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Step Description

Following is a listing of various step calls used in the Line Dancing community.

Most of these steps are self explanatory but I have deleted those that we never use in our classes. Hope that this helps some of the newer dancers on the floor.

Line Dancing Terminology & Movement (step)Descriptions 

ABBREVIATIONS (in brackets)
Right (R), Left (L), Centre (C), Forward (fwd.), Back (bk.), Twice (2 x), Cross (X),
Replace (rep.) - rock to, Step L or R - step fwd. with weight., Reverse (rev.), Touch (tch.)
Beats (bt) 1, 2, 4, 6 or 8 turning R - Clock-Wise (CW), turning L - anti-CW or (counter) CCW

GENERAL STEP DESCRIPTION

A. Heel (45) - Heel placed at 45 degrees (usually diagonally towards corner).
B. Touch (tch.) - Place part of foot down (toe, ball, heel) next to the other, without weight
C. Hitch - Lift knee
D. Stomp - Place foot down with force
E. Scuff - Kick foot, making contact with heel on the floor
F. Tag - Slap foot with opposite hand behind the back
G. Slap - Slap foot with opposite hand in front
H. Kick
I. Together (tog.) - Place foot next to the other with (equal or changing) weight.

J. Fan - leaving heel in place - point toes to side, close tog.
K. 2 bt Rock - step fwd. or back on one foot, with weight, then replace (change) weight to non-moving foot

GENERAL MOVEMENT DESCRIPTIONS

Apple-jacks - twist on heel of one foot & ball of the other, moving in same direction, then C eg. R - ball of L & heel of R, move R toes & L heel to R, then C - opposite for L 2 bt

Ball-Change - part weight on ball of one foot, returning weight to other. bt &1 ( /\ bt 1&2 /\ )

Ball-Cross - part weight on ball of one foot, crossing other foot in front. bt &1

Ball-Step - part weight on ball of one foot, stepping fwd or back with the other. bt &1

Broncos - Lift knee across body (sometimes slap with opposite hand)

Bronco Twists (Swivets) - twist on heel of one foot & ball of the other, moving heels & toes in opposite

Brush-Up - Heel (45), bring heel up towards knee, Heel (45), tog. 4 bt

Bumps - Leaving feet in place, moving hips & weight to that direction **** Shimmy - shaking shoulders

Butterfly (double butter-milks) - 'split' the heel apart, toes apart, then toes tog., heels tog. (or 1/2 - use only 1 foot) 4 bt

Butterfly Rev. - 'split' the toes apart, heels apart, then heels tog., toes tog. '' '' 4 bt


Camel - usually diag., step on foot, throwing hips in opposite direction eg. step L, throw hips R, R tog. 2 bt

Cha Cha Turn - 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 ( ¼ or ½ or whatever) L, R, L

Charleston (eg. L) - Step L fwd., kick R, step back on R, tch. L toes behind 4 bt

Curtsy - tch. toes of one foot behind the other. eg. tch. L toes behind R or step R to side, tch. L toes behind R (2 bt)

Diagonal (diag.) - moving at 45 degrees, towards corner, or movement in that direction - eg. kick, step, etc.

Dorothy's

Doubles - tch. heel in front 2 x, toes behind 2 x 4 bt

Heel Splits (Butter-milks) - heels apart, close tog. Toe Splits (rev. Butter-milks) - toes apart, close tog. 2 bt

Hooking - bring heel up towards opposite knee 1 bt **** Hook - Heel (45) then bring heel up towards knee 2 bt

Kick-A-Bit - R kick fwd, R step behind L heel, L step across front of R

Kick Ball-Change - kick foot, then take partial weight to ball of kicking foot, replacing weight to non-kicking foot.

Monterey turn - R toe to side, turn 1/2 R on L, R tog., L toe to side, L tog. (finish weight on L) 4 bt

Pivot (cheat's or quick pivot) - touch toes (ball of foot) of one foot in front, leaving weight on other foot and turn 1/4, 1/2, or more, in the direction of the non-moving foot eg. R pivot - L toes in front, turn R on R foot 2 bt

Pivot (proper) - step fwd. on one foot, turn 1/4, 1/2, or more, in the direction of the non-moving foot, returning or changing weight to the non-moving foot. eg. L pivot - step fwd. on R, turn L changing weight to L foot 2 bt

Reggae (box or Jazz step) (eg. R) - X R over L, step back on L, R to side, L tog. (finish weight on L). 4 Full weight steps 4 bt

Rumba - Stepping fwd. (back, etc.) with one foot, replacing weight to non-moving foot, then placing the original moving foot to the side (back etc.) without weight, then transfer weight to that foot on the 4th beat. eg. Step L (fwd.) , rep. to R, place L side, move weight to L (easy - Step L, rep. to R, step L, hold (H)) 4 bt

Slap-out - slap foot with same side hand, on side.

