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Same Foot

The definition depends on the context.  If the dancers are executing "same foot" dance patterns, it means the Leader is dancing on the same foot as the Follower.  Another example could be that the instructor told the student to remain on the same foot.  Also see Opposite Foot.

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Same Foot Free

Means the same foot is free at the beginning and end of some execution.  The following are some good examples: (1) Executing the steps for an Even Rhythm Unit.  (2) Executing the steps for two Odd Rhythm Units.   (3) Executing the steps for an Independent Step Pattern.   Also see Step Pattern.

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Scoot

Is the result of some propelling body movement that causes the weighted foot to rapidly make a short slide in some horizontal direction on the dance floor.  Common propelling movements are a rapid Kick with the Free Foot, rapid Knee Lift, or rapid Knee Pop.  A Scoot can be executed with the weight on one or both feet.

Also see Hop, Leap, Jump, Skip.

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Secondary Rhythm Measures/Units

Are all the Rhythm Measures/Units that are not Basic Rhythms.

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Sending Foot

When weight is transferred from one foot to the other, initially the CPB is centered over the Sending Foot. After movement and weight transfer the CPB will become centered over the Receiving Foot.

Also see  Foot Leads

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Serpentine

Is a Step Pattern that is executed in many dances such as Waltz, 2-Step, Rumba, Samba and others.  It is very common to see the Serpentine executed for same foot or opposite foot Step Patterns.  In smooth dances, it takes on a zig zag pattern back and forth across the line of dance.

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Shadow Position

Shadow position means both dancers are facing the same direction with one behind the other, or behind and slightly to one side or the other.

 

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Shorthand Terms

The following are shorthand terms used in the annotation on this web site.

Definitions

Rhythm Leader/Follower Hands Foot Direction Foot Turns Slot & Rails

Rhythm

X	A step (weight change) on a beat of music.
x	A step (weight change) on the "&" or "a" count
/	Is a place holder used on a beat of music to indicate there is no step (weight change)
O	O: Pressing the Sending Foot into the floor to cause the entire body to rise and and return the weight to the same foot -- such as in a Hop, Jump or Leap.
o	Pressing the Sending Foot into the floor only causing only the lower body to respond (legs & knees) such as in a Skip or Scoot. The upper body does not rise.

Leader/Follower

L	Leader
F	Follower
M	Man
W	Woman

Hands

Lh	Left Hand
Rh	Right Hand

 

Foot

L	Left Foot
R	Right Foot

Direction - Foot

Lt or L	Left
Rt or R	Right
F or f or Fwd	Forward (lower case means short step)
B or b or Bk	Back (lower case means short step)
S or s	Side (lower case means short step)
P	In Place -- or for slot type dances this may require a slight movement to the left or right rail as indicated in the Slot/Rail annotation
T	Together
X	Cross
Xf	Cross in Front
Xb	Cross in Back
Hk	Hook in Back
K	Kick
Kf	Kick Forward
Kb	Kick Back
Sf or sf	Slap Forward

Direction - Turns

The dancer must be centered prior to beginning a turn and must remain centered throughout the turn to its completion.

>	Indicates the beginning or end of a Turn
Tr or R	Right Turn (Clockwise)
Tl or L	Left Turn (Counterclockwise)
CW	Clockwise (Right Turn)
CC	Counterclockwise (Left Turn)

Direction - Slot & Rails

The actions specified below could be a step, kick, etc. in the direction indicated.

=	an action applied in the direction of the slot forward, back or in place
>	an action applied to the dancer's right rail
<	an action applied to the dancer's left rail
B	an action applied to the rail in back of where the dancer would be if they were in center slot -- assuming the dancer is facing perpendicular to the slot (i.e. facing cross slot) prior to the action
F	an action applied to the rail in back of where the dancer would be if they were in center slot -- assuming the dancer is facing perpendicular to the slot (i.e. facing cross slot) prior to the action

 

 

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Single Rhythm Unit

Is an odd rhythm with annotation [ X /].

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Skip/Skipping

Skipping can be done in two different ways.  The first is the way we did as children, skipping down the sidewalk from one foot to the other - executed as a Hop Step.  The second way is with the weighted foot movement executed as a Scoot - as is done in Flying Lindy and a great deal of Tap Dancing.  The first method causes the CPB to move up and down.  The second method results in very little vertical movement of the CPB and yields a very smooth looking result.

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Slap

A rapid placement of the flat foot on the floor, but does not include a weight change to the foot. A Slap is similar to a Stomp, but with much less noise. Normally a Slap is executed slightly in front of the weighted foot.

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Slot & Rails

In slotted dances, the slot can be thought of as a narrow path between two imaginary rails.
Slot: The woman's path of travel is in the Slot. Her direction is directly through the man
Rails: The man moves to the rails on either side of the slot to allow the woman to pass

Annotation

The actions specified below could be a step, kick, etc. in the direction indicated.

