Single beat steps:
| STEP NAME |
COUNTS |
STEP DESCRIPTION |
| Step |
1 |
Place foot on floor and take weight onto it |
| Right vine |
3 |
Step right foot to side, step left foot behind right, step right foot
to side |
| Left vine |
3 |
Step left foot to side, step right foot behind left, step left foot to
side |
| Touch or tap |
1 |
Touch toe or heel to ground but don't put any weight on it |
| Brush |
1 |
Brush foot forward and upwards past the foot you are standing
on |
| Scuff |
1 |
Same as brush but make contact with heel on floor |
| Hook |
1 |
Lift foot and cross in front of supporting leg |
| Stomp |
1 |
Make a 'stamping' action (don't stamp hard to hurt your
foot) |
| Toe fan |
1 |
Move the toe out while keeping heel in contact with the
floor |
| Heel Fan |
1 |
Move the heel out while keeping ball of foot in contact with
floor |
| Heel splits |
2 |
Keep weight on balls of feet move both heel out at the same time and
then back together |
| Hop |
1 |
Spring into the air taking off and landing with same foot |
| Jump |
1 |
Jump forward or backward taking off and landing with both feet at the
sane time |
| Hitch |
1 |
To lift the knee |
| Rock |
1 |
To transfer weight from one foot to the other |
| Slide |
1 |
To draw one foot next to the supporting foot |
| Heel Strut |
2 |
Place heel forward on floor then toe onto floor taking weight onto
foot |
| Toe strut |
2 |
Place toe forward or backwards on floor then heel onto floor taking
weight onto foot |
| Left 1/2 pivot |
2 |
Step forward on right foot, keeping weight on ball of left foot make a
1/2 turn over your left shoulder so that you end up with your weight on
your left foot and facing the wall that was behind you |
| Right 1/2 pivot |
2 |
Step forward on left foot, keeping weight on ball of right foot make a
1/2 turn over your right shoulder so that you end up with your weight on
your right foot facing the wall that was behind you |
| 3/4 or full pivot |
2 |
Are executed in the same way but make 1/2 or 3/4 turn to the
appropriate wall |
| Weave left |
4 |
Step right foot across in front of left, step left foot to left side,
step right foot back behind left, step left foot to left side |
| Weave right |
4 |
Step left foot across in front of right, step right to right side,
step left foot back behind right, step right foot to right side |
| Jazz Box |
4 |
Step right foot across in front of left, step left foot back, step
right foot to right side, step left foot next to left. Also done leading
with left foot i.e. start by crossing left in front of right |
| 1/2 Monterey turn |
4 |
Touch right toe to right side, on ball of left foot make 1/2 turn over
your right shoulder and step onto your right foot, touch left toe out to
the side, step left foot next to right. Also done leading with left foot
i.e. start by touching left toe to left side |
| 1/2 or 3/4 Monterey turn |
4 |
Are also executed in the same way but make a 1/2 or 3/4 turn to the
appropriate wall hip bumps bump hips to the right, left, backwards or
forwards in time to the music |
Syncopated steps:
3 steps forwards, backwards, sideways or on the spot, executed within 2 beats of the music. The following instructions are all leading with the right foot, but are also danced leading with the left foot (just the same steps but read left for right and right for left!) All counts are 1&2| STEP NAME |
COUNTS |
STEP DESCRIPTION |
| Cha cha or triple step |
3 |
Step(1) right (&) left (2)right on the spot. Or (1) left(&) right (3)left on the spot |
| Triple full pivot |
3 |
A 3 step pivot (R-L-R or L-R-L) either rolling or on the spot to return to the starting wall. |
| Forward shuffle |
3 |
(1) step forward on right foot, (&) step left foot to right heel, (3) step right foot forward |
| Backward shuffle |
3 |
(1) step back on right foot, (&) step left foot back to right toe, (3) step right foot back |
| Cross Shuffle |
3 |
Cross one foot over the other, bring other foot behind and almost together on the ball, continue across in the same direction with the original foot. eg. (moving L) cross R over L, bring L almost together, continue R over L |
| Chasse |
3 |
(1) step right foot to right side, (&) step left foot next to right foot, (3) step right foot to right side |
| Coaster step |
3 |
(1) step right foot back, (&) step left foot back next to right, (3) step forward on right foot |
| Sailor step |
3 |
(1) step right foot back behind left foot, (&) step left foot to left side, (3)step right foot next to left |
| Mambo step |
3 |
(1) step forward on right foot, (&) lift left foot and replace it back down on the same place, (3) step right foot back next to left |
| Back or side mambo |
3 |
Are executed in the same way but step(1) to the back or to the side |
| Kick ball change |
3 |
(1)kick right foot forward, (&) step onto ball of right foot next to left foot and lift left foot slightly off the floor, (3) replace left foot onto floor on the same spot |
| Twinkle steps |
3 |
(1)step right foot across in front of left, (&)step left foot to left side, (3)step right foot next to left |
And just a few more!
