I love to dance West Coast swing. I am totally and completely addicted to West Coast swing. I’ve got the bug, bad! I express this feeling to others outside of the West Coast Swing community and they nod their head knowingly and spout a non sequitur, “I understand, I really like to ride my bicycle.” Ride your bike? You like to ride your bike? That’s understandable; I like to ride my bike too. But, what I’m talking about is a full-fledged, no holds-barred, over-the-top addiction! An addiction that calls to me during the workday, that whispers in my ear during the ball game or at a family get together, “You want to dance, don’t you my friend? You want to dance badly, don’t you?” it asks. It fills my dreams at night and my thoughts during the day.

What is it about this dance that makes it so attractive to me? Why do I dance until my legs are sore and my feet cry out in pain, demanding an end to the abuse? I would dance from noon until four in the morning if the chance presented itself because this dance of ours fulfills needs within me that would go unfulfilled otherwise.

First and foremost is the need for music in my life. I play music myself and have played in bands since I was a kid. From out-of-tune and out-of-time cover bands playing classic rock out of my father’s garage to a very high-quality heavy metal band that placed in an “A” circuit “battle of the bands” competition, I’ve been fortunate to always have the ability to create music and to associate with others of a similar ilk. Music, for me, had always been an intellectual pursuit and although I had always had fun with my music, I seemed to nearly always take it too seriously. Dance has changed that. I now experience music from a much different perspective. I let the music move me through my body and I experience the music in a much more fundamental way. And although I want to become a better dancer and to constantly work on improving my style and technique, I can now experience music free from the creation side and thereby enjoy the experience much more. I’m having fun with music like I never had before.

If you would have told me four years ago that I would choose to dance over choosing to play in a band, I would have told you that you were talking to the wrong guy; no way would I put dancing over band practice or the chance to play a gig at a bar or club. After my first year of dancing West Coast Swing however, I was asked to leave the band I was playing in as I was missing practice and wasn’t pulling my weight as far as the other band members were concerned. I was truly shocked to discover that I was dancing rather than attending band practice. Until I was introduced to West Coast Swing, I had never experienced music as a total body and mind phenomenon. Mind yes, body no. Now music, for me, is a much richer experience and I’m a richer person because of this thing of ours.

We are all social creatures and I have always loved to socialize. Meeting new people and enjoying their company is an important part of my life. When I quit the corporate job that I had and made the decision to strike out on my own and work for myself, I never considered the fact that I would miss the social aspect of my job. After several months I missed it badly. The interaction that I had with my work-mates, it turned out, was an important part of my life. West Coast Swing has helped fill this need for social interaction. I am very "over the bar scene" and have been for awhile now, and other than church and community activities, there are not a lot of venues for social intercourse. West Coast Swing dances, conventions and competitions provide this social venue for me in a comfortable, non-threatening environment. When I run across an old friend of mine who is still trying to meet women at bars and clubs, I tell them to learn to dance. Where else can you go where there are three women to every guy (sorry ladies)? Where else can you go where you can approach a woman and sit down and talk and not worry about her being threatened by your “agenda”.

I met the love of my life while she was dancing West Coast Swing. I saw her grooving to the music, oblivious to everything else that was going on around her and I thought, “I have to meet that woman and I’ve got to learn that dance”. So I introduced myself to her and commented on how utterly unique the dance was that she was doing. She invited me to attend one of her group classes, which I did, and the rest is history. So guys, if you haven’t yet, learn to dance. You may very well meet the woman of your dreams. And if you already are among the lucky few who have met her, learn to dance anyway. She’ll love you even more for it!