ACROSS Movement across the LOD or movement of one leg infront of the other. ALIGNMENT (FLOOR) AMALGAMATIONS aka CLUSTERS aka COMBINATIONS A group or sequence of dance figures or patterns. BEHIND A step with the free foot crossing behind the weighted foot. BODY MOVEMENTS/GESTURE Any movement not connected with supporting the body weight STEP The transfer of weight from one foot to another. LOCOMOTION Movement of the body from one place to another. JUMPING Movement without a point of support. TURNING Changing position in a circular fashion. BOOGIE WALK To move the free leg by lifting the hip and stepping forward. BREAK A change or reverse of direction. BRUSH aka SCUFF To brush, sweep or scuff the foot against the floor. CENTER Balance point of the body mass-located near the diaphragm. CHARLESTON aka BLACK BOTTOM aka MONTANA KICK *A 4 count pattern of steps and kicks 1) Step forward left. 2) Kick forward right. 3) Step back right. 4) Point the left toe back. CHAINEE` A 360-degree turn, feet together in first position, changing weight. CLOSE To bring the feet together without a change of weight. COUNT A call used to count the rhythm of foot movements and weight changes or to count the beats of music. CUBAN MOTION Hip motion initiated by using the inside edge and ball of the foot during weight transfer. DIAGONAL 45 degrees out from the center of the LOD. DIG To touch the ball or heel of the free foot to the floor with a strong emphasis. DRAW aka DRAG aka SLIDE To bring the free foot slowly together to the weighted foot. FAN Circular motion of the free foot: TOE FAN Toe swings outward, pivoting on heel, and back. HEEL FAN Heel swings outward, pivoting on ball of foot, and back. FAN KICK High, straight leg kick where the extended leg makes a circular sweep. FLEX To bend slightly or relax a portion of the body. *Example The flex of the knee. FLICK Sharp quick kick backward with a pointed toe and a flexed knee. FOOTWORK The use of the five positions of the feet in dancing: FIRST POSITION Should look like this ~~>Feet together, toes forward and slightly turned out. (Some times referred to as home, center or together.) SECOND POSITION Should look like this ~~>
Feet parallel, shoulder width apart. THIRD POSITION Should look like this ~~>
Heel to instep or ball to heel. (Used in rock steps, shuffles, polkas, triple steps and basic swing.) EXTENDED THIRD POSITION *Should look like 3rd position with feet extended. Feet apart heel pointing to instep. FOURTH POSITION Should look like this ~~>
Walking step, forward or back and rock steps. FIFTH POSITION Should look like this ~~>
Heel to toe. (Often used in a rock step.) EXTENDED FIFTH POSITION *Should look like FIFTH POSITION with feet apart. Toe pointing angle to right. More on foot positions click Here FOOT PARTS 1. toe 2. inside edge of toe 3. outside edge of toe 4. ball 5. inside edge of the ball 6. outside edge of the ball 7. heel 8. inside edge of heel 9. outside edge of heel 10. flat 11. inside edge of the flat foot 12. outside edge of the flat foot FOLLOW THROUGH The non-support foot passes by the weighted foot before changing directions. FRAME Dance posture for the purpose of maintaining balance and appearance. FREEZE A stop, no movement. GRAPEVINE aka VINE A continuous traveling step pattern to the side with crosses behind and/or in front. HEEL SPLIT aka WING SCISSORS aka PIGEON-TOE aka BUTTERFLIES Feet together with weight on balls of both feet: Move heels apart on count 1 and together on count 2. KNEE POPS aka HEEL STOMPS Lift both heels off the floor by bending the knees; return the heels to the floor. (This is counted as "& 1".) HOLD A count to describe a designated time before taking another step. HOME Original starting place. HOP A spring into the air from one foot and landing on the same foot. HOOK aka CROOSS The free foot moves as a pendulum in front of or in back of the weighted foot and is kept off the floor. The toes pointed downward. ISOLATION Movement of one part of the body independently of the rest. JAZZ BOX aka JAZZ SQUARE 1. Step forward left. 2. Step right across left. 3. Step back left. 4. Side step right. or: 1. Step right over left. 2. Step back left. 3. Side step right. 4. Step forward left. JUMP Spring into the air off both feet and land on both feet. LEFT Refers to the left foot, hand, hip or a direction. LOCK A tight cross of the feet in 1st or 2nd position. LOD Line of dance. LUNGE A weight transfer to a bent leg with the other leg extended. PIVOT A traveling turn executed with thighs locked and feet apart in extended 5th position. PREP A set up used as a preparation for a turn or a change of dance position. RIGHT Refers to the right foot, hand, hip or a direction. ROLL The indicated body part circles right or left. SAILOR STEP A triple step dance pattern accomplished by leaning in the opposite direction of the crossing foot. (Weight stays centered over lead foots original position.) EXAMPLE: Left Sailor Step (leaning toward left) Count 1=Step left behind right Count &= Side step right. Count 2= Side step left (to original position) SCOOT aka SKIP Sliding the weighted foot forward, backward or sideways. SHUFFLE A triple step similar to a Polka step. EXAMPLE: Shuffle forward left: Count 1=Step forward left Count &=Bring the right foot up to the heel of the left foot. Count 2=Step forward left NOTE: From a technical standpoint, a shuffle would be smooth, a polka would have lilt and a cha-cha would have Cuban Motion. SHIMMY Alternating shoulder movements forward and backward. SLIDE A movement in any direction. Step on one foot then draw or slide the other foot up to the weighted foot. SPIN A 360 degree turn on one foot. SPLIT ~See heel splits, toe splits SPOTTING Focusing on a fixed point through a turn. STEP The transfer of weight from one foot to another. STROLL A forward diagonal step followed by a cross behind (lock) and another step forward. STRUT Moving forward, place the heel then the ball of the foot on the floor for counts 1, 2. Also can be done Toe Heel. SUGAR FOOT Alternating swiveling feet in the direction of the un- weighted foot. Done in place or traveling. SWAY A tilt of the chest to the side, without lowering the torso. Stretching from the side upwards. SWING The free foot is raised and moved forward, backward, sideways or crosswise. TYPES OF TURNS CHAINEE` A turn with feet together in 1st position with a weight change. 3 STEP TURN aka CONGA A 360-degree turn in 2nd position, taking three weight changes and ending with a touch or point. Often called a turning or rolling vine. PADDLE TURN A turn either left or right, using a series of ball changes with ¾ of the weight staying over the turning foot. PIVOT A turn that travels. SPIN A turn on one foot. VARIATIONS Any movement of the footwork that is different from the original choreography. NOTE: If you change the count or flow of the dance it's not a variation! And it's wrong! WEIGHT CHANGES BALL CHANGE A change of weight from the ball of one foot to the other foot. CROSS To move one foot over the other, either in front or behind. KICK-BALL-CHANGE May also be done as a heel-ball-change! Example: Count 1=Kick forward right Count &=Step down on ball of right Count 2=Change weight to left IN PLACE Return to origional position. RECOVER Return the weight to the original position. ROCK Shifting weight from one foot to the other in any direction. Usually 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Position. TOGETHER One foot aligned next to the other foot. WEIGHTED LEG/FOOT aka SUPPORT LEG/FOOT The foot/leg bearing the weight of the body. The foot you're standing on! Any questions email us BryanM2000@aol.com This page is brought to you in part by Information Super Dance Floor and www.BryanM.com Go to Information Super Dance Floor by Clicking HERE
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