All examples leading with right foot but are also done leading with left foot| STEP NAME |
COUNTS |
STEP DESCRIPTION |
| Apple jacks |
2 |
(1)with weight on right toe and left heel turn right heel left and left toe left, (&)both feet back to centre ready to change weight, (2)with weight on right heel and left toe turn right toe right and left heel right, (&)both feet back to centre ready to change weight |
| Charleston steps |
4 |
(1)touch right toe forward, (2)step right foot next to left, (3)touch left toe back, (4)step left foot next to right |
| Cross unwind |
2 |
(1)cross right toe in front of(or behind) left foot, (2)unwind on balls of feet to take weight onto right foot (can be 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, or full turn) |
| Dorothy Steps |
6 |
Two sets of lock steps Forward usually starting with the right foot |
| Funnel |
A point in the dance at which you skip a number of steps and continue on at a later point in the dance. | |
| Heel grinds |
2 |
(1)step right heel forward, toe pointing left, (2)grind right heel into floor, fanning toes to right and taking weight |
| Heel switches |
2 |
Touch right heel to right side, (&)step right foot in place, (2)touch left heel to left side, (&)step left foot in place |
| Heel swivets |
4 |
(1)fan right toe to right and left heel to left(2)return feet to place change weight to left heel and right toe, (3)fan left toe to left and right heel to right, (4)return feet to place |
| Knee pops |
2 |
(1)with weight on left bend right knee in towards left leg, (2)straighten right knee and bend left knee in towards right leg |
| Lock steps forward |
3 |
(1)step forward on right foot, (2)step left foot behind right foot, (3)step forward on right foot |
| Lock steps back |
3 |
(1)step back on right foot, (2)step left foot in front of right foot, (3)step back on right foot |
| Rhonde turn |
3 |
(1,2)sweep right toe in front of left as you make 1/2 turn left on ball of left foot , (3) touch right toe next to left |
| Rolling vine |
3 |
(1)step right making 1/4 turn right, (2)1/4 turn on the ball of right foot stepping left to left side, (3)pivot 1/2 turn on ball of left foot stepping right foot to right |
| Rumba box |
8 |
(1)step forward on right foot, (2)touch left toe next to right,(3)step left to left side, (4)step right next to left, (5)step back on left foot, (6)touch right toe next to left, (7)step right to right side, (8)touch left toe next to right |
| Running man |
2 |
(1)step forward right foot (&)hitch right knee and scoot right foot back, (2)step forward left foot (&)hitch left knee and scoot left foot back |
| Scissor step |
4 |
(1)step right foot to right side, (2)return weight to left foot, (3)cross step right foot in front of left, (4) hold for one beat (can also be syncopated - count is 1&2&) |
| Swivels heels or toes |
4 |
Move heels (or toes) in that direction, then other way - eg. (heels) R, C, L, C or L, R, L, C | Toe switches |
2 |
(1)touch right toe to right side, (&)step right foot in place, (2)touch left toe to left side, (&)step left foot in place |
| Tag |
A point in the dance where you add additional steps and either continue on after the additional steps or restart from the beginning. |
And some additional terms you might not have heard of:
| STEP NAME |
COUNTS |
STEP DESCRIPTION |
| Bumps |
|
Leaving feet in place, moving hips & weight to that direction **** Shimmy - shaking shoulders |
| Butterfly |
4 |
Sometimes called double butter-milks - 'split' the heels apart, toes apart, then toes together, heels together (or 1/2 - use only 1 foot) |
| Butterfly Rev. |
4 |
'split' the toes apart, heels apart, then heels together, toes together |
| Camel |
2 |
Usually diaonal, step on foot, throwing hips in opposite direction eg. step L, throw hips R, R together |
| Cha Cha Turn |
4 |
Step on 1 foot, replace weight to the other then triple step turn in the direction of the moving foot eg. step forward on L, replace to R then triple step turning L ( 1/4 or 1/2 or whatever) L, R, L |
| Curtsy |
2 |
Touch toes of one foot behind the other. eg. touch. L toes behind R or step R to side, touch. L toes behind R |
| Doubles |
4 |
Touch heel in front 2 x, toes behind 2 x |
| Kick-A-Bit |
3 |
R kick fwd, R step behind L heel, L step across front of R |
| Slap-out |
1 |
Slap foot with same side hand, on side. |
