| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Accordion | R to R | Accordion Signal - Raise L hand above R upper arm with palm facing lady, without L touching R arm |
Man walks forward and to his L, turning clockwise 90 degrees while the lady walks forward, turning anti-clockwise 90 degrees, so that after two beats the lady is in front of the man with hands over her head and both face the same direction (2 beats). Both now keep moving in the same direction (without having stopped) to reach the position the other started from (2 beats). Return to the original by reversing the steps. Repeat. Note that the man stays chest-on to his partner, while the lady had turned her back on him on beats 2 and 6. Keeping wrists together makes the move look good. Note that after the first position change, the joined R hands are now above the joined L hands, unlike the original position. This makes it natural for the lady to know which way to turn. |
| Accordion - Fountain Exit | Accordion | None | Man keeps both hands gripped and raises both vertically into the air as both walk forward (2 beats), then inscribes a quarter-circle with each in contrary motion as both walk backward (2 beats), then returns the wrists near each other, with both walking forward (2 beats). Then man drops R and returns the lady counter-clockwise under his L arm. |
| Accordion - swivels | R to R | Accordion Signal | The man fails to walk forward as for the Accordion, bringing the R hand to the lady's R hip as he gives the verbal signal "swivels" as he stands at the lady's back. Both step off on R foot crossing the L, then L across in front of R. Repeat. These steps do not have to travel forward, but the lady should probably travel a little in anticipation of the man not being able to not travel. The man continues to lead the swivels by steering the joined hands. To exit, the man leads an anti-clockwise turn with his L (dropping R) after the swivel that plants both L feet (I think). |
| Accordion - ?? | R to R | Accordion Signal | After three steps of the usual Accordion entry, the man leads a step left on the fourth beat, lifting his L leg slightly and stepping back leading with his L hip (3 beats). Now the man alternates steps L and R, moving closer to the lady and eventually lifting the joined hands in a concerted fashion so that his R goes over the lady's L shoulder behind her head and his L goes over his head so the lady's L arm goes over his R shoulder. This can be done as a very close move. Various exits are possible, including just stepping back into a double hand hold, or the man moves both hands to the lady's hip for a push back. |
| Accordion Man Spin | R to R | Accordion Signal | Instead of the Accordion Spin exit, the man leads the same anti-clockwise spin, twisting the lady's L wrist behind her back and spins anti-clockwise himself. In practice I think the man has to spin quite late to make sure the lady's wrist-twist is working properly & it doesn't look like it would be a good freestyle move. |
| Accordion Rocks or Steps | R to R | No signal | The man leads a Catapult and offers his L hand behind his back (4 beats). The man leads the lady straight forward to take his L hand, after which he gives a double squeeze signal (for Deb's spin?) (2 beats). Now the man pushes the lady back while walking back forward (2 beats), and leads her off to his L keeping his L arm low to bring the lady to his side (2 beats). Now the man drops the R hand and uses the low L hand to turn the lady clockwise close to his body to end facing the same direction as him in front of him (2 beats). She now offers her R hand behind her back because of the double squeeze signal earlier, and the man takes it. The man gives a verbal signal of "stomp" before leading the lady with a forward push as he steps backward away from her (2 beats). Now the man walks forward to the lady's L while raising his R over her head ("flyaway") as she steps back to end side-by side (2 steps). Then the man steps forward R, kicks out quickly L and pivots on his R to land in front of the lady on the 3rd beat holding both hands crossed in front of him. Meantime, the lady has stepped back 3 times(?) and does a kick-ball change to finish her footwork in time with the man. Pause for one beat (4 beats total). Now both roll hips side to side (even number of beats) before the man leads the exit by stepping back (2 beats) and doing an anti-clockwise "castaway" exit dropping both the lady's hands (4 beats). (Beats me how it gets this name) |
