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.
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.
The Shim Sham has become a global Lindy Hop phenomenon. When in doubt....Shim Sham! We have 3 versions for you to learn based on your current skill level or if you need inspiration in deciding what to teach your students. Originating in the tap dance community in the 1920s from Leonard Reed and Willie Bryant, Lindy Hoppers have since modified it to work for "soft shoe" dancing. The primary version used in the global Lindy Hop community was introduced by Frankie Manning to NYC in the 1980s.
Metronome training, level up our forward and backward spins, and wrap-up with the Charleston drills.
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.
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.
It's time to step up your break step. This soft shoe version of the break step is used in the original tap dance version of the Shim Sham Shimmy. It’s more challenging than the break step version we showed in Level 1, but is absolutely accessible with practice. This assumes you are comfortable with the Level 1 Shim Sham.
Final phone call with Jo.
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.
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.
