Charleston (dance move)
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Steps from the Charleston dance are fused into Lindy Hop and many other forms of swing, as well as into Quickstep and Modern Jive.
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Description of Steps
Charleston usually goes on the count of 8, and here are three versions of the charleston. Each step, is 1 count.
- Charleston Basic: rock left, step right, kick left, step left, kick right, knee right, kick back right, step right
- Savoy Kicks: kick left front, touch back left, kick left, step left, kick right front, knee right, kick back right, replace left with right.
- Hip Hop: Rock left, step right, kick left, hold, step left, hold, step right, hold.
Charleston basic
The most common version for the lead:
- Left foot straight back, committing most or all of the weight.
- Replacing weight to right foot.
- Kicking forward with the left foot, weight remaining on the right (placing the foot too early is a common mistake for beginners which causes them to get ahead of the music).
- Stepping forward onto the left foot and committing all the weight to the foot.
- Kicking forward with the right foot.
- Lifting the right foot. (A common mistake is skipping this step, so remember to hold/keep the foot in the air on this count)
- Kicking the right foot back. (Variations: Kick forward or to the side)
- Stepping back onto the right foot, preparing for count 1.
The follower has to learn to different version of this basic version. When doing charleston in tandem it's the same footwork, but when doing it side by side the follower must use the opposite foot. That is: Rock right, step left, kick right, step left, kick left, knee left, kick left back, step left.
Savoy Kicks Style
Lead's Footwork:
- Kick forward and up in circle, left
- Tap back, left
- Kick forward left
- Hold
- Kick forward, right
- Kick down (knee), right
- Kick back, right
- Replace right foot behind left
Hip Hop Style
Lead's Footwork:
- Rock back on left
- Step onto right
- Kick left
- Hold
- Leap forward onto left foot, put right foot into hollow of knee.
- Hold
- Leap back onto right foot
- Hold
Dance moves
When dancing as couples, there are multiple moves available. These are grouped into the various starting positions.
Side by Side
In this form, the follow usually mirrors the lead. The follow starts on the leads right side.
Turning:
Spin and turn: Start of as a Girl Spin Right, but release left hand, and do a half turn facing the opposite direction ready for Tandem moves.
Kick throughs: (kick variations)
hand to hand:
hand to hand, free spin: Both lead and follow free spin, usually holding hands up.
Scootch: Rock on left, step on right, hop on right, scootch and stand. The scootch means go low and stand up in a smooth motion, which can take 2 or 4 counts. (To Basic?)
Face to Face (Closed)
The follow usually does the opposite of the lead. When the lead steps forward with his right foot, the follow steps backwards with her left foot.
Basic:
Slide Back:
Turn:
Yo Yo: Move from side-by-side to face-to-face and back.
Double Kicks: Two kicks forward, two kicks backward.
Tandem
The lead and follow face the same direction, one directly in front of the other. The follow matches the lead's footwork.
Basic: Charleston basic, with holding hands.
Girl Spin Right: Lift followers right on count 2, and do an overhead spin, using right hand whilst doing the basic steps
Both Spin: As Girl Spin Right, but in addition boy turns. Remember to give follower plenty of room
Lead Move to Front: Lead moves to the left on the rock step, and whilst holding both hands kicks around the follower on the left side and in front. Use ordinary kick steps
Follower Move to Front: As previous, but lead the turn by raising followers right hand. The lead also moves slightly to the right, to give the follower a straight line to move along.
Couples turn: The lead initiates by placing both right hands on followers right hip. The next step, both does a turn whilst keeping together.
Side to Side: Kick through leg work
Barrel Roll:
Half Barrel Roll: (changes direction)
Slide: On count 5-8 do: Large forward step right, slide back upright on 6-7, and shift weight on 8. Lead into with whole body.
