Coaster Step
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A Coaster Step is term used in swing dances, in particular in West Coast Swing to describe a Triple Step done in the pattern "back-together-forward" or "forward-together-back". Most often it is the follower's step.
This step may be used in more complex step patterns, e.g., in one of Whip patterns.
[edit] Coaster Step used instead of Anchor Step
The Coaster Step used at the end of a pattern in place of the Anchor Step in West Coast Swing was originally a styling variation for followers, practiced by an influential dancer at the Long Beach Arthur Murray dance studio, and from there was institutionalized in the official syllabus. However, this was done through a considerable simplification. While the original variation involved angling the body, thereby maintaining the connection with the leader, the current coaster step is done inline with the follower doing back-together-forward at the end of every pattern. This causes the follower to come forward, regardless any indication of the leader to do so. This violates the notion of "true" WCS that the follower's motion is completely led. Also, this often destroys the leverage connection of the couple and thus makes it impossible for a leader to lead into certain patterns or to extend a pattern with additional counts if the music so dictates.
