BASIC LINE DANCE TERMS
Step Description written by Tony & Lana Wilson, Desert Dancers LLC
ukwtony@dakotacom.net, keedance@dakotacom.net, www.tucsondancer.com
http://www.worldlinedancenewsletter.com/information/beg_basic_line_dance_terms.pdf

Click this link for video featuring Philip Victor Ongert from Boot Scootin'

BRUSH/SCUFF
Scuffs are done with the heel. Foot swings forward with just heel touching Brushes are done with the ball of the foot forward, back, or across.

BALL-CHANGE
Step down on the ball of one foot raising other foot. Step down on other foot. (A shuffle is really a step-ball-step.) Can be done on either foot.
Ex: & Step on ball of R next to L raising L | 2. Step on L next to R

CHA BASIC
Rock forward, rock back, cha in place, rock back, rock forward, cha in place.
Ex: 1-2. Rock forward on L, recover back on R | 3&4. Cha Cha in place LRL | 5-6. Rock back on R, recover forward on L | 7&8 . Cha Cha in place RLR

CROSS CHA
On counts 1-2 and 5-6 above you rock across, and back. Chas are the same.

CHARLESTON
4 Count Move. Step 1st foot forward, kick 2nd foot forward, step 2nd foot back, touch 1st foot back.
Ex: 1. Step R forward | 2. Kick L forward | 3. Step L back | 4. Touch R toe back

CLOSE
This means stepping next to other foot. Also can be called TOGETHER.

COASTER
Done to the count of 1&2. Second step is always steps beside the first step Third step is in the opposite direction It is used to quickly change direction.
A back coaster steps back first.
Ex: 1. Step back on L | & Step R back next to L | 2. Step forward on L
A forward coaster steps forward first,
Ex: 1. Step forward on L. | & Step R fwd next to L | 2. Step back on L

FAN
2 count move. The toe of the one foot is moved out to the side and back. FWD-CLOSE-FWD Step 1st foot forward, step 2nd foot next to it, step 1st foot forward

HEEL TWISTS
Weight on the balls of feet. Heels are moved either right or left and then back to center. Toes stay in place.
Ex: Twist heels right, center, left, center

HEEL & TOE SPLITS
Also called HEEL SPREADS. Heels spread apart and back together.

TOE SPLITS
Toes spread apart and back together.

HITCH
Knee raised straight up so leg forms an upside down L shape. Bottom part of leg hangs straight down from knee and top part of leg is parallel to the ground.

HOOK
One foot is crossed over the other leg just below the knee, toes pointing down. Legs look like a “4” or backwards 4 depending on whether its a right or left hook.

JAZZ BOX
4 count move. Also called JAZZ SQUARE. One of the counts is a cross step. It usually crosses on the first count. They can be done starting R or L.
Ex: 1-2 Cross step R over L. Step back on L. | 3-4 Step back on R. Step L next to R.
Jazz boxes can turn 1/4 turn either way. Turn is usually done on 3rd count.
Ex: 1-2 Cross step R over L, step back on L | 3-4 Turn 1/4 right stepping R to right side, step L beside R

KICK-BALL-CHANGE
Do a kick and then a ball-change as above. It can be done on either foot.

HEEL-BALL-CHANGE
Ex: 1. Kick R forward (or touch R heel fwd) | & Step of ball of R next to L raising L | 2. Step on L next to R

LINDY
Comes from the old lindy swing. Shuffle to the side, rock back, recover forward. Can be done on either left or right side.
Ex: 1&2 Shuffle RLR to right side | 3-4 Rock back on L behind R, recover forward on R

LOCK STEP
A Lock step is like a vine going forward. Step forward on 1st foot, step 2nd foot behind and to outside of first foot (lock), step 1st foot forward.
Forward
Ex: 1. Step forward on R | 2. Step L forward and crossed behind R | 3. Step forward on R
Back
Ex: 1 Step back on R | 2. Step L back crossed over R | 3. Step back on R

MAMBO
This is a syncopated step. Rock onto 1st foot, return weight to 2nd foot. Then step 1st foot next to 2nd foot. Mambos may rock forward, back, or side.
Ex: 1 Rock forward onto R & Recover weight back on L | 2. Step R next to L.

1/4 MONTEREY
4 count move. Touch 1st foot to side, turn 1/4 and step by 2nd foot.

