These are basic descriptions
of steps used in line dancing. Most of our dance sheets will fully
say how you move your feet but this is a summary of the most common.
The Call is what will be said as the dance is taught - if you
remember the call, you will remember the dance. This is an aid,
not the equivalent to square dance calling. Once you learn the
dance - you are on your own.
BRUSH: Swing one foot past the other, lightly touching the ground.
Call:Brush
BUMP: Maintaining foot position, transfer weight by bumping hips
to side indicated. Call:Bump
CHA CHA: Three steps done over two beats counting 1&2 (can
be Left, Right, Left or Right, Left Right) small and done in place
- see shuffle.Call: Cha cha cha
CHARLESTON: A four count sequence, Step forward, Kick forward,
Step Back, Point back - alternate feet can be started on Left
or Right foot. Call: Forward, kick, back, together
COASTER STEP: Back, together with weight, forward Done over two
beats with same timing as a cha cha. Can be done starting with
either foot. Call: Coast er step, or back, together, forward
CROSS One step crosses over a standing foot - no weight change. Call: Cross
CROSS ROCK One foot crosses over the standing foot and weight moved to the crossed foot - usually followed by a weight change to the other foot. Can be a cross forward or back Call: Cross Rock
FLICK `Where one foot and
lower leg is raised in a flick - can be in front, behind or to
the side of the standing foot.
GRAPEVINE: Three steps of a four count sequence, consisting of
a step to the side, passing the opposite foot behind (or occasionally
in front). And another step to the side, with an open step to
finish. The forth step can be - stomp, hitch, flick,kick, scuff
- usually with no weigh change.Call: Side, behind, side
GRIND: Rotate hips slowly (and erotically!) from side to side.
Or can be a Heel Grind - place heel forward and lift you body
turning on the heel Call: Grind, or heel turn.
HEEL FAN: Two count sequence. Keeping weight on toes, fan the
heel indicated out and close back together. cal: Fa-N(said over
two counts)
HEEL STRUT: Two count sequence, tapping the heel forward, then
stepping down on (flattening) the toe. Call: Heel Flat
HOOK: Right brought across left leg or Left over Right leg. Call:
Hook
HOP: A jump on one foot hitching the opposite knee. Call:Hop
JAZZ BOX: JAZZ SQUARE or BOX . Basic - Cross leg over opposite,
step back, side and close. Example: Step Right over Left leg,
Back on Left leg, Side on Right to Right, Close Left to Right.
variations - Start with a forward step, and end with feet apart.
Also can end with a Cross rather than together. Jazz boxes will
always be described fully. Can also involve a quarter or half
turn or beat two or three. Call: Over, Back, Side, Together (or
Cross)
KICK BALL CHANGE: A three step sequence performed in two counts.
Kick foot indicated forward, step on the ball of that foot, and
change weight stepping onto the other foot. Call: Kick, Ball,
Change
LOCK: Usually part of a shuffle
step - the second step with cross behind the first so the feet
as locked. This shortens the travel of the shuffle. Call: Forward,
LOCK, Forward
MAMBO: Three count (1&2) sequence consisting of a rock in
any direction, a rock back, and step together. You can add an
additional kick so timing becomes 1&2& Call: Mam-Bo Step
MAMBO TURN: Rock forward, Rock back turn towards back foot, Step
foward. 1&2 turn - example Rock forward on the Right foor,
Turn left as you rock back onto Left, Step forward on Right Call:
Mam-Bo Turn
MONTEREY TURN: Four count
sequence. Touch toe indicated to the side, turn on opposite foot
and step together on first foot, touch second foot to side and
step together. Can be done as quarter or half turn Call: Out,Turn,
Out Together
PADDLE: Is usually a quarter turn where the first step is used like a
paddle (Think of your body as a boat) .Step forward on Right and pull body round keep weigh on
Left, turning left (or other foot start) Call Paddle turn, or pad-dle
PIGEON TOE: A two count sequence. Keeping weight on toes, split
heels apart and bring them back together. Also known at other
venues as BUTTERMILK or DOROTHY. Call: Pigeon Toe
PIVOT: A two count turn transferring weight from one foot to the
other. Feet remain stationary during turn, as if they are nailed
to the floor. Call: Half, Turn
POINT: Extend your leg, pointing the toe in the direction indicated.
Call: Point
ROCK: A rocking motion transferring body weight from one foot
to the other. Can be done in any direction with the weight moving
on first movement and back again. Call Rock - Forward (or back)
Or Rock, Rock if side movement
SAILOR SHUFFLE: Three step sequence to two counts of music. Step
one foot behind the other, step other foot to the side, and close
with first foot, Apparently resembles a drunken sailor (but
don't fall over).Call: Sail-Ors Step
SCOOT: A short slide on the foot indicated, raising the other
foot off the ground. Call: Scoot
SCUFF: Brush the foot indicated on the floor without placing weight
on it. This is not a kick, the foot stays close to floor Call:
Scuff
SHIMMY: A shake of the shoulders and upper body. Call: SH-IM-M-Y
-over the beats required
SHUFFLE: Three step sequence to two counts of music. Step on first
foot, close second foot, and step on first foot again in a 'cha
cha cha'; rhythm. A Shuffle moves to cha cha timing. Call
- Shu-ff-le over two beats or cha cha cha.
SLIDE: Dragging the foot indicated along the floor to the position
indicated. Call: Slide
STEP: Indicates a change of weight onto the foot indicated. Call
Step
STOMP: Hit the floor audibly with the whole foot. May or may not
change weight. Down is weight change, Up is no change - Call:
Stomp
SWEETHEART POSITION: Partner dance hold. Couple stand side by
side, right hands held over follower's right shoulder, left
hands held at waist level.
SWIVEL: Keeping weight on the toes, move both heels in the direction
indicated, or keeping weight on heels move the toes in the direction
indicated. Call Swivel and direction over beats
TAP: Indicates no change of weight. Call: Tap
TOE FAN: Two count sequence, keeping weight on heels, flick toe
indicated out and back together. Call: Toe fan
TOE STRUT: A two count sequence touching toe with heel raised,
then stepping down on (flattening) heel. Call: Toe, Flat
TOUCH: Indicates no change of weight. Call Touch
TWINKLE: A three count waltz sequence stepping one foot across
the other, step the other foot to the side, and close together
with the first foot
.
UNWIND: A Turn after a Cross where the weight moves from the standing
leg to the crossed leg. Call: Unwind
WEAVE: This was originally an 8 count step where the feet cross
back and forward. Now it is usually a Grapevine that ends in a
cross over. Two of these are a weave. Call: Side, behind, side,
in front,side, behind, side, in front, (or together)