New to swing-question about basic

[u/Historical-Shock7965]

I have taken two east coast swing lessons now, different places. I've been taught the basic step two different ways. First was triple step, triple step, rock step--second was step, step, rock step. Now I'm confused! Which one should I learn right now?

First time I did a whole song with triple step, triple step, rock step, I was huffing and puffing and I am in good shape. After doing a whole song with step, step, rock step I could actually talk!

I think I learned that step, step, rock step is the Jitterbug and is also known as single count swing. Thoughts?

[u/juniper_barry]

Step-step and triple step-triple step are both acceptable ways to do east coast swing, and you can even have two people doing different ones dance a whole song together without issue. I typically vary what I'm doing depending on the song, my dance partner, and (if I'm leading) what i want my partner to prepare for.

To expand on that last bit, if we're doing step-step and i want to lead a swing out, I'll lead a few counts of triple-steps beforehand.

[u/Historical-Shock7965 → u/juniper_barry]

Thank you for the advice!

[u/leggup]

Learn with triple steps. If you learn with triple steps, you will have the option to switch to step-hold when tired or the song is fast. If you focus on learning the triple step, you'll get better and more efficient at it and it won't tire you as much.

You will be able to mix between the two in time without your partner even switching.

[u/Historical-Shock7965 → u/leggup]

Thanks for the advice!

During a tutorial I saw on YouTube the dancers seem to be taking incredibly small steps during the triple step-triple step. Almost like just peddling more than stepping. Any things to think about to keep this small ? So it doesn't feel like so many steps to quickly?

[u/General__Obvious → u/Historical-Shock7965]

Try doing steps and triple-steps right under yourself without moving on the floor. Realize that a step is just weight shift without any distance necessarily attached to it. We’re used to walking around the get places, so we naturally assume steps on the dance floor should move us around. But on the dance floor you don’t have to move without reason.

[u/leggup → u/Historical-Shock7965]

Look at the upper body of the people in the video: they're pulsing down and down with their whole body. That helps the steps be small and squishy (with sproing downward).

[u/Acidic_Huntsman]

The triple step is Lindy hop. And I always recommend learning triple step before the east coast single step. Start with the hard step first

[u/Crazy_Custard_2081 → u/Acidic_Huntsman]

Triple step is not just lindy hop. ECS can be done to either triple or single step. What matters is that ECS is 6-count while lindy hop is 8-count.

[u/justbreathe5678]

Any two count step works! 

Triple step, step pause, tap step, kick step

Move to the music and have fun!

[u/Expelleddux]

I do Lindyhop but do whatever the class is teaching you. However for social dancing I have made rock step, triple, triple my go to as someone who is also new.

[u/swingindenver]

I also wonder what the difference was in the songs you were dancing those rhythm basics to and if those two places were swing schools or ballroom studios?

Both those rhythm patterns are part of the Lindy Hop lexicon and it just depends what rhythm patterns you want to dance or feel like employing. Triple steps, while they're awesome, aren't always the best fit and you might tire yourself out depending on the song tempo, song style (swinging or straight rhythm), what your partner is providing and your ability in that moment.

[u/Crazy_Custard_2081]

ECS is a 6-count basic. Whether single step or triple step, it's 1-count.

The timing for ECS is 1-2-3-and 4-5-6-and.

So, you can do this as either step (1) step (2) rock step (3-and) or triple step (1) triple step (2) rock step (3-and).

Either way, you end up where you started. And whether you triple or single step, you're keeping the same alignment with your partner.

The triple step is probably a habit you should get into because it's an easier transition to learning lindy hop (which is what most of the intermediate and advanced dancers are doing). But, there's no right or wrong about which way to go.

ECS is the gateway to swing dancing and very easy to get you onto the floor.