| ACROSS | Movement across the Line of Dance or
Movement of one leg in front of the other |
| ALIGNMENT | The position of the body with relation to the Line of Dance |
FLOOR
ALIGNMENT |  |
PARTNER ALIGNMENT | The symmetric alignment of a couple |
| AMALGAMATIONS | (aka CLUSTERS or COMBINATIONS)
A group or sequence of dance figures or patterns |
| AND | 1 Half of a Quick count (& 1 or 1 &)
2 A Call such as "ready and"
3 Indicates simultaneous action
Note: In Don's step descriptions, the word "and" notes simultaneous actions,
while the figure "&" indcates movement on a half beat of music |
| APART | 1 Movement away from partner or one foot away from the other
2 Placement of feet apart from each other (2nd position) |
| BALANCE STEP | A step in any direction, followed by a Close (no weight) and a Hold |
| 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 | The free hip lifts and moves in a circular motion
in the direction of the weighted foot |
| BOOGIE ROLL | 1. Similar to Cuban Motion, using a forward and backward movement of
the pelvis
2. A circular movement starting in the pelvis region, moving through the
diaphragm, chest and shoulders |
| BOOGIE WALK | To move the free leg by lifting the hip and stepping forward |
| BREAK | 1 A change or reverse of direction
2 See Rhythm Break |
| BRUSH | (aka SCUFF)
To brush, sweep or scuff the foot against the floor |
| BUMP | Dancers bump hips to the side or the buttocks of their partners |
| CENTER | Individual: Balance point of the body mass -
located near the diaphragm
Couples: Center point between partners |
| CHARLESTON | aka Black Bottom aka Montana Kick
A 4 count pattern of steps and kicks
(Kelly Gillette (and thus, NTA) advocates that a
Charleston must start with a left step)
Step forward left
Kick forward right
Step back right
Point the left toe back
She may be right, but what would we call it when it starts on the right foot. I personally call it a charleston emphasizing which feet are doing what. |
| CHAINÉ | A 360 degree turn, feet together in first position, changing weight |
| CHASE | A figure where one partner pursues the other |
| 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 |
| CONTRA BODY MOVEMENT (CBM) | A movement of the body into or from 3rd or 5th foot position which turns the opposite hip
and shoulder toward the direction of the moving leg |
| CUBAN MOTION | Hip motion initiated by using the inside edge and
ball of the foot during weight transfer |
| CUP AND PIN | The man holds his left hand with the palm facing inward,
thumb over the lady's fingertips. The lady curls her right
fingertips over the man's left fingers. The hands are held
approximately at the lady's waist level. There is resistance
needed for many changes of positions and turns. |
| DIAGONAL | 45 degrees out from the center of the Line of Dance (direction) |
| 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 |
| EXTENSION | To stretch or extend parts of the body |
| 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 backwards with a pointed toe and a flexed knee |
| FOOTWORK | The use of the five positions of the feet in dancing
FIRST POSITION  Feet together, toes
forward and slightly turned out
CALLS Home, Center, Together
SECOND POSITION  Feet parallel,
shoulder width apart
THIRD POSITION  Heel to instep, or
ball to heel
Used in rock steps, shuffles, polkas, triple steps, and basic swing
EXTENDED: Feet apart, heel pointing to instep
FOURTH POSITION Walking step,
forward or back, and rock steps
FIFTH POSITION Heel to toe
Often used in a rock-step |
| FOOT PARTS | Toe,
Inside edge of toe,
Outside edge of toe
Ball,
Inside edge of the ball,
Outside edge of the ball
Heel,
Inside edge of heel,
Outside edge of heel
Flat,
Inside edge of the flat foot, Outside edge of the fiat 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 three-step pattern to the side
with crosses behind and/or in front |
| HEEL SPLIT | (aka WING, SCISSORS, PIGEON-TOE, BUTTERFLIES, ETC.)
Feet together with weight on balls of both feet.
Move heels apart on count 1, and together on count 2
FAST HEEL SPLIT takes one beat of music and 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 CROSS)
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 pointing downward |
| HOOK COMBINATION | A 4 count move using (1) heel (2) hook (3) heel and (4) together |
| ISOLATION | Movement of one part of the body independently of the rest |
| JAZZ BOX | (aka JAZZ SQUARE)
Well there's plenty of fight over this one, but I call a jazz box several ways (then
explain which one I'm using either in class or in my step description) it may not be
right, but it works for me. A couple of examples:
Step forward left
Step right across left
Step back left
Side step right
or:
Step right over left
Step back left
Side step right
Step forward left |
| JUMP | Spring into the air off both feet and land on both feet |
| KNEE POPS | (aka HEEL STOMPS)
Lift both heels off the floor by bending the knees
Return the heels to the floor
Takes one beat of music and counted as "& 1" |
| LEAD | A non-verbal communication that initiates and continues movement |
| LEAP | A transfer of weight from one foot to the other.
