steps

Swing (East Coast)

• Basic - triple step, triple step, rock step or side, side, rock step
• Underarm turn - follower goes forward under leader's left arm to leader's left
• Reverse turn - follower goes backward under leader's left arm to leader's right
• Hammerlock - Underarm turn holding on followed by reverse turn
• Sweetheart - Reverse turn holding on followed by underarm turn
• Leader's underarm turn - on second half of reverse turn, leader goes under own left arm
• Reverse turn behind the back - from right-to-right handhold, on second half of reverse turn leader passes follower behind the back

Waltz

• Box basic - two triangles; forward side together, back side together; even rhythm 1 2 3
• Rotation - up to 3/8 turn
• Progressive box - forward/backward
• Slow underarm turn - on second half of box
• Twinkle (also called single twinkle) - into promenade position at end of first half box

Cha-cha

• Basic - 1 2 3 cha cha 1 2 3 cha cha; mostly side to side
• Underarm turn - on 1 2 3, follower goes under to leader's left
• Leader's underarm turn - alternates turns with follower
• Open break - after half basic, rock apart from each other; simplest ending is pivot underarm turn
• Crossovers - step through instead of back/forward on 2
• Parallels (open/closed) - leader steps forward outside partner, follower steps back
• Cross body lead - leader does two 90 degree turns, follower does one 180 degree turn
• Half moon - alternates crossovers and cross body leads

Fox Trot

• Box steps (see waltz) - change to slow quick quick rhythm
• Magic step basic - slow slow quick quick; leader steps forward forward side together
• Trouble step - goes back on second slow
• Left turn - turning trouble step to leader's left on first quick; up to 3/8 turn
• Promenade - goes to side and steps through
• Promenade underarm turn - follower goes forward under leader's left arm during slows of promenade
• Swing step - side to side
• Running step - like an inverse promenade; ends with a swing step
• Promenade underarm turn - turns 360 degrees on quicks; ends with a promenade

Rumba

• Box step basic (like fox trot)
• Rotation counter clock-wise - up to 3/8 turn
• Slow underarm turn (like fox trot)
• Open break - take half box to the side, rock apart from each other; simplest ending is pivot underarm turn to 5th position break
• Crossovers - take half box to the side, step through, like cha-cha
• Parallels (open/closed) - like cha-cha
• Cross body lead - similar to cha-cha
• Half moon - alternates crossovers and cross body leads

Tango

• Basic - slow slow quick quick slow; starts and ends on same foot; leader steps forward forward forward side together
• Trouble step - goes back on second slow
• Left turn - turning trouble step going forward on first quick
• Promenade - leader brings follower around between slows and quicks to turn corner
• Promenade pivots - 360 degree turn on quicks followed by promenade with two extra argentine walks; takes two basics worth of counts
• Tango rocks - leader does two forward rocks in the middle of the basic
• Promenade rocks - two forward rocks in the middle of the promenade
• Butterfly - leader does an underarm turn; both partners step diagonally forward toward each other to fan, then complete the return from promenade
• Simple corte - leader steps back and lowers; follower steps forward and glances back over left shoulder at pointed left toe
• Rock turns - promenade to four quick rotating rocks (CCW), followed by a basic
• Right fan - in three parts (first and second are the same, third is tango close); breaks from basic rhythm; follower fans outside partner on first two parts
• Triple fan - combination of right fan and rock turns