| Accordion Spin | Accordion | None | The man starts an Accordion and does the position-change, but at the time he would normally return to his original position, he doesn't walk through and drops the L as the lady does the first turn (2 beats). After the lady's first turn, the man steps forward, keeping his R low which forces the lady's R behind her back with wrist (gently!) twisted 90 degrees for a second clockwise spin, with the man dropping his R at the start of the spin. The man catches the lady's R after the spin (2 beats). Note: Also, there's no reason this can't work on the other half of the Accordion because the position is symmetric - the man just drops the other hand, twists the wrist he's still got and the lady has to spin. |
| Accordion Towel Hipcord | R to R | Accordion Signal | After the first two steps of an Accordion, the man leaves his L arm high, walks forward to the R of the lady, moving his L arm behind his own head and takes his R hand with the lady's R hand to the lady's R hip (2 beats). Now the man leads the lady forwards for a walking turn with his L, moves along with the lady, places his R on the lady's back and trails around to grip her L shoulder blade for the dip. The man's L can be under the lady's back for safety, or behind his own back for style. The lady's R wraps around the man's L side for safety. The footwork for the dip is the usual 90 degree difference with the lady facing the man's L, but I am not sure who is lunging, extending or what. |
|
Aerial Yoyo Flying Yoyo |
R to R | Aerial Yoyo Signal - R elbow over and above lady's R arm | Walk forward as for the First Move, bring R elbow above and past lady's R arm and bend his R wrist downwards (2 beats), then man steps forward and spins lady clockwise with R inscribing a circle about her head, and walking around clockwise! Eventually, the man steps back, then leads a return. To do two spins, flatten hand to palm-to-palm in the initial position, and then lead two clockwise turns, allowing the hands to move over each other naturally in the spins. |
| Aerial Yoyo - continuous | R to R | Aerial Yoyo Signal | |
| Agitator | R to R | Accordion Signal | Keep L hand low to end up in Screwdriver position. Then double walking turn left and dip. |
| Albatross | R to R | No signal | The man draws the lady forward with his R while stepping forward R, further forward L and kneeling on his R knee. In the meantime, his R has gone to the lady's R hip and his L to the back of the lady's L shoulder (2 beats). In theory, a freeze could occur here if the man doesn't lead with his L hand. Anyhow, pressure forward on the L shoulder starts the lady stepping forward out of the position, and after she steps L, the man gives the R hip momentum to spin her clockwise, while the man stands and catches R to R (4 beats). Note: That was how one teacher taught the move. Better was the second teacher's way: in the kneel the man puts his hands on the lady's hips with fingers pointing to the right in preparation for the spin. Not only is this easier when the lady is tall, but the lady will not be off-balance with her subsequent momentum in the spin. |
| Arm Bar | R to R | No signal | This move looked to have two different alternative forms for the man's footwork. First the simple version. The man walks forward and brings the lady's R arm to his L shoulder with his R elbow below her arm (unlike for the Aerial Yoyo) (2 beats). The the man walks across to his R while bringing his R straight above his head as the lady walks clockwise around the man's back (2 beats). Then the man brings his R hand back down to finish (2 beats). I think the lady must have to do a clockwise turn while walking around to make it all work. In the alternative version, the man steps at half-speed, forward on R, across in front with L and now back with normal R-L speed. The step across to the R is essential for the move to work properly without hurting the lady. |
| Astaire Drop | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | Start as for the Wurlitzer - lean, but in the lean, the man runs his R hand down the lady's L upper arm, around in a circle and joins her R palm-to-palm above their heads (2 beats). The man pops the lady forward with his R shoulder, shifts his weight to be centered and quickly brings his R arm from her R hip up to next to the other joined hands. The lady has stepped forward on her R and pivoted clockwise on that foot to face the man's R with all her weight on her R foot. Then the man lowers the lady keeping his hands close together and close in to his body down to around belt height. This is an extension drop, so the lady extends her L leg and supports herself with her R. The man gives initial impetus to rise, the lady brings her L foot next to her right and uses both legs to rise. Right-hand flick turn to exit. |