=	an action applied in the direction of the slot forward, back or in place
>	an action applied in the direction of the slot forward, back or in place
<	an action applied in the direction of the slot forward, back or in place
B	an action applied to the rail in back of where the dancer would be in center slot -- assuming the dancer is facing perpendicular to the slot (i.e. facing cross slot) prior to the
F	an action applied to the rail in back of where the dancer would be in center slot -- assuming the dancer is facing perpendicular to the slot (i.e. facing cross slot) prior to the action

 

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Slow

A Single Rhythm such as [ X   /] represents 1 step to two beats of music, stepping only on the first beat. This is an Odd Rhythm.  Also see Quick Quick.

"Slow"
Single Rhythm
(Odd Rhythm)

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Smooth Dances

Refers to dances that travel in a line of dance around the dance floor.  Some of the dances are Country 2-Step, Country Cha Cha, Waltz, Tango and Fox Trot.  Also see Rhythm Dances.

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Spin

A Spin is executed on one foot -- normally a full turn (360 degrees) or more. During each turn the CPB must be centered over the weighted foot and the hips and shoulders must be aligned.Spotting is also an important secret to successful turns. The rapid head movement of spotting also adds additional energy to the execution of multiple spins. The techniques of a spin also apply to a Pencil Turn and Pirouette. Also see Turns & Turn Technique

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Spotting

Spotting is one major secret to successful turns. The head stays facing one direction while the body turns;  then when the head can no longer maintain its position, it turns instantaneously in the direction of the turn coming around to the original spot, or to a new spot - depending on whether it is a full turn (360 degrees) or  ½ turn (180 degrees).  For traveling turns, the dancer would normally spot in LOD -- the direction of travel.  For stationary turns, the dancer would normally spot in the direction in which the turn would finish. The rapid head movement of spotting adds additional energy to the execution of multiple spins.

Also see Teaching Techniques & Problem Solving, Turns & Turn Technique

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Square Count

This is the same as Marching Count or Straight Count.  Also see Count for other references.

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Step Pattern

Is A Rhythm Pattern with direction indicated.  A Step Pattern can be either an Independent Step Pattern or a Dependent Step Pattern.  If it leaves the same foot free, it is an Independent Step Pattern, but it can be referred to as a Step Pattern - we are assuming that Step Pattern and Independent Step Pattern mean the same thing.   However, if it leaves the Opposite Foot Free it should be referred to as a Dependent Step Pattern for clarity. 

Independent Step Pattern: Leaves the Same Foot Free at the end of the Step Pattern.

Dependent Step Pattern: Leaves the Opposite Foot Free at the end of the Step Pattern.

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Straight Count

For diagram definitions see
Short Hand Terms or Annotation

Straight Count Musicians Annotation

Count		e	&	a	1	e	&	a	2
Rhythm

This is the "strait count" used by musicians. However, the following simplified "strait count" is used by dancers.

"Straight Count" Dancer's Annotation

Blank Rhythm
(Even Rhythm)

Double Rhythm
(Even Rhythm)

Single Rhythm
(Odd Rhythm)

Delayed Single Rhythm
(Odd Rhythm)

Triple Rhythm
(Odd Rhythm)

For diagram definitions see
Short Hand Terms or Annotation

 This is the same as Marching Count or Square Count.  Also see Count for other references.

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Sugar Foot (Sugars or Swivel Walks)

The Sugars are executed by stepping either forward or backward with the toe of the weighted foot pointed out, then swiveling heel of the weighted foot out. This yields a swivel of the heel from in to out.  The Sugars were done in the early days of swing as a stylized way of executing the Sugar Push.

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Swing Dance

For the purposes of this Web Site, the term Swing Dance shall encompass most of the forms of dance done to Swing Music such as West Coast Swing, East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Balboa, Shag, Jitterbug, Bop, Whip, Push, Jive and dances under many other names.  

See: What is Swing Dance? What is Jitterbug? What are the differences?

Also see: Get Down Swing, Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing, East Coast Swing, Western Swing, Balboa and Raper's Dance Teacher's Corner

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Swing Rhythm

In the late 1950's I was playing music with Eddie Cochran at a 20th Century Fox party in Beverly Hills, CA. Prior to the performance, we participated in a meeting of the orchestra to discuss the music. During the meeting one of the musicians asked the conductor if he wanted the orchestra to "play it strait" or "swing it." The rhythm used to swing it would be a Rolling Count [&a1 &a2], etc. as opposed to a Musician's Strait Count [e&a1 e&a2], etc.

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Syncopation

Many definitions of a syncopation from books and dance instructors vary and are not consistent. This leaves the dancer very confused.

One excellent definition of a syncopation is presented in the book "Jazz Styles, History and Analysis", by Mark C. Gridley (Fourth Edition, 1978), pg 42, in which it is stated, "Syncopation is a rhythmic phenomenon most easily understood as the occurrence of accents that are not directly on a main beat." -- which is consistent with the following definition of a syncopation for dancers.

Skippy Blair's "Dance Terminology Notebook" states, "a Syncopation is stepping before the beat on the "&" or "a" count, then stepping again or doing something else on the beat. There is one exception which is that a basic Triple Rhythm Unit is not considered to be a Syncopation."

A common syncopation in west coast swing is executed as follows [xX  X] on counts [&3  4].  There are many others also.  This is an example of a syncopated Triple Rhythm Unit.

Also see Rhythm Units and Elements of Music.

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