1, 2 the first triple step starts 3a4 and the second on 5a6.

In single time style (used with faster music) the triple steps are replaced by single steps, so two beats of music are used for each single step while each step in the rock (R) step (S) is still completed in one beat, finishing the cycle in six musical beats.  Some instructors will teach vocalizing the single time style as" "Quick. Quick. Slow. Slow. "  or "Back Step. Slow. Slow."

There is the choice to start with triples or with a rock step, however if you check the above chart where a triple step starts on a 1, 2 you can see that the pattern progresses and wraps back around.  The choice of starting with a triple or a rock step does have musical consequences as music has phrasing with hits that often happen on 12, or 24 or 36... This means that dancers who choose to start with a rock step will probably find themselves on a rock step on every new phrase. Those who start with a triple will start with a triple on each new phrase.  An advantage of starting with the triple step is that dancers can more easily change their foot work right at the start of the musical phrase.