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Dance Steps

It seems impossible to find dance steps on the internet so I thought I’d start writing up some of the dances I know in the hope that somebody might find them useful. I plan to start with some sequence dances. I’ll concentrate on the female’s steps for three reasons: I’m female so it’s easier; women always seem to be the ones that want to do the extra homework and look up the steps; the sequence dance books are often useless for women, focusing on the men’s steps and saying ‘women follow’ or ‘women do the opposite’. It would be good to try and check your routine with someone who knows what they’re doing when you think you’ve got it, just in case you’ve misinterpreted some of my directions. I don’t want you to have to relearn it and get all confused!  

THE SQUARE TANGO

As always, dancers travel anti-clockwise round the floor. Dancers form a circle and the men face the direction they’re travelling (anti-clockwise). Women face their partners (clockwise) and travel backwards for the majority of the dance. Take the normal ballroom hold.

Lady:

The Square: Imagine you are standing at the top right corner of a small (1-2 ft.) square. Over the first two bars, you are going to move around the perimeter of the square in a clockwise direction to end up exactly where you’re standing now. It goes like this:

  • S – Back on the right.
  • Q – Side on the left.
  • Q – Close right foot to left. Put weight on right foot.
  • S – Forward on the left.
  • Q – Side on right.
  • Q – Close left foot to right. Put weight on left foot.

Side Tap: Bars 3 and 4 are simple and go like this:

  • S – Step sideways into the middle of the floor on your right foot.
  • S – Bring your left foot to your right and tap the floor. Don’t transfer any weight, just hold it there and hover on your right foot for a bit.
  • S – Move the left foot sideways, back to where it came from so its on the top right of that square again.
  • S – Bring you’re right foot, the one that’s still left in the middle of the room, back to your left foot. Tap it but don’t put any weight on it because we’ll be using that one next.

Super. Now you’re standing on the left foot thinking ‘that wasn’t too bad but what’s next? I’m bound to forget it when she tells us the next bit’. I have the pleasure of telling you that the next four bars are exactly the same as the steps you’ve just done. So, for bars 5 to 8, repeat the The Square and the Side Tap steps.

Walkies: This is what the guy who taught me the dance called this next bit and it’s kind of stuck. The steps are easy; you just walk backwards. It’s the timing that’s a bit dodgy. I find it best to split it into two lots in my head (SSQQS and SQQSS) but see what works for you. These are bars 9-12.

  • S – Back on the right.
  • S – Back on the left.
  • Q – Back on the right.
  • Q – Back on the left.
  • S – Back on the right.
  • S – Back on the left.
  • Q – Back on the right.
  • Q – Back on the left.
  • S – Back on the right.
  • S – I think you’ve got the hang of it. Back on the left.

Into the Middle: This sounds a bit dangerous – everyone heading into the middle of the room and ending up in a big heap. It could happen. I’m sure it won’t. It does get harder now though. You’re weight is on the left foot at the moment don’t forget. We’re on bars 13 and 14.

  • S – You’re going to step forwards onto the right foot but you need to turn you’re body so that you’re heading more into the centre of the room. If you imagine you’re in the centre of a clockface, looking in the direction of 12 o’clock, you need to move your body round to 2 o’clock by the time you’ve finished this step.
  • S – Forward on the left. Keep going in that 2 o’clock direction.
  • S – Rock back onto the right foot as though you’ve decided you don’t like the number 2 and are retreating.
  • S – Bring the left foot back into the centre of the clock face and try to turn your body towards the three o’clock position.

Rock around the Clock: We’ve decided 2 o’clock wasn’t the right one and now you and you’re partner are going to rock around eachother and survey all of the other clock numbers from your central position. You’ll end up back round to 12 o’clock, admitting that that was the best one and you shouldn’t have left it in the first place. These are bars 15 and 16.

  • S – Move forwards onto your right foot, so you’re facing towards 6 o’clock.
  • S – Move back on your left so that your facing the wall, window, chairs or whatever’s at the edge of the room. 9 o’clock in other words.
  • S – Still turning, move forwards onto your right foot so that’s you’re back facing 12 o’clock.
  • S – Finishing the turn, bring your left foot forwards to your right and put your weight on it. You’ll be ready to start off again on your right foot from the beginning.

It’s really difficult to explain the Rock around the Clock bit. It’s best if you can watch others do it and then it should make sense. Even if you can’t do it, it’s only two bars and its easy to fluff so don’t let it put you off doing the dance.

Man:

The Square: Imagine you’re standing at the bottom left side of a square. Over the first two bars you’re going to move around that square in a clockwise direction to end up back where you started.

  • S – Forward on the left.
  • Q – Side on the right.
  • Q – Close the left to right. Put your weight on the left foot.
  • S – Back on the right foot.
  • Q – Side on the left.
  • Q – Close right to left. Put your weight on the right foot.

Side Tap: Moving sideways to the left, you’ll move into the middle of the room and then come sideways out again, back to your original position.

  • S – Sideways on the left.
  • S – Bring your right foot up to the left and tap the floor. Don’t put any weight on it.
  • S – Move the right foot out sideways, back to its orignal position.
  • S – Bring your left foot from the centre of the room back to your right foot and tap. Weight is still on the right foot.

Walkies: Four bars of walking forwards – what could be easier? Look out for the timing though.

  • S – Forwards left.
  • S – Forwards right.
  • Q – Forwards left.
  • Q – Forwards right.
  • S – Forwards left.
  • S – Forwards right.
  • Q – Forwards left.
  • Q – Forwards right.
  • S – Forwards left.
  • S – Forwards right.

Into the Middle: Bars 13 and 14

  • S – Step back on the left, backing into the middle of the floor. You need to have turned through about 60 degrees and now you’re looking more at the edge of the room, the wall, window or bar, rather than the direction you were moving around the dance floor.
  • S – Step back on the right, using the eyes in the back of your head to avoid collisions with other couples.
  • S – Rock forwards onto your left foot again.
  • S – Step forwards on your right and turn slightly so you are now looking directly at the wall, window etc.

Rock around the Clock: Bars 15 and 16

  • S – Move backwards onto your left foot, now moving your body to face the complete opposite direction to what you’re used to.
  • S – Move forwards on your right foot to face the centre of the room.
  • S – Move backwards on your left foot to face your normal direction down the floor.
  • S – Draw your right foot backwards to join you left foot and put your weight on it so you’re ready to start off with the left from the start again.