San Francisco Two-Step
and other peculiarities
San Francisco just has to be different! Most of the world begins on the quick steps of the two-step (QQSS). For some unexplained reason, gay clubs in California tend to start their two-step on the slow steps (SSQQ). Furthermore, unlike in the rest of the country, turns tend to occur on the slow-slow (with swing-like rock-steps on the quick-quick). This SSQQ variation has no official name, so we just call it “San Francisco Style.”
If you are a visitor unaccustomed to our way of two-stepping, you’ll want to check out our pair of “San Francisco-style Two-Step” workshops (SSQQ for QQSSers) on Friday. And remember: not only will you have to ask whether your partner leads or follows, but whether you’re going to start on the slow step or the quick step!
And some more peculiarities! You've been warned – when we change partners during the Barn Dance (Wild Wild West), both leader and follower move to the partner to their right. And our Tush Push is done in facing lines.
Sharing The Dance Floor
SF Customs During WCS, Night Club Two-Step, and Line Dancing
This may be different from what you are used to. In the main room with mixed styles of dancing, west coast swing dancers in the center of the dance floor must share the floor with two-steppers and shadow dancers on the outside. Please make space for each other!
Generally the swing dancers line up in one or two rows with the slots all in the same orientation. Extra care needs to be taken to leave room for the traveling dancers at each end of the row of swing dancers. And traveling dancers need to pay careful attention not to travel into the swing dancers, especially at either end.
The same holds for night club two-step, where the night-clubbers should stay in the center of the floor, and the traveling two-steppers go around them.
In the dedicated west coast swing room, the entire floor can be taken over by swing dancers.
During line dances in the main room, we ask that folks not attempt any partner dancing including west coast swing, unless there happens to be abundant room (hint: there won't be).
Line Dances In The Main Room
During regular “open dancing” time in the main room, we’ll play a mix of dance styles including two line dances every half hour. In the main room we'll be sticking to line dances that our local San Francisco crowd knows. We’ll announce the line dances, and this is when line dances rule. (You may do line dances at other times, but please yield to the couples dancers on the floor.)
You are welcome to request your favorite dance that we don’t know here in the dedicated line dance room. Just make sure others know your dance too, so you won’t be the only one out there doing the Hoboken Hustle! Line dances taught during the weekend will generally be reviewed in the dedicated line dance room rather than in the main room.
If you want to learn San Francisco line dances that you don't already know, check out our Sundance Saloon line dance resource page: https://sundancesaloon.org/linedances.html, with step sheets and videos for most of our repertoire. We will also teach some of our newer line dances in a special workshop on Friday afternoon.