| Astaire Lean | Wurlitzer Signal | This move looked a lot like the Wurlitzer - lean. Begin as for the Wurlitzer but in the extended position the man sets his feet just more than shoulder width apart for a lean, and signals with his L at his R shoulder with palm facing the lady and the plane of his L shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingertips parallel to the floor. The man now pulls his R in, inscribing a "6" in the air while the lady does a three-step anti-clockwise walking turn to end side-by-side with the man with hip contact and the man's R at her R hip (2 beats). Now the man leans to his left keeping his R side straight for the lady to lean on (2 beats), and back upright (2 beats). To exit, the man pulls on his R to unwind the lady clockwise to the extended Wurlitzer position (2 beats), then flick turn. | |
| Astaire to Death | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | This move starts identically with the Astaire Lean but in the lean, before moving the lady upright, the man pushes her off his R shoulder forward. The lady pivots 90 degrees on her L foot while raising her R foot to her L knee while leaning back with the man's L catching her L shoulder at his chest height (2 beats). Now the man returns the lady to the upright position, and once she has regained her footing, leads her out with his R to the extended Wurlitzer position for the usual anti-clockwise R flick spin exit. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Backhander | L to R | Backhander Signal - Apply L thumb pressure and twist L 90 degrees clockwise | The twisted wrist means the lady turns clockwise as she walks forward, flinging her L hand vertically in the air. The man walks forward and to the L of the lady, reaching around behind her back as she turns with his R to take her R wrist with his R (thumb pointing down) as she turns. The man keeps R low as the lady completes the first turn (2 beats), and then steps forward, raising that R hand to drive a second clockwise turn (2 beats). Either swap R to L at the top of the last turn to finish or use a R to R flick turn. |
| Backhander - man turn | L to R | Backhander Signal | Start as for Backhander but as the man takes her R wrist with his R he spins on his L counter-clockwise and both stop on lead foot as he finishes that spin - the lady has only spun once, unlike the normal Backhander (3 beats). Now the lady has a style moment, and uses backward pressure on the still joined hands to lead the man into a normal L-to-R return. |
| Backwards Walking First Move | L to R | No signal | Proceed through normal First Move to the splay position. Now the man uses his R at the lady's R hip to lead her around anti-clockwise through her normal step while he steps backward (but not too far away from her) and leads her in an anti-clockwise spin with his L (2 beats) ending with a Left Hand Comb. |
| Ballerina Lift | L to R | Winder | Start as for Winder, and after achieving the straight-arm lock position (4 beats), the man walks around to his R, taking the lady's L arm over his L shoulder and bends his knees when both are back to back (2 beats). The lady's L arm grips his L side and he braces with his L on her upper arm. The man's R provides guidance on her upper L. Having bent the knees, the man can lift the lady into the air, keeping a straight back, and walk clockwise around (2 beats) before replacing the lady on the ground. Now the man uses his L on the lady's L wrist to drive a clockwise spin to exit. |
| Ballroom Drop | R to R | Ballroom Signal - Man's L hand touching his R forearm, palm facing his own face and thumb pointing upwards | After giving the signal, both walk forwards to have feet in a line facing opposite directions while the lady takes the man's L hand, and both hands grip in a butterfly grip (both grasp around the other's thumbs) (2 beats). The man walks forward and clockwise to plant his feet just more than shoulder-width apart, from which they do not move, while pulling R towards his R (2 beats). The lady now turns in counter-clockwise to place both feet inside the man's feet at his center line, while the man brings both wrists in front of his face (2 beats). The lady uses her R foot for support, while the man lowers both wrists straight down, close to his torso with a straight back, while not looking down at the lady. She extends her L leg, extends her arms and lastly tilts her head back. The lady does not touch the floor, and should feel her R thigh working to support her (2 beats). The man pulls upward with both hands to initiate the rise, which cues the lady to bring her L foot back beside her R foot and to lift herself with her legs - the man is not responsible for the whole lift (2 beats). To exit, the man drives the lady in a counter-clockwise two-hand overhead turn, and normally drops one hand at the top before stepping back (4 beats). |
| Ballroom Stroll | (unknown) | ||