Strut (heel, flat) - place heel on floor then the rest of foot ' flat ' on floor with weight. 2 bt 

Strut (Rev.) (toe, flat) - place toe on floor then the rest of foot ' flat ' on floor with weight. 2 bt

Swivels heels (or toes) - move heels (or toes) in that direction, then other way - eg. (heels) R, C, L, C or L, R, L, C 

Swivets (Bronco Twists)- twist on heel of one foot & ball of the other, moving heels & toes in opposite Star - heel or toes in front, side, back, tog. (backward - back, side, front, tog.) (rev. - front, back, side, tog.) 4 bt

Triple Step (on the spot) - step on one foot with weight, on ball of other foot, step on original foot with weight bt 1&2

Turns (12 O'clock start) R - 1/4 - 90 deg. - 3 O'cl., 1/2 - 180 deg. - 6 O'cl., 3/4 - 270 deg. - 9 O'cl. full - 360 deg. 12 O'cl. L - 1/4 - 90 deg. - 9 O'cl., 1/2 - 180 deg. - 6 O'cl., 3/4 - 270 deg. - 3 O'cl. full - 360 deg. 12 O'cl.

Waltz - Stepping fwd. (back, etc.) with one foot, bring other foot tog. transferring weight to ball of other foot, taking weight back to original foot - eg. L, R, L 3 bt
Twists toe-heel to (R or L) eg. R - toes R, heels R, etc. or heel-toe (heels first) eg. L - heels L, toes L, etc. 

SHUFFLES - COASTERS - SAILOR STEPS

Shuffle (Chasse or Cha-Cha) - 'as above' but moving fwd., back, to side or across on one foot with weight (eg. R), bringing the ball of other foot almost tog. (eg. L), then step onto the first foot in the same direction (eg. R). eg. - R, L, R or L, R, L bt 1&2

Cross Shuffle - 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 bt 1&2

Coaster Step - Step back on one foot, back on the ball of the other, change weight fwd. onto the original stepping foot. eg. R - back on R, back on ball of L, change weight fwd. to R bt 1&2

Sailor Step - Cross one foot behind the other, step ball of the other to the side, change weight onto the original stepping foot. eg. R - cross R behind L, ball of L to side, change weight to R in place bt 1&2

VINES

R Vine  (frieze) - Step R to side, X L behind R, R to side, L a. - i. 4 bt (a – i as just above… heel, touch etc.)

L Vine - Step L to side, X R behind L, L to side, R a. - i. 4 bt

R fwd. Vine - 3 steps fwd. - R, L, R, L a. - i. 4 bt

L fwd. Vine - 3 steps fwd - L, R, L, R a. - i. 4 bt

R back Vine - 3 steps back. - R, L, R, L a. - i. 4 bt

L back Vine - 3 steps back - L, R, L, R a. - i. 4 bt

R Grape Vine (Full Vine) - Step R to side, X L behind R, R to side, X L over R tog., R to side, L a.-i.

L Grape Vine (Full Vine) - Step L to side, X R behind L, L to side, X R over L tog., L to side, R a.-i

R Extended Grape Vine - Step R to side, X L behind R, R to side, X L over R, R to side, X L behind R, R to side, L a.-i. (Ext. Vine) /\ & \/ 8 bt

L Extended Grape Vine - Step L to side, X R behind L, L to side, X R over L, L to side, X R behind L, L to side, R a.-i..

L Lock (step - Vine) - Step L fwd., R foot behind & to the L of L, step L fwd., R a. - i. 4 bt

R Lock (step - Vine) - Step R fwd., L foot behind & to the R of R, step R fwd., L a. - i. 4 bt

R Rolling (Roll.) Vine (s) - Start with opposite foot to the direction of travel. Going R - X L over R first, going L - X R over L first 4, 6, or 8 bt eg. to R - X L over R, R to side, X L behind R, R a. - i. 4 bt

Turning Vines - 3 step full turn, then a. - i. eg. to R, turn R, L, R, completing full turn, then L a. - i. 4 bt