THE LINE & COUNTRY & WESTERN DANCE & MUSIC FAQ

5.0A SOME BASIC LINE DANCE STEP DESCRIPTIONS

KICK BALL CHANGE

You kick your right (or left) leg slightly forward, step down on the ball of that same foot for one beat, then quickly "change" weight to the opposite foot thus creating the kick-ball-change.

Contributed by David & Susan Groeschel Line Dance Instructors & Choreographers, Hawaii at danceon@eagnet.com

GRAPEVINE & TOUCH

Step to the right (or left) with the appropriate foot for the direction that you are going. So for a Grapevine Right: Step to your right with your right foot (putting your weight on your right foot). Step behind your right foot with your left foot (putting your weight on your left foot). Step again to the right with your right foot (weight on right) and touch your left foot next to your right (with your weight staying on the right foot). For a Grapevine Left repeat the above going left but switching to the other foot.

Contributed by David & Susan Groeschel Line Dance Instructors and
Choreographers, Hawaii at danceon@eagnet.com

A VINE is generally a three count move though it is often finished with a fourth count via a "TOUCH", "SCOOT", "BRUSH", "HEEL TAP" "STEP", "KICK" or a number of other steps. See Glossary Of Terms. When writing up a dance, Dance Steps Should be annotated as either a "Grapevine" (ie. The Conventional 3 Count Step Move) or, if more than three counts are involved, as a "Four Count", "Five Count" Grapevine, Etc.

HITCH

Right/take right heel and touch forward, take the right foot and bring it upward in front of the right shin, touch right heel down in front and return next to left foot. Count: forward heel-1, up to shin-2, return heel-3, return "home"-4.

Contributed by David & Susan Groeschel Line Dance Instructors and
Choreographers, Hawaii at danceon@eagnet.com

CHA CHA

There are two types of Cha Cha steps:

* Triple Steps
* Shuffle Steps [See Section 5.9]

All Cha Cha steps are counted 1&2, 3&4 etc and its basically a quick weight change from foot to foot. For example a forward right foot (right-left-right) Cha Cha (Triple Step) involves:

1 - Step forward on the right foot
& - Then on the ball of the left foot (placing your weight on the left foot)
2- Then immediately place your weight on the right foot moving forward, backwards, or sideways

Simply reverse the above for a left-right-left forward left foot Cha Cha.

Contributed by David & Susan Groeschel Line Dance Instructors and
Choreographers, Hawaii at danceon@eagnet.com

Differences In Technique Between A Cha Cha Cha & A Triple Step

A CHA CHA CHA can move forwards, backwards or from side to side in either direction. A TRIPLE STEP will move only forwards. Both the Cha Cha Cha and Triple Step incorporate three steps in two beats requiring one of the beats to be split. How the beats are split gives the rhythm. The rhythm of a Cha Cha Cha and Triple Step are differentiated as follows:

CHA CHA CHA 1/2 1/2 1 TRIPLE STEP 1 1/4 3/4 The footwork of the forward moving Cha Cha Cha and Triple Step are similar: 

  Step 1  Ball flat
  Step 2  Ball 0F0տ	d/@Ad	pA@Aտ	dh؎'.0տ	dhXx-8		8			;@}h0h|6yw	pApF0տ	d/@Ad	pA@Aտ	dh؎'.0տ	dhXx-8h	p		p	8	#y5};ii>'|1	pAF0տ	d/@Ad	pA@Aտ	dh؎'.0տ	dhXx-80	8		8	)	lxx;8%.}^wti	pA G0տ	d/@Ad	pA@Aտ	dh؎'.0տ	dhXx-8				\ip-&me	pAG0տ	d/@Ad	pA@Aտ	dh؎'.0տ	dhXx-8		X		t
e?ot'v|p~x	pAI0տ	d/@Ad	pA@Aտ	dh؎'.0տ	dhXx-8	
	 			a

Contributed By: William "Bill" Hollick

E-Mail: wmh@rekindle.ultranet.com

 
Variations Of The Sailor Step Exist. Sometimes The Step Is 
Described As Follows:


  1  Right hook left (right step behind left to left side)

  &  Left step in place on ball of foot

  2  Right step next to left  


Beat Count


The beat value of the rhythm used in the Sailor Step should be
3/4, 1/4, 1 (Three quarters, One quarter, One) which is not
indicated by a simplistic count of 1&2.