| Ballroom Turns | L to R return | No signal | The man steps forward into the return, to bring the lady's R arm across his chest while his hand goes to the lady's R hip. Now he checks the lady out with his L hand leading her hand out to the lady's R (2 beats), and leads an anti-clockwise overhead turn with his L. If desired the man can step up again into the turn to do another Ballroom Turn, or simply exit normally. |
| Basket Duck Under | Both hands | No signal | The man starts to lead the lady into a basket by leading a counter-clockwise turn with his L around her head, saying "duck" as the arm starts to go around her head. The lady ducks as she turns to face the man and (I think) you are briefly in a crossed-arm hold like the Accordion (2 beats). The man now does a full turn clockwise under the joined hands (2 beats), then keeps his R low and his L high as he does another half turn. At the end of that he will be locked by his R hand around his L waist, and brings his L down, which brings the lady's R below his R elbow to lock himself with both hands in front of the lady with his back to her (2 beats). Now the lead transfers to the lady, who should position both wrists at the man's hips to lead him forward or backward as appropriate. Ladies not used to leading need to be aware that they can be quite forceful here - the man in theory doesn't know whether his first Manhattan will be forward or backward! Nevertheless, the lady leads a Manhattan forward with pressure from her wrists (2 beats), and back with a pull on her hands (2 beats). The lady's footwork will have to mirror the man's to make this work. To exit, the lady leads a forward Manhattan, but winds the man up counter-clockwise with slight downward pressure with her L and leftward pressure with her R wrist, and the man does a one-and-a-half spin clockwise, presenting his L arm (which is not the leading arm) at the end when facing the lady (2 beats). The lady needs to remember to let go with her L and to pull on her R to help the man with his clockwise momentum. |
| Basket Sway - Fire Exit | L to R | R offered palm up in front | |
| Bassey Backhander | L to R | No signal | Start as for the First Move, but the man signals by changing his L grip to a pincer grip and rotating the lady's R thumb to point downwards (like the Backhander Signal) (2 beats). In response to this signal, the lady raises her L hand vertically in the air, as normal. Now both step forward and the lady turns clockwise to reach the splay position, with the man transferring the lady's R hand to her R hip and into his L hand, while his L moves tot the lady's L hip (2 beats). Now the man leads the lady with his hands at her hips in a forward CJ (first beat the lady rocks forward onto her L and move R forward, subsequent beats alternating feet go forward in response to the man's hip lead) (say, 4 beats). After the lady steps forward on her R, the man leads the exit by pulling down and back on the lady's R hand to lead a clockwise overhead turn to end R to R. |
| Bean Shoots | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | After reaching the extended Wurlitzer position the man leads the lady in a walking turn across in front of him as for the Rollacross but checks the lady's R hip with his L after her second step (2 beats) while she is moving for her third step (with L) with her back to him. The tension created there is used to spring both dancers out, pivotting 180 degrees, the lady pivotting clockwise on her L and the man anti-clockwise on his R to reach the extended Wurlitzer position facing the oppposite direction in almost the same dance space it started in (2 beats). The R to L C-handhold is maintained throughout. Then the same move returns the dancers to the original position in another 4 beats. To exit, the man leads the same walking turn and check, but keeps his stance and uses the fourth beat to spin the lady clockwise 180 degrees for a second check of her R hip while facing him (4 beats), then a fast free anti-clockwise hip spin for a turn and a quarter into a Swan Drop. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| CJ - Drop | L to R | CJ Signal | Start as for CJ but after turning in to complete a CJ, the man begins the next by stepping through with his R and then placing his L beyond it in a dip stance. The lady somehow turns anti-clockwise as the man grips around her front with his R under her L arm holding at her L shoulder blade, with raised L holding her R. Contraction drop, then some exit. |
