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.
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.
Each session builds on the last, with a progressive structure of steps and patterns of increasing difficulty.
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
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.
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 an initial cycle of approximately 15 weeks. However, new dancers are generally expected to spend the full academic year in the Beginners program in order to build strong fundamentals. Depending on the format, this represents either 30 weeks of regular classes or 16 weeks of longer classes.
This approach is also widely used in France, and we believe it is the most effective from a pedagogical standpoint. It is also the most economical option in the medium term, as enrolling in a longer package is more cost-effective overall.
Like martial arts or music schools, BWCS promotes a skill-based approach to progression. Students are encouraged to move up according to their actual level, individual learning pace, and readiness rather than simply based on time spent attending classes.
Regular attendance remains essential: missing too many classes will naturally make progression more difficult.
At the end of the academic year, students receive informal and individualized feedback to help determine the level that will best support their continued progress.
In some cases, students may be invited to join the next level while simultaneously repeating the previous one at half price, allowing them to strengthen their fundamentals while continuing to grow. More occasionally, students may be advised to repeat their current level for another year before moving up, in order to consolidate essential skills and feel more comfortable and confident in class.
In particular, the third year covers a broad and demanding syllabus that often requires at least two years to fully assimilate, so it is completely normal for students to remain at that level for a longer period before advancing.
Although our group classes are both effective and enjoyable, they are primarily a space for learning. Real progress also requires time dedicated to practice. In addition to weekly classes, BWCS offers a variety of educational and social activities: our Sunday Socials, our Masterclasses, the international festivals, the rally, private classes and more. We strongly encourage students to take advantage of them whenever possible.