Contributed By Paul Bottomer (Four Times Latin American Dance World Champion)




HEEL SWIVELS/SPLITS

     
  1. With your weight on the balls of your feet, swivel heels apart.

  2. With your weight on the balls of your feet, swivel heels back
     together again.


Heel swivels do not necessarily mean that the heels go apart and then
together, it can mean that they both go in the same direction:


  1. With your weight on the balls of your feet, swivel both heels 
     left.

  2. With your weight on the balls of your feet, swivel heels to the 
     centre.

  3. With your weight on the balls of your feet, swivel both heels  
     right.

  4. With your weight on the balls of your feet, swivel heels to the 
     centre.


This move is also called by SWIVETTES.


Extracted From "Oldies But Goodies - A Country Western Line
 
Dance Reference Handbook" By Kind Permission Of Jeannie
 
Woolman at CWdancer@msn.com




The SHUFFLE STEP


  The Shuffle is three steps to two beats of music:


  1. Step forward with your left foot.

  & Quickly bring your right foot next to your left foot and step down

  2. Quickly step forward with your left foot


Just reverse these steps for a right foot lead. This move is sometimes
refered to as a step-together-step or even a Polka step. The Shuffle
step differs from the CHA CHA Step in that there is NO rocking motion
involved.


Extracted From "Oldies But Goodies - A Country Western Line

Dance Reference Handbook" By Kind Permission Of Jeannie
 
Woolman at  CWdancer@msn.com


The SHUFFLE STEP is also called by TRIPLE STEP


A Cautionary Note:


In many ways the Shuffle Step is similar to the Triple Step and Cha 
Cha Cha. The main difference, however, is that it remains facing the
line of travel and does not have a side lead as may be used in the
Triple Step. Ankle action is not as pronounced as in the Triple Step
with the feet being slid along the floor hence its similarity to
"shuffling". The rhythm is 1/2, 1/2, 1 (Half, Half, One).
 
  
Contributed By Paul Bottomer (Four Times Latin American Dance World Champion)




MONTEREY SPINS/TURNS

Right Monterey


Point right toe to right at 90 degrees
Spin 180 degrees to right, change weight to right foot
Point left toe out to side at 90 degrees
Step left back to home (bringing two feet together)


For a Left Monterey simply reverse the above.


Contributed by: Joe Mailman,
 
Mustang Lone Star Country Line Dancers,
 
Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada.
  
E-Mail: jmailman@tallships.istar.ca




WASHBOARD RUB

  
In the dance Dirty Laundry choreographed by Sandra Mailman & Dawn 
Randall, there is a Washboard Rub. This movement is critical to 
the correct rendition of that dance.


Hands are placed in front of the body, arms slightly bent at the 
elbows and an up and down movement is made, as if you were scrubbing 
clothes on an old washboard.


Contributed by: Joe Mailman
 
Mustang Lone Star Country Line Dancers,
 
Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada.
  
E-Mail: jmailman@tallships.istar.ca




SCISSOR STEP


 1 Jump with feet about a shoulder width apart

 2 Jump cross step right over left

 3 Jump with feet about a shoulder width apart again

 4 Jump bringing feet together


Many dancers do this as a variation to the first 4 steps of Slappin' 
Leather, Locomotion and others.


Contributed by: George De Virgilio

E-Mail: cwdancer@erie.net




VAUDEVILLE HOP
  

EXAMPLE: Vaudeville Hop to the left

(Start with L heel to the left)
 
& Step ball of L behind R

1 Step R to the left

& Step Left to the left

2 Touch R heel to the right



Contributed By: William M. Hollick

E-Mail: wmh@rekindle.ultranet.com

Website: http://www.ultranet.com/~wmh/




 | Return To Start Of Document | Return To Contents Page | 





LD FAQ Section 5A: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jgothard/sect5a.htm

The Line/C&W Dance & Music FAQ is Copyright © Julian L. Gothard 1995-1998

The FAQ was converted to html/htm format by Robert Fielder and Julian L. Gothard.