| CJ - Deep Dip | L to R | CJ Signal | While doing a CJ, the man starts from the forward-facing configuration and leads the lady in an inward underarm turn with his L hand (anti-clockwise). When the lady's back faces him he places his R on the lady's back and allows it to trail around to grip behind the lady's L shoulder blade. The lady should end with her feet pointing 90 degrees to the man's, toward his R. The man has raised his L arm into the air in a ballroom grip. Now the man slides his L out in the direction of the lady's dip, lowering her close to the floor, while straightening his R arm to full extension. I believe the lady has her weight on her R foot, but don't quote me. Then the man brings the lady back up, check the lady out with the L hand and an underarm turn to exit. |
| CJ - Rock Hold | L to R | No signal | The man leads a normal CJ, but instead of leading the lady to face him after the forward-travelling step, the man leads a lunge to his L (lady's R), followed by a rock back to his R, then double-time rock L-R-L, followed by a step backward into the splay position for a normal First Move exit. |
|
CJ Rock CJ Rock'n'Roll |
L to R | CJ Signal | Start as for First Move - CJ, but man changes to ballroom grip after two beats. Then both step back to splay position, while man flares out his R hand out by twisting R wrist to face both palms to the ground (CJ Signal). Then both turn in pivoting on inside foot, bring outside foot together and look at each other. Then move inside foot across and point towards the splay direction while pivoting to look away, then bring outside foot together, looking back at each other, repeat. Then man moves R across as before, and lunge with L with lady mirroring, then rock back, rock forward, rock back and forward at double speed. To exit, both rock back on inside foot and step back for splay position. Man then steps back on R and brings lady in front, raising L hand with L hand 90 degrees across her R hand (double spin signal), then do double spin. |
| CJ Wristy Conan Spin | L to R | No signal | Start as for the First Move but change the L hand to a pincer grip and twist the lady's R to point the thumb downwards, which signals the lady's L arm to go straight up into the air (2 beats), and move back into the splay position with the hand on the lady's back ready to lead CJ footwork. Note that the pincer grip should be on the lady's hand, rather than fingers, in order to enable the correct connection between the forward hands. Now CJ forward twice (4 beats) and on a further CJ, lunge to the man's L on the second beat (2 beats). Note that the lady's L stays vertical during the CJs and the joined forward hands should stay in the same plane. Now both pivot to walk forward on their leading foot in the opposite direction to the CJ progression and the man drives his L down and through to lead a reverse Conan where the couple goes back to back while the joined hands pass over their head (2 beats) and they keep turning in the same direction with the man driving his L through to reach the American Scissor Spin position. Now the man leads the lady in a clockwise flick spin (opposing the previous momentum) and spins anti-clockwise himself (2 beats), catches and returns. |
| Caress Sit Spin | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal |
This move would have to be led with a verbal signal, because it relies on the man not leading with his R as for a normal Wurlitzer. The lady initiates her own anti-clockwise walking turn, taking the man's R wrist with her free R as she takes her first step, and releasing with her L and reaching over the man's R shoulder and gripping under his |
| Carousel | R to R | No signal |
Man walks forward bringing R down in bowling action, as lady walks forward and under man's arm turning counter-clockwise to face the man's back (2 beats). Now the man walks back and to the right, swapping to lady's L wrist to bring feet into straight line (2 beats). Then man flick turns the lady counter-clockwise with his L and catches with either hand (2 beats), then return. The above doesn't make sense. I've also seen the move taught with the first 2 beats identical, then the man steps back and right while swapping the lady's R wrist into his L behind his back to halt her forward movement (2 beats), then a free clockwise spin led by the man's L (2 beats), and return. |
| Catapult | R to R | No signal | The man does a "bowling action" with his R hand, drawing it down to his R knee as he walks forward, and continues the rotation of his R shoulder behind him to lead the lady behind him - but he doesn't actually bring his his arm over to "deliver the ball "! (4 beats). There's a couple of exits from this position. If the man has stayed facing away from the lady, then he can draw his R hand forward, out from his body, and up to bring the lady into a clockwise walking turn under his R arm out to the Wurlitzer position. If the man has turned to face the lady, he can lead a normal R to R return, an anti-clockwise flick spin or just do a new move. |
