Why I’m Still Dancing West Coast Swing After 28 Years

There’s a question I’ve been asked more and more lately…

“After all these years… why are you still dancing?”

And the truth is, the answer has evolved just as much as the dance itself.

But if I go all the way back to the beginning…to 1998, traveling the UCWD circuit on a country dance team…

It started with something simple.

It started with connection.

Where It All Began: Finding Home on the Dance Floor

When I first found West Coast Swing, I didn’t come from a studio background.I didn’t grow up training as a dancer.

West Coast Swing was my training.

And what drew me in wasn’t perfection…it was the feeling.

The conventions felt like family.

There was this unspoken understanding on the dance floor,

a sense that people were there to support each other, not just impress.

We cared about:

• Connection

• Timing

• Footwork

• And most of all… each other

  
  

There was a groundedness to it.

A presence.

And for me, that feeling…that was everything.

Falling in Love With the Process (Not Just the Dance)

As the years went on, I found myself wanting to go deeper.

I didn’t just want to dance…I wanted to understand.

So I studied the footwork.

I explored the connection.

I paid attention to what made a dance feel different with each partner.

And in 2005, I stepped into teaching.

Not because I had it all figured out…but because I loved the process so much, I wanted to share it.

And here’s what I discovered along the way:

👉 There is always something new to learn.

👉 There is always another layer to uncover.

👉 And growth rarely comes from what feels easy.

When the Dance Started to Change… And So Did I

As West Coast Swing evolved, so did the expectations.

The movement became more dynamic.

More expansive.

More… technical.

And I’ll be honest…

It scared me.

Because suddenly, it wasn’t just about connection and timing anymore.

It was asking me to become something I had never trained to be.

A dancer in a way my body didn’t yet understand.

And for someone who didn’t grow up with formal training…

That felt overwhelming.

There were moments of frustration where I thought:

“Is this even possible for me?”

Especially as time went on and my body didn’t absorb things the same way it used to.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself…

I don’t walk away from the hard things.

I lean in.

Growth Doesn’t Care About Your Timeline

Here’s something I wish more dancers understood:

It’s not about when you started.

It’s not about how young you were.

It’s not about how fast it comes to you.

It’s about your willingness to stay in it.

To keep showing up.

To keep learning.

To keep trying when it feels uncomfortable.

Because growth?

It almost always lives right on the edge of what feels unfamiliar.

And for me, every challenge…

Became an invitation.

An invitation to expand.

To evolve.

To meet myself in a new way.

Is West Coast Swing Still… West Coast Swing?

This is a conversation I hear a lot now.

“Is West Coast Swing even the same dance anymore?”

And I understand where that question comes from.

Because yes…the dance has evolved a lot.

But when I really take the time to break it down…

The truth is this:

👉 The foundations are still the same.

👉 The fundamental patterns are still the same.

👉 The core of connection is still the same.

What’s changed is how we use them.

We’ve expanded the possibilities.

We’ve deepened the understanding.

We’ve explored new ways to create.

And honestly?

I find that beautiful.

Because the more I study connection…

The more I realize how limitless it actually is.

The Magic of Connection (And Why It Keeps Me Coming Back)

After 28 years…

The thing that still lights me up the most isn’t a move.

It’s not a pattern.

It’s not even a perfectly executed dance.

It’s Connection.

The way it feels different with every single person.

The way it can be soft, playful, grounded, expansive…all in the same song.

The way two people can meet, without words…

…and create something that has never existed before.

That is magic.

And it never gets old.

What I Miss… And What It’s Taught Me

If I’m being really honest…

There are parts of the dance community I miss.

I miss the family feel.

I miss the less competitive energy.

I miss the groundedness that used to be more present in the room.

Because over time, things have shifted.

There’s more focus on:

• Points

• Levels

• Recognition

• Competition

  
  

And while those things aren’t inherently bad…

They can sometimes pull us away from what made the dance so special in the first place.

But here’s what that shift has taught me:

It’s not about changing the dance back.

It’s about coming back to yourself.

Staying Rooted in What Matters

This evolution has asked me to go deeper.

To really reflect on:

• What do I value?

• What do I want from this dance?

• What kind of experience do I want to create… for myself and for others?

  
  

And the answer keeps coming back to the same place:

👉 Connection matters.

👉 People matter.

👉 How it feels matters more than how it looks.

And no matter how the community evolves…

I get to choose how I show up within it.

There Is Still a Place for You (Yes, You)

If you’ve ever felt like:

• You’re starting too late

• You don’t have the right background

• You don’t fit into the “dance world”

• Or you’re not progressing fast enough

  
  

I want you to hear this clearly:

There is a place for you here.

Not a version of you that’s more polished…Not a version of you that’s more experienced…

But you.

As you are.

Because this dance?

It needs your energy.

Your expression.

Your way of connecting.

The Bigger Lesson Beyond the Dance Floor

After 28 years, the biggest thing West Coast Swing has taught me isn’t about dance at all.

It’s about life.

It’s about:

• Showing up even when it’s uncomfortable

• Trusting the process

• Staying true to who you are

• And allowing yourself to evolve without losing your center

  
  

Because when you create from a place of wholeness…

You don’t just become a better dancer.

You become more you.

Why I’m Still Dancing

So why am I still here after all these years?

Because this dance continues to meet me where I am…

And invite me to grow into who I’m becoming.

Because connection still matters.

Because people still matter.

Because there is still so much to explore.

And because every time I step onto the floor…

There’s an opportunity to come home to myself.

An Invitation for You

If you’ve been feeling the pull…

If something in you is curious…

If you’re craving connection, movement, or just something that feels a little more alive…

This is your reminder:

You don’t have to have it all figured out.

You just have to start.

Come Dance With Me

Inside Dance to Uplift, we focus on more than just steps.

We focus on:

• Grounding your body

• Building real connection

• Moving with intention

• And creating a space where you feel safe to grow

  
  

Whether you’re brand new or returning after years away…

There is space for you here.

Live in love. Move with meaning. Play passionately.

Shalay