He learned West Coast Swing from YouTube videos in Lyon, France. When he entered his first American competition, the check-in staff asked him to spell his name twice. 18 months later, he won the US Open Classic Division. The American WCS circuit had never seen anything like what walked in from France. 🇫🇷🏆 #WestCoastSwing #MaximeZzaoui #USOpen #SwingDance #Underdog
2026/07/02
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Maxime Zzaoui Grew Up in France. He Learned West Coast Swing From YouTube Videos. When He Finally Arrived at His First American Competition, Nobody Knew His Name. Within 18 Months, He Won the US Open.
West Coast Swing is, by origin and by culture, an American dance.
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Maxime Zzaoui is from Décines-Charpieu, a suburb of Lyon in southeastern France.
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