| Catapult Double Dip | R to R | No signal | The man leads the lady around to his R and behind him as for the Catapult and offers his L hand behind his back for the lady to take as she steps forward next (4 beats). The man now cross-steps back and a small bit L as he leads the lady forward and out with his R so the lady walks under his R arm (she doesn't know which side of the man to come, so the lead needs to be clear) (2 beats) and then steps across to his R while he uses his R to bring the lady in close to his R shoulder inside his dip stance with his R in a claw grip at her R shoulder and the joined L hands in a claw grip behind the man's back (2 beats). Now the lady does a half dip, supporting her weight on her L leg (R foot extending on the floor in the usual way) and with the man's R arm along her shoulder line (2 beats). This half dip is held momentarily before the man does a slight lift, lifts his R arm over the lady's head (she can duck to help here) and extends both arms into a dip (2 beats). The man needs to be careful that his R arm doesn't get too close to his body, which will force the lady to rotate side-on, or too far from his body, which will cause an overbalance. The man lifts the lady back up to the same standing position (2 beats), and she walks out unassisted and turns clockwise (2 beats) before the return. |
| Charlie | L to R | Secret Move Signal | Start as for Secret Move but the man does not release the lady's R, instead outstretching it while walking around clockwise (2 beats). The the man brings his R (and the lady's R) across the other arms and outstretches to his right, while still walking around clockwise (2 beats). Keeping the joined L hands low, the man turns the lady clockwise with his R in about 1.5 turns to end with her R arm bent at the elbow and his R hand over her L shoulder holding her R behind her neck (L hands still at lady's R hip, still walking around clockwise) (2?4? beats). Now the man ducks down and walks around the lady clockwise, keeping his R behind her neck, and bringing his L around the lady, over her head and down behind his head and both step back to a splay position (4? beats). Then exit as for the Neck Break |
| Chicago Kick | L to R return | No signal | The man steps up to the lady during the return to stand side-by-side facing opposite directions. Then the dancers lean to the man's L (2 beats). The man gives a verbal cue of "Chicago Kick" while changing his L grip to a butterfly grip. The man stands the lady upright, while crouching himself (2 beats). Now the man pivots on his R, rising slightly as the lady spins on her L, and springs off both feet, bending her L knee to land on the man's R thigh. This is much easier said than done. The man needs to be careful not to overbalance the lady with his R before she springs, and the lady needs to spring such that she stays close to the man. A working objective is to have her L arm along the man's shoulders, gripping his upper L arm from behind. This means she will be close enough that the man's R around her back at her L hip and the joined L to R hands in front can support her weight easily. As the lady lands on his R thigh the man crouches again slightly, having risen slightly with her spring. It is important that the dancers stay close in the spring, as it is easy for the lady to tip off the man's thigh forward if her center is too far forward that the arms around eachothers' backs are not secure. To exit, the lady "bounces" off again as the man rises and the man leads a return. |
| Circular Bowtie | R to R | Secret Move Signal | Start as for Secret Move, but the man keeps hold of the lady's L in his L and outstretches them (2 beats). Then the man cross the joined L over the joined R and outstretches again as both pivot to accommodate (2 beats). Now the man drives a clockwise two-hand spin with both hands over the lady's head (2 beats) and at the right time, both step back to splay position and the man brings his R arm down behind her back (holding her R hand above her R shoulder as in the Neck Break) and his L arm down behind his head, without letting go either arm (tricky!). To exit, the man drops the L hands, (and both step forward as for a Neck Break exit 2 beats) and drives a single or double clockwise spin with his R, then returns. |
| Cleaver Garrote | R to R | No signal | Man draws the lady counter-clockwise with his R, while walking around clockwise, grasps her L shoulder as it appears, draws her R over her head and behind his L shoulder to end with his L arm across her neck with the lady in close (4 beats). The man needs to be firm to have the lady in close enough that he can support the coming dip. Now the man crouches vertically while the lady bends backward supported by the two grips, and up again (4 beats). The man drops the R hands and uses the shoulder grip to turn the lady in a clockwise spin to exit. |
