West Coast Swing Dance Society

West Coast Swing (WCS) is a smooth and versatile partner dance which you can do to nearly any genre of music – see for yourself on our playlist. Dancers typically improvise on the spot, building on a set of basic moves and communicating with their partner through body language cues and elastic tension. This makes it very dynamic and exciting to watch, and dancing it is even more fun so come and have a go! 

Intrigued? Watch a 5-minute introduction or 5 minutes of dancing or a ‘random partner, random song' improvisation to Meghan Trainor or AC/DC.

No experience or partner required: We run classes for complete beginners, even if you think you have two left feet!

CLASSES WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE 2026 SUMMER HOLIDAYS!
So if you're a PGR or student in Glasgow over the break, come join us any time :)

MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

Classes for the remainder of the 2026 academic year will be priced on a pay-as-you-go basis for flexibility. Student members will be able to access classes at a reduced price (associate & non-member class prices will remain the same). Some events will be restricted to members only.

• Standard: For any registered student at the University of Glasgow. This includes anybody with a GUID login. If you are a visiting student but can't log in with your GUID, please email us!
• Associate: For anyone who is not a registered student at the University of Glasgow, including staff, students from other Universities, and members of the public. 

We are student society, and can only offer up to 20% of our membership spaces to non-students. Please consider how regularly you will attend before signing up, and let us know if you are no longer attending regularly so that we can offer your membership to someone else. ​We are currently at capacity for associate memberships – join our waiting list and we will let you know as soon as a space becomes available.

WHY TRY WEST COAST SWING?

• Dance to nearly any music, including pop tunes, EDM, alt/indie rock, hip-hop, R&B, Latin and more (playlists here).
• Learn the basics fast, then build your skills: West Coast Swing is built around just 3 foundational patterns to learn at the start – the push, the pass, and the whip – after learning these, you can unlock endless variations to play with. 
• Meet new people: Dance with lots of partners in every lesson, and get started social dancing right away.
• Show off your creativity through styling and musicality. We’ll run workshops in other dance styles for extra inspiration!
• Improve coordination, mental health, and fitness: Dancing releases feel-good endorphins and keeps you active without feeling like a workout.

MORE INFO

• Follow our Instagram @gu_wcs for updates, announcements and videos.
• Visit our Linktree website for our WhatsApp group, music playlists, local events & more.
• Concerned about someone's behaviour or another situation? Let our Welfare Officer know here, or chat to a committee member before class.
• Give feedback about classes & events here.
• Email us with any questions!

JOIN A CLASS! 

GUWCS currently runs beginner classes taught by experienced local instructors. All upcoming classes & events will be listed below. Events will continue over the Summer holiday period!
Please buy your ticket online if you can! We can take cash on the door, but buying online makes things much simpler for our committee. 

No need to bring a partner, as everyone rotates throughout the class. WCS is a social dance, so half the fun is turning your dance into a ‘conversation’ and improvising with each new person you meet!

Wear any comfortable clothing that you can move freely in. We also advise wearing shoes with a non-grippy sole - walking boots tend to stick to the floor and make certain moves (like spins) tricky. 

Please take 5 minutes to read our dance etiquette guide before attending your first class.
By attending any GUWCS event you agree to follow these guidelines.