1/2 MONTEREY
Touch 2nd foot to side, step 2nd foot by 1st foot.
Ex: 1. Touch R toe to rightside | 2. Pivoting 1/4 right on ball of L, step R next to L. | 3-4. Touch L toe to L, step L next to R

1/2 Monterey is similar but it turns 1/2 on count 2. All else is the same. PIVOT (1/4, 1/2) 2 count move. Touch or step one foot forward on first count. Pivoting on the ball of the other foot, you turn on the 2nd count. Weight will end on the stationary foot which is forward after the pivot. If you put your L forward you will turn right. If you put your R forward, you will turn left.
1/4 Ex: 1-2 Step L forward, pivot 1/4 right weight ending on R
1/2 Ex: 1-2 Step L forward, pivot 1/2 right weight ending on R

RAMBLE
Alternately move heels and toes in a sideways direction. Ex: Twist heels left, twist toes left, twist heels left, etc.

ROCK-RECOVER
2 count move. Rock one foot forward, back, or side on count 1, weight on it. Stationary foot lifts slightly. On count 2 weight shifts to stationary foot (recover). Recover means put the weight back on the foot that stayed in place.

ROCKING CHAIR
4 count move. One foot stays in place The other moves. Rock forward on foot 1, step foot 2 in place, rock back on foot 1, step foot 2 in place. Some start back first.
Ex: 1 Rock forward on R | 2 Step L in place | 3 Rock back on R | 4 Step L in place.

RUMBA BOX
8 count move with a hold on count 4 and 8. Can start forward or back.
Ex: 1-4 Step R to right, step L next to R, step R back, hold
5-8 Step L to left, step R next to L, step L forward, hold

RUN RUN RUN
3 quick steps forward.

SAILOR
3 steps to 2 counts of music. 1st foot cross steps behind 2nd foot. 2nd foot steps to the side. 1st foot steps to the other side.
Ex: 1 Step R behind L | & Step L to left side | 2 Step R to right side

SHUFFLE
3 steps to 2 counts of music. It can move forward, backward, or to either side. When it moves to the side it can be called a chasse. Also called triples.... It can be done in place.
Ex: 1 Step forward on R | & Step ball of L next to R | 2 Step forward on R

SUGARFOOT
Touch toe of 1st foot beside instep of 2nd foot, touch heel of 1st foot beside instep of second foot, step 1st foot forward or across 2nd foot.
Ex: 1 Touch R toe beside L instep & Touch R heel beside L instep 2 Step R forward (or can step across depending on dance) SIDE-CLOSE-SIDE Step 1st foot to side, step 2nd foot next to it, step 1st foot to side..

SKATE
Sliding step, like ice skating. Slide foot forward and slightly to side in small curve. Put weight on the foot on the beat. Slide starts slightly before the beat.

STOMP
Foot is put down flat with force. In STOMP UP, weight remains on other foot. In STOMP DOWN, weight is on foot you stomped. HEEL STOMP is with heel.

STRUTS
2 count move. There are two kinds: HEEL TOE STRUT - heel goes first and the toe goes second. TOE HEEL STRUT - toe goes first and heel goes second.

SWEEP
Also called a RONDE. Toe moves on the floor from one point to another in circular pattern, typically front to back or back to front.

TOUCH/POINT TOUCH
means just that, no weight, it is usually used when toe is touched next to the other foot. POINT is used when toe is touched out to side, front or back.

TOUCH
can also be used instead of POINT.

VINE
3 count side move with 2nd step behind.
Ex: 1. Step L to left side | 2. Step R behind L | 3. Step L to left L The 4th count after a vine varies. It can be a hook, a kick or a touch, etc.

WALK
Is just what it says. Walks may be forward or backward.

WALTZ BASIC
Waltz steps - groups of 3. A basic waltz goes forward on one set of 3 and back on the other. The first count is long and the other 2 are short. Ex: 1. Step forward on L (long) | 2. Step R next to L (short) | 3. Step L in place (short) | 4. Step back on R (long) | 5. Step L next to R (short) | 6. Step R next to L (short)

WALTZ TWINKLE
Waltz steps - groups of 3. One foot crosses in front. The other foot steps out to the side uncrossing feet. First foot steps slightly back. Ex: 1 Cross step L over R 2 Step R out to right side 3 Step L slightly back

WALTZ BOX
Waltz steps - groups of 3. Makes a box on floor stepping on all corners. Ex: 1-3 Step L forward, step R to right side, step L beside R 4-6 Step R back, step L to left side, step R beside L

WEAVE
This is a sideways move in which one foot crosses alternately in front and behind the other. Weaves can be several counts, and can start with a side step, front cross step, or back cross step. Ex: Step R to side, cross L in front, step R to side, cross L behind, step R to side.....etc.