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Apple Jacks
Even though it can look like the weight is split, it’s critical that you do a full weight shift on every step and twist. Upper body position and hand stylings should be modified to match the music and/or your own style.
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Crazy Legs
Walk and flap the legs and on every beat. Just don’t get too crazy and hurt yourself. Bonus points for high knees and creative facial expressions.
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Camel Walks
An opportunity to channel your inner camel. It says walks, but it’s a whole lot more. Pay attention to the details to really get this move correct.
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Paddle Wheel
This is a great variation of your charleston basic. The name inspiration comes from the big paddle wheel used to propel the paddle boats up and down the Mississippi River. Play with different arm positions and rotations to add variations.
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Shorty George
Named after George “Shorty” Snowden who made this move famous. It’s a staple of lindy hop and many dancers develop their own variation of it. Focus on your weight shifts & hip movements and let the knees take care of themselves.
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Slip Slops
This jazz step can be done half or full time. Regardless of the timing, it’s easier to do with slippery shoes. When your shows are sticky, you will have to really work to get your foot to slide across the floor. Arms and hips are key elements to get your momentum going.
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Spank the Baby
Feeling tired at a dance? Spanking the baby is a great way to wake yourself up. This is all about the attitude of committing to a movement. It’s only silly if you think it’s silly. If you sell it, the audience will buy it.
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Suzie Q
Front toe down! The front foot needs to be flat on the floor. The weight is focused on the heel of the front foot so you have the freedom to twist it, but for the love of all things Lindy…..keep that front toe down!
Full Time
Half Time
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Boogie Forward
As a concept, it’s a very straight forward jazz step, but making it look good requires attitude, hips, arms, hands and a sense of style. Play with styling variations by watching yourself in the mirror.
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Box Step
Almost every dance uses some variation of this movement. It’s clean, simple, classic and ripe for variations.
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Fishtail
Hips hips hips! Rotate those hips while sitting into your movement to really accentuate this step. Both feet will be on the ground so be sure to commit to your weight-changes to make this move look great!
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Jig Walks
A super mellow move that looks and feels great. It is easy to build variations with and fun to do.
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Rocks
If you’re going to do this, you have to fully commit yourself to this move. Take a wide stance with a lunge, rock your hips forward and back with your weight change, and frame it with your arms. Rockin’!
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Squat Charleston
This move can prove to be challenging, but the effort is worth it. Once internalized, squat Charlestons can really fun to do, though they can be exhausting when done for long periods of time.
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Sweeps
The magic of this move is in the leg that sweeps, but the technique of this move is in the standing leg. Commit to your weight change, bend into the leg, and add full leg extensions to make it look amazing.
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Trucking
A stylish jazz step adapted for Lindy Hop. It’s relaxed and full of attitude. So pigeon-toe your feet, smile, and start Truckin’.
4-Count
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1920s Charleston
At its root, 1920’s style solo Charleston is just touch stepping, but when you add a bounce and foot twists it looks and feels completely different. Take it step by step. Step 1: Touch Steps. Step 2: Touch Steps and Bouncing. Step 3: Touch Steps, Bouncing, and foot twists.
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Hitch Hike
It’s important to know the difference between a touch and a step. Hitch Hikes use both, plus the twists of 1920’s style Charleston. Once you are comfortable with your lower body, start playing with the arm styling.
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Shoe Shine
Jump onto one foot, extend the other and shine your shoe in 4-count rhythm. Some like to really touch their shoes, while others prefer to pretend to shine their shoes. Either way, it’s a shoeshine.
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Skates
Kevin sees this as an attempt of dancers to mimic the look of ice skaters or roller skaters. It’s straight forward and really fun to do at higher tempos.
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Tabby the Cat
Jump onto two feet, split that weight, and then work that booty using a 4-count rhythm. The footwork is not complicated, so you gotta sell it! Get sassy and silly with this one.
Triple Steps
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Boogie Back
Often used in conjunction with Boogie Forwards, Boogie Backs are simple, fun and fundamental. This is the most standard/basic version, but variations abound. And yes, it does start on count 8 of the phrase.
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Break a Leg
Lindy Hop is one part serious and two parts fun. This move is supposed to look like you injured your leg and you have to get off the dance floor to get some ice. Be precise with the rhythm, but have fun with the styling.
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Killer Boogie
This impressive footwork styling is a challenging mix of triple rhythm, constant weight shifts, and twisting. Not really designed for super-fast tempos, but mid-tempo music and below can really be fun.
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Scissor Kicks
Fundamental to most dance forms and used throughout Lindy Hop, Scissor Kicks might be the best move to really “cut a rug” with ;-). Basically, it’s a continuous kick-ball-change.
Multi Rhythm
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Boogie Drops
Using full-time and half-time rhythm, boogie drops can be subtle but sexy. Weight shift control is imperative.
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Eagle Slide
Commit to your inner eagle and you will soar. It combines kick-ball-change and half-time rhythm.
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Fall off the Log
Fall Off the Log uses full-time and half-time rhythms. It originates from tap dancing but is used as a soft shoe step for Lindy Hoppers.
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Gaze Afar
It’s exactly as its name describes and uses full-time, a triple step, and 4-count rhythm. It’s a little bit silly, and a whole lot of fun.
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Jump Charleston
A really cool variation of basic Charleston with many options for flare. It combines 4-count, half-time, and full-time rhythm. Some variations use the triple step rhythm.
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Lockstep
The basic Lockstep uses full-time and 4-count rhythm. It’s a classic phrase-ending move and great transition to use in choreographies. The exit has the advantage of being split-weight so either foot can be ready for the next move depending on what is needed.
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Sailor Kicks
Using 4-count and/or half-time rhythm, these classic kicks are aerobic, fun, and impressive. Many variations exist, so use this version as a great starting point.
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Savoy Kicks
This charleston basic variation uses full-time and 4-count rhythm. It starts with a rock step and then transitions to some fun hopping and toe-tapping variations.
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Scarecrow
Love like you’ve never been hurt, sing like no one is listening, and dance like a scarecrow. Using 4-Count and half-time rhythm, this silly move starts out conventionally and ends with some attitude. Your goal is to be as much like a scarecrow as possible.
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Suicides
Originally done by tap dancers, this soft-shoe version is just as fun and impressive. It uses full-time and half-time rhythm.