Free Style Dance ABC's
5 ingredients that make
dance steps fun, interesting, & dynamic:
1) Rhythm Changes
2) Traveling & direction changes
3) Body part changes & layering
4) Level changes
5) Personality and Emotional energy changes
Free Style Dance Vocabulary
Hip Hop BounceLow Bounce 1, 2 Double
Low Bounce up to Sit bounce
Lean back bounce
Walking Variations
Regular Walk forward and back
Step Drop forward and back-with pivot
Open Walk forward and back
Cross walk forward and back
Cross and sweep forward and back (or low kick)
Line walk forward and back (with knee lift or heel lift)
Box- cross, cross- back open, open
Step Tap Variations
*Step tap in footprints with feet shoulder width apart
Step tap side- Regular time and double time
Step tap front- Regular time and double time
Step tap back- Regular time and double time
Bachata- 1, 2, 3 tap, or lift, or back step
Side step cross front step kick
Step tap, Step tap then Bachata
Tap step forward
Tap step drop 4
Triple steps forward and back diagonals
Lindy Hop 1,2 triple step
Double time Shuffle lift 4
Paddle with scoot
Paddle around tap in and out
Funky foot work variations
Step stomp
Heel step toe drag stomp
Heel swings forward
Low scoots forward back
Double side scoots R, L
Get low and scoot
Step pivot (half turn)
Presses Front diagonal, Back diagonal, side to side
Side leg extensions- Regular time and double time (Switches)
Step drag heel pop
Kick ball change
Happy Feet (R, L out R, L together)
Heel Peel backwards and in place
Heel toe Diagonal Switches/Pumps/Bounce 1, 2 double
Rock step Cross R, L
Rock step kick cross
Diagonal Charleston
Bachata turn
Corkscrew (hop cross unwind- Half turn or full turn)
Rock step switch smear shoulder rolls up
Low kicks 1, 2 Double in place and in a circle
Slide Drop R, L and closed to open
Step and trip (quick back forward step) R, L
Arm Variations
* Home base fore arms at lower ribs hands in fists or snap!!!
Throw Press
Trace front to back (comb hair)
Trace back to front
Hands pressed down behind hips
Low cross open swing
Low cross open punch
Elbow swing to back
Elbow swing to side in front or behind hips
Elbow circle side swing snap
Straight arm at heart lifts
Point
Arm Variations continued
Heart presses
Circle fists at heart open close
Wings up and down
Wave lock
Low double arm swing snap in
Hat trace
Flick press
Knock on head
Push out of the way
Flamenco cross body flip
Cat circle over head
Wrist grab circle over head
What throw
Hands in pocket
Side V snap
What throw
Hand flip
Isolation variations and joint circles
Head- Look R, L Tilt R, L Half Circle Tilt and reach down stretch
Shoulders- circle for. & back, f f & b b, lift & drop,
Bounce, shake
Straight arm circles forward and back
Chest- Lift Drop Circle
Torso- Reach Bend Twist
Hips- Tilt Toss Back Dip Half circle sit Full circle
Knees- Dig in out in out or switch R, L Cross body dig slide out
R, L
Whole body Trigger Words
Body Rolls R, L, Middle, R, L Diagonals top down and reverse
Open close Expand Contract
Sink (Slow level change) Drop (fast level change)
Chest lift hip sit
Spin
