The baseline step size in swing dancing should be about the full length of your own foot. The connection between the leader and the follower switches between A frame and V frame inside of this small step. When a dancer takes small steps nothing gets missed. Leaders have plenty of time to prepare their lead and followers alive at the lead with enough energy and time to preform the desired figures. If only one dancer in a partnership takes the right sized steps and the other does not the dance will limp along and most of the leads will be felt. If the follower is taking giant steps the leader has to work harder to send good strong signals. The inverse is true as well if the follower is keeping their steps tight and the leader is the giant stepper the follower has their work cut out for them for that dance.
This is an awesome drill to help you master smaller steps in you West Coast Swing dancing. It has the 2 major footwork patterns (6&8 counts) as well as a nice reward at the end of the whip for both dancers. You can only get to the end if you keep your steps small!