Whip

The whip is the standard 8-count pattern of West Coast Swing and the base of a large family of variations. Pushes, passes, and whips are the three basic families of WCS patterns.¹

• 1–2: the follower travels forward down the slot
• 3&4: the leader steps across the slot and catches the follower's momentum in a near-closed position, redirecting them
• 5–6: the follower travels back down the slot the way they came, and the leader posts
• 7&8: anchor

Thibault and Nicole Ramirez describe the shape as a paper clip or hairpin turn: very linear, with the leader staying "mostly the base" while the follower travels in and out and finishes with a stretch.²

Rushing count 4 is the most common mistake. Brian B teaches followers to delay count 4 and roll through the step heel to toe.³

Some older curricula count the second half differently or teach a "coaster" ending. The 8-count structure above is the one most commonly taught today.⁴

Footnotes

1. Thibault & Nicole Ramirez, "Whip – The Signature 8-Count Move of WCS" at 0:48. ↩

2. Thibault & Nicole Ramirez, "Whip – The Signature 8-Count Move of WCS" at 4:26. ↩

3. Brian B & Megan, West Coast Swing Online, "West Coast Swing Basic Steps // Beginner WCS" at 19:58. ↩

4. See e.g. West Coast Swing Online's basic patterns guide, which teaches the whip as the fourth core pattern with this structure. ↩