Practical Information
About Your WCS Course
​Tips to guide you through you first steps of West Coast Swing.
Your First Series of Classes
If you register for your first West Coast Swing series with Brussels WCS, you’ll learn the essential foundations that will help you progress quickly — and have fun along the way!
Before signing up, we recommend checking the Classes page and its Practical Information section. Once you’re enrolled, try to attend regularly and arrive on time.
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Warm-ups & Progression​
Classes may begin with a warm-up or preparatory exercise — and this is important - most dance-related injuries are caused by skipping proper warm-up.
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Each session builds on the last, with a progressive structure of steps and patterns of increasing difficulty.
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That’s why:
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Skipping levels is not allowed, except by explicit invitation from the teachers
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Drop-in participation is not accepted — unless you’re a very experienced WCS dancer
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Choosing Your Role
Everyone — regardless of gender — is free to choose either the leader or follower role, based on personal preference or availability (we strive to maintain a balance between roles).
Role-switching during the year is not allowed. Once you’ve chosen a role for your learning path, we ask you to stick to it, even during social events.
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Stay Connected
Each class group will have its own WhatsApp group. Be sure to join!
You’ll receive:
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Weekly video summaries of the lessons
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A way to stay in touch with fellow students
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Updates or support if you miss a class Important announcements
What is the duration of the course?
Brussels WCS offers a first cycle of about 15 weeks, but new dancers are expected to spend the entire academic year (30 weeks, or 16 weeks with longer classes) in the “Beginners” cycle to master the basics.
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Like in karate or music, BWCS promotes a skill-based culture. We encourage students to move up levels according to their own learning pace and actual progress rather than time spent attending. Regular attendance is still important: if you miss too many classes, you probably won’t be ready to advance.
At the end of the academic year, an informal assessment will guide you to the most suitable level.
If needed, students can move up to the next level while repeating the lower level at half price, to fully absorb the basics, subject to availability and role balance.
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Although our group classes are effective (and fun!), they’re not the only way to learn to dance! We strongly recommend taking advantage of the variety of educational activities we offer in addition to weekly classes.