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Starter Step › History › Revision 5

Revision 5

current

bendichter · Oct 9, 2026, 4:21 PM · Shortened the description.

← Revision 4

Changes from revision 4

Tags: fundamentals, connection & technique → connection & technique, fundamentals

−The little two-triple pattern many dancers use to begin a dance: side triple, side triple (or rock-and-triple), establishing connection and the slot before the first real pattern.
− 
−Not universal — plenty of dancers start straight into a [[Sugar Push|sugar push]] or side pass — but common enough in classes that learners should recognize it. Its real job is a **connection check**: settling weight, matching hand pressure, and agreeing on timing before anything travels.
− 
−## One taught version
+A short two-triple pattern many dancers use to begin a dance: side triple, side triple (or rock-and-triple). It establishes the connection and the slot before the first traveling pattern. Not everyone uses one, and many dancers start directly with a [[Sugar Push|sugar push]] or side pass.
 
−Thibault and Nicole Ramirez teach the starter step from closed position: the partners first "tap the tempo" in place (walk-touch on the beat) for as long as the leader likes, then dance two triple steps — the first to the side, the second opening the position — flowing directly into a [[Left Side Pass|left side pass]].[^1] For the follower, the first triple is the signal: taps can continue indefinitely, but "as soon as we start with the triples, that tells me that the dance has now started."[^2] Their companion rhythm lesson pins down *when* to start: WCS basics come in 6- and 8-count structures, and the dance starts on a **downbeat** — odd counts are downbeats, even counts the upbeats.[^3]
+Thibault and Nicole Ramirez teach it from closed position. The partners first tap the tempo in place for as long as the leader likes, then dance two triple steps, the first to the side and the second opening the position, and go directly into a [[Left Side Pass|left side pass]].[^1] For the follower, the first triple is the signal that the dance has started.[^2] The dance starts on a downbeat, which is an odd count.[^3]
 
[^1]: Thibault & Nicole Ramirez, ["Starter Step – How to Begin Your West Coast Swing"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NCgLVFecwI&t=50s) at 0:50.
[^2]: Thibault & Nicole Ramirez, ["Starter Step – How to Begin Your West Coast Swing"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NCgLVFecwI&t=175s) at 2:55.
[^3]: Thibault & Nicole Ramirez, ["West Coast Swing Rhythm & Timing – Start Dancing on Beat"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM0bbXMYjd0&t=76s) at 1:16–1:55.
Page as of this revision

Starter Step

beginner

also known as: Intro Step

A short two-triple pattern many dancers use to begin a dance: side triple, side triple (or rock-and-triple). It establishes the connection and the slot before the first traveling pattern. Not everyone uses one, and many dancers start directly with a sugar push or side pass.

Thibault and Nicole Ramirez teach it from closed position. The partners first tap the tempo in place for as long as the leader likes, then dance two triple steps, the first to the side and the second opening the position, and go directly into a left side pass.1 For the follower, the first triple is the signal that the dance has started.2 The dance starts on a downbeat, which is an odd count.3

Footnotes

  1. Thibault & Nicole Ramirez, "Starter Step – How to Begin Your West Coast Swing" at 0:50. ↩

  2. Thibault & Nicole Ramirez, "Starter Step – How to Begin Your West Coast Swing" at 2:55. ↩

  3. Thibault & Nicole Ramirez, "West Coast Swing Rhythm & Timing – Start Dancing on Beat" at 1:16–1:55. ↩