Travelling: (hops) turning
Flying charleston: Release hand holds and do flying charlestons side by side Push Away: Rock, step (push), kick left (turn), step left (face lead), kick right (pull), knee right (turn), kick back right, step right.
Sliding Doors: This is Tandem Charleston kick throughs, except that they kick in alternate directions, and change direction, because the lead pushes follow's hip.
Yo Yo: Write something.
Solo (or Line)
These movements are done either single or in groups standing in lines.
Basic: Do the basic motion
Flying charleston: Do the basic step whilst moving forward on count 1-4, turn and move backwards on the last count. (That is the whole motion is a forward motion regarding starting positions)
Travelling: Rock, step, kick forward (left), drop left foot in front of you (straight down from kick) with the inside of foot pointing foward (like you're about to turn left), now turn body to left and hop or slide (now toward right)kicking right foot out (side) and spreading arms (creating a star-like shape), hop or slide toward right on the left foot bringing right leg and arms in close to body, hop again kicking out right leg and arms again, plant both feet turning 1/4 to the left so now facing opposite direction from the starting direction.
Turning: Turn either 180 or 360 degrees, whilst doing basic steps.
Slide: Do a slide on count 5-8. Usually: bend body and step right forward, slide on two counts, and step right.
Scare crow: Do a scare crow on count 5-8?
Uncle George: On count 5-8 raise right foot bent and freeze. Hands lifted.
Foot spin: Circle Foot
Knees:
Circling Variation: Rock, step, knee jump (arms up) and land, land, step back right, slide left, step, step.
Entries and exits
Charleston are used in several dances besides the original Charleston (dance). These include the following dances. In some cases this requires different entries and exits related to the specific dance.
Lindy Hop
Besides the original dance, Lindy Hop is most likely the one dance form using Charleston the most (alongside with the other swing forms). And here are some entries and exits using Lindy Hop positions.
Closed position: Just release the right hand, and open up to the side by side position. Closed to Tandem: (tuck throw out, pull back) (rock step, tuck, turn (throw out + change hands), rock step (pull), step, step (sync in tandem)) Tandem to Open: Do a free spin
To Side by Side and Back:
To Side by Side and Exit: Then Suzy Q. See Lindy Basic (dance move) for other moves to exit into.
Russian: See Aerial (dance move)#Charleston Jumps
Open to tandem: Do a side pass from right hand in right hand, with a double spin counterclockwise. Catch left hand, and lead tandem charleston
JazzJive
At beginning intermediate levels, JazzJive chiefly makes use of two types of Charleston positions, and that is side by side and tandem. In side by side the woman mirrors the man, and in tandem they do the same. Other variations, such as the face to face Charleston, are introduced later.
Charleston variations in JazzJive tend to be more restrained and subdued than in the original Charleston dance. Additionally the start of the Charleston move need not co-incide with the start of a bar of music, though it is preferred.
Unlike the Charleston dance, Charleston variations in JazzJive are typically danced individually rather than as strolls. They are lead and followed, rather than being called.
More mainstream variations of Modern Jive do include Charleston variations, but don't tend to teach them to beginning intermediates, making this area of JazzJive less transferable.
There are various ways to get from normal JazzJive moves into Charleston JazzJive moves, and to get back again. Some of these are simple: for example, step three of the First Move (dance move) is step one of a side-by-side Charleston.
Ten beat entry
The ten beat entry allows the dancer to get from open hold into a tandem Charleston, with the woman in front. It proceeds similarly to a normal First Move (dance move), but the man may add additional Charleston-like kick steps. These kicks provide a visual lead to the follow, who will then use similar kick steps in her own footwork. Instead of a normal return, the woman makes only a half turn, ending up in tandem position, with the man behin, leading her into the Charleston rhythm.
Another entry
This entry uses the "turn the girl, turn the guy" move, but has the man only making a half a turn, placing the woman's hand on his right shoulder. Both dancers then make a left-right rock-step. This leaves the dancers in tandem position, with the man in front.