Push off with a spring and land on the ball of the other foot,
letting the heel come down Bend knee to absorb the shock |
| 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 | Counterclockwise around the dance floor |
| LOOP TURN | An underarm turn to the left for the lady and to the right for the man |
| LUNGE | A weight transfer to a bent leg with the other leg extended |
| PIGEON TOED | A pattern traveling sideways bringing the toes together leaving the heels apart, then bringing the heels together leaving the toes apart |
| PIVOT | A traveling turn executed with thighs locked and feet apart in extended fifth position |
| PREP | A lead-in move or step a set up used as a preparation
for a turn or a change of dance position |
| QUICK | A step or weight change that takes one beat of music |
| RESISTANCE | A balanced force and counter force between two bodies |
| RHYTHM BREAK | To leave the natural rhythm of the pattern |
| RIGHT | Refers to the right foot, hand, hip or a direction |
| RISE AND FALL | Coming up on the toes by bracing the ankles and stretching the spine then lowering to the heels
BODY RISE
The body rises by bracing the leg muscles and stretching the spine then relaxes to a natural stance |
| ROLL | The indicated body part circles right or left |
| ROUND DANCE | All types of social dances were once called round dances.
Today round dance refers to couples or groups of three or more, doing routine patterns
dancing counterclockwise or clockwise around the dance floor |
| 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: Leaning toward left
(1) Step left behind right
(&) Side step right
(2) Side step left (to original position) |
| SCOOT | (aka SKIP)
(NTA) Slide of the weighted foot (or feet) forward,
backward or sideways.
(ME) A hitch with movement of the weighted foot |
| SHUFFLE | A triple step similar to a Polka step with no lilt (says NTA)
EXAMPLE: SHUFFLE FORWARD LEFT
1 Step forward left
& Bring the right foot up to the heel of the left foot
2 Step forward left
Note: From a technical stand point, a shuffle would be smooth, a polka would
have lilt (bounce), and a cha-cha would have Cuban Motion. This may be of little or
no concern to the social dancer especially the beginner. |
| SHIMMY | Alternating shoulder movements forward and backward |
| SLIDE | A movement in any direction
Stepping on one foot and then draw or slide the other foot up to the weighted foot |
| SLOW | A step or weight change that takes two beats of music |
| SPIN | A 360 degree turn on one foot |
| SPLIT | The feet move apart with the weight evenly distributed over both feet |
| SPOT | A step in place that does not progress in any direction |
| SPOTTING | Focusing on a fixed point through a turn |
| SYNCOPATED SPLITS | Feet move apart separately and are brought back together
Counted as "& 1, & 2" |
| STEP | The transfer of weight from one foot to another |
| STEPS | WALKING - SLOW Usually takes two beats of music
RUNNING - QUICK (Half of a Slow) takes one beat of music
SLIDE (left or right) May be taken to a Slow or Quick count
PIVOT - A movement of the feet, turning on the ball or balls of the feet
BALANCE - A step, together, hold |
| 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 |
| SUGAR FOOT | Alternating swiveling feet in the direction of the un-weighted foot
Taken 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 |
| SYNCOPATED PATTERN | Any variation of a defined dance pattern |
| SYNCOPATED RHYTHM | To step between the down beats
Any rhythm pattern which uses accents other than the down beat |
| TURNS | OUTSIDE
A turn to the right for the lady and left for the man,
INSIDE
A turn to the left far the lady and right for the man
FREE TURN
To turn independently without any body contact
CHAINÉ
A turn with feet together in 1st position with a weight change
3 STEP TURN aka CONGA
A 360° turn in 2nd dance position, taking three weight changes
and ending with a touch or point. Often called a turning or rolling vine, because of it's
common
usage as a variation within a dance
PADDLE TURN
A turn either left or right, using a series of ball changes
with 3/4 of the weight staying over the turning foot
PIVOT
A 180 degree turn taking two weight changes to complete.
Done in extended 3rd or 4th dance position with the thighs locked
TRAVELING PIVOTS
Pivots danced down LOD in extended 5th position
PIVOT TURN aka MILITARY TURN aka BREAK TURN
Transfer weight to the forward foot then turn 180°
in the opposite direction of the forward foot.
Return weight to original foot
SPIN
A 360° turn on one foot
TWIRL
A square dance term for turning the lady |
| VARIATIONS | Any movement of footwork that is different from the original footwork. Personal note: If you change the count or flow of the dance IMHO it's not a variation. I won't say it's wrong, Oh what the heck, YES I WILL |
| 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. ex:
1 - Kick forward right
& - Step down on ball of right
2 - Change weight to left
IN PLACE, RECOVER
Return the weight to the original supporting weighted foot
ROCK
Two weight changes with the feet apart, taken in any direction
SWITCH
Shifting weight from one foot to the other in a rapid sliding movement
TOGETHER
To bring the feet together with a change of weight |
| WEIGHTED LEG/FOOT | aka SUPPORT LEG/FOOT
The foot/leg bearing the weight of the body.
The foot you're standing on. |
