Line Dance Steps
Silverboots Line Dance Club – Step Instructions
I have listed below some of the first Line Dance steps you will learn, I have described the ‘right footed’ version of each step though each step can also go the other way and in some cases both backwards and forwards as well.
The words I use to ‘call’ each step are highlighted in red.
GRAPEVINE – SIDE, BEHIND, SIDE, TOUCH
(count 1,2,3,4)
The fourth count of a Grapevine could be any of the following, tap, stomp or a scuff
To dance a right grapevine (1) step your right foot to the right, (2) cross your left foot behind your right foot changing your weight to your left foot, (3) step your right foot to the right side and (4) touch your left toe next to your right foot keeping the weight on your right foot.
To dance a left grapevine reverse the steps above.
JAZZ BOX – CROSS, BACK, SIDE, TOGETHER
(count 1,2,3,4)
This is a move made famous by Cliff Richard and the Shadows, to dance a right jazz box, starting with your weight on the left foot (1) cross your right foot over your left, putting the weight onto it (2) step back onto your left foot (3) step your right foot to the side of your left foot, leaving a gap between your feet (4) close your left foot next to right transferring the weight to your left foot.
TOE STRUT – TOE, STRUT
(count 1,2)
Toe struts can be danced forwards, backwards and sideways, this is a forwards toe strut.
To dance a right toe strut, (1) step forward onto your right toes and (2) drop your heel to the floor.
HEEL STRUT – HEEL, STRUT
(count 1,2)
The heel strut is very similar to a toe strut, (1) step forwards onto your heel and (2) drop the toes to the floor for the second count.
Dances with this count (count 1 & 2) are triple step dances, that’s three steps over two beats in the music.
MAMBO STEP – ROCK, RECOVER, TOGETHER
(count 1 & 2)
A ‘mambo’ can be forwards sideways or backwards, it is a step that is completed with one foot in place all the time.
Starting with your weight on your left foot, (1) Step forwards on your right foot (&) lift your left foot slightly off the ground on the & count, and quickly place it back down (2) step your right foot in place next to left.
COASTER STEP – BACK, TOGETHER, FORWARD
(count 1 & 2)
To dance a right coaster step you start with the weight on your left foot now (1) step back onto your right foot (&) bring your left foot back to step next to right (2) quickly step your right foot forward.
ROCKING CHAIR – ROCK FORWARD, RECOVER, ROCK BACK, RECOVER
(count 1,2,3,4)
Starting with the weight on your left foot (this foot will now stay in place for the rest of the movement) (1) rock forwards onto your right foot lifting your left foot slightly up off the ground, but keeping it in the same position (2) replace the weight onto your left foot (3) swing your right foot backwards and rock onto it (transferring the weight onto it) (4) rock forwards onto your left foot.
SHUFFLES – RIGHT, TOGETHER, RIGHT
(count 1 & 2)
A shuffle step is a triple step, that’s three steps over two beats in the music and are used a lot in linedancing.
Starting with your weight on the left foot (1) step forward onto your right foot (&) bring your left foot almost next to the right transferring the weight onto your left foot (2) step forward onto your right.
The call would be ‘right shuffle’
CHASSES – RIGHT, TOGETHER, RIGHT – OR SIDE,CLOSE , SIDE
(1 & 2)
Very similar to shuffles except they are sideways moves
(1) step right sideways (&) bring left next to right (2) step to the right again.
Some linedance instructors call this as ‘ right, together, right’ but we prefer the old fashioned way of calling a ‘chasse’ a ‘side shuffle’ because it’s easy to understand.
ROCKS AND CROSSES – ROCK, ROCK, CROSS
(count 1 & 2)
Start with your feet together, weight on the left (1) rock sideways onto your right foot (&) lift the left foot slightly then quickly put it down (2) step your right foot in front of your left foot.
LOCK STEPS – RIGHT, LOCK, RIGHT
(count 1 & 2)
These are just like shuffles but as you travel forwards you cross your left foot behind your right instead of next to it, ‘locking’ it behind your right foot. Before stepping forwards again on the right.
(1) Step forward on your right foot (&) lock your left foot behind behind your right foot (2) step forward on your right foot
SAILOR STEPS – BEHIND, SIDE, STEP or SAI LOR STEP
(count 1 & 2)
With the weight on your left, (1) cross your right foot behind left (&) move your left foot out to the left side putting your weight on it for a second (2) step your right foot out to the right side.
Imagine you are standing on the deck of a boat and it lurches to the right and you’ll get the idea behind this step, you can also do left sailors, and turning sailors!
WEAVE – SIDE, BEHIND, SIDE, IN FRONT, SIDE, BEHIND, SIDE, CROSS (simple weave)
(count 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8)
A weave is an extended grapevine that is more than the normal 4 counts. (1) step your right foot to the right side (2) cross your left foot behind right (3) step your right foot to the right (4) step your left foot in front of your right foot (5) step your right foot to the right side (6) step your left foot in front of your right foot (7) step your right foot to the right. (8) touch left next to right.
A shorter weave can start with the weight on your right foot, (1) cross left over right (2) step right to the right side (3) cross left behind right (4) step right to the right side.
The call would be ‘cross, side, behind, side’, TThis is the most commonly usedweave in linedancing.
PIVOT TURNS – STEP, TURN or PIVOT, TURN
(count 1,2)
Pivot turns can take some practice, they can be ¼ turns, ½ turns or ¾ turns.
To execute a ‘half pivot turn’, start with the weight on your right foot (1) step forward on to your left foot (2) lift your heels slightly and unwind a half turn to the right by swivelling on the balls of both feet., as you finish the ‘unwind’ you should transfer your weight onto your right foot.
PADDLES – PADDLE, AND….
(count 1,2)
(1) Step forward on the right and (2) make a quarter turn to the left replacing the weight onto the left foot, that’s a quarter turn paddle. You can paddle either left or right.
SHIMMYING – SHIIIMMMMMYYYY
This simply means shaking your shoulders whilst dancing a grapevine, or step and slide.
KICK BALL CHANGE/STEP – KICK, BALL, CHANGE
(count 1&2)
This is perhaps the one move that many people find most difficult, practice certainly helps but you should also watch the more experienced dancer to see their technique.
(1) Kick your right foot forward (&) step next to left briefly putting your weight on the ball of your right foot for a second whilst lifting your left foot off the floor (2) replace weight onto left foot.
A kick ball step means simply stepping forwards on your left foot instead of next to your right foot for the final count. There are variations of the kick ball which include Kick, Ball Cross and Kick, Ball, Touch and so on…
TOE SWITCHES – OUT, AND, OUT, AND OUT
(count 1&,2&,3,4)
(1&) Point your right toes out to the right side quickly bring your right foot back next to left (2&) point out the the left with your left toes, quickly bring your left foot back next to right (3) point out once again to the right with your right toes (4) clap
HEEL SWITCHES – HEEL AND HEEL AND CLAP CLAP
(count 1 & 2 & 3 & 4)
Exactly the same as Toe switches except you tap your heel forwards instead. Call is ‘heel, and heel, and heel, clap clap’ . with the claps.
RHUMBA BOX – RIGHT TOGETHER, BACK, TAP, LEFT TOGETHER, FORWARD TAP
Count (1,2,3,4)
To dance a Right reverse Rhumba box as in the new dance this week, step to the Right, Left joins it, step back Right, Tap Left, Step Left, Right joins it, Step Forward Left, Tap Right
These are the JUST basic steps used in the majority of dances but there are more of course that we will learn as time goes on.
Remember the more you practice the easier you’ll find it.
Dolly