| Columbian | L to R | First move, ballroom grip, verbal "Columbian" into splay position (4 beats). The move now travels only forwards down a straight line, but presents its front in the backwards direction. Then step forward and turn to face each other (2 beats), cross step behind and turn torso 90 degrees to face the front (led by man's R) and normal step turning torso to face each other (2 beats), then man leads lady in an underarm clockwise turn forwards (2 beats). At the end of that the man lunges L on the second beat to the "Scorpion" position, with bodies close togther squarely facing each other with heads facing the front, lunged onto forward leg with back leg pointed back and sliding in, back hands at waist height and forward hands high with elbows slightly bent back to have hands near heads. The man's forward L foot is directed at 45 degrees between the lady's direction and the forward direction, whereas the lady's forward R foot is parallel to it, directed at 45 degrees between the man's direction and the backward direction. Having slid in (second beat after the lunge), an anti-clockwise return is used to exit, with a double walking turn used to recover the original dance position. | |
| Conan - walk | L to R return | Conan Signal | Man grabs lady's R behind her back and then walks forward, rather than backward as for normal Conan spin. |
|
Conan Spin Conan |
L to R, preferably at the end of a return | Conan Signal - L thumb pressure while finishing a L to R return | Man drives L through so that upper arms are parallel to ground with elbows bent at right angles and both face the same direction with feet pointing the same way. Now both turn under joined arms with lady fractionally ahead of the man. To do this, both step across with leading foot and turn with the next foot place, intending to swap positions and both face the opposite direction to the initial one. Then return. |
| Conan Teapot | L to R return | Conan Signal | Instead of turning away from the lady as she begins the walk across the man for the Conan, the man faces the lady and takes her L behind her back with his R into the Teapot position (2 beats). Then the man walks forward in a circle while the lady walks backward in a circle for an even number of beats. Then on the leading foot step, the man drops his R hand and brings the L hand down snappily while pivoting on his L foot anti-clockwise (2 beats). This serves to bring the lady in a clockwise turn to face him, with her L arm under her R arm wound up ready for the return. |
| Crossover Catapult | L to R | No signal | Man walks forward, dragging L out to L, walks through, presents R behind his back over his L wrist (4 beats). Lady takes R as he raises R arm for her to walk under (4 beats). Drive R through to achieve a Wurlitzer position, and then flick spin R to exit. |
| Crossover Roll | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | Start as for Wurlitzer then give give a further signal with L arm out-flung. The man draws a "six" in the air in front of him to bring the lady into a counter-clockwise double roll as she walks towards his former L, while he turns counter-clockwise and catches L to L with R arm out-flung. The same move then proceeds in mirror image to return to the Wurlitzer position for a flick turn to exit. |
| Cuban Chocolate Swirl | Ballroom | No signal | Ballroom grip feet together, step R forward, L forward, rock onto R backward, step L backward (4 beats), rock R forward, L backward, rock onto R backward, step L backward (4 beats), step R backwards, L together, (2 beats) freeze (2 beats). In the meantime, the lady steps in the same direction as the man with opposite feet and sense of movement. Then for the next part, the man cross-steps behind R and points his hips in the R direction, back to face the lady (2 beats), forward cross-step L and points his hips in the R direction, and back to face the lady (2 beats), while the lady does the same kind of motion in the same direction but with opposite sense, direction and phase (i.e. cross-step L forward to her R first, then backward cross-step R). This goes for eight beats and ends with the dancers facing each other. Now the lady leads the "swirl" by kicking her L up as if to hook on the man's R hip and dropping vertically maintaining ballroom frame. The man has to oppose this drop with his frame (keep straight back) while stepping around the lady clockwise, turning the lady about her R foot, leading her back up at an appropriate time. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Deep Dip | |||
| Diala's Ronde Catapult | |||
| Double Conan | L to R return | Conan Signal | After completing the spin in the normal Conan (2 beats), the man transfers the lady's R to his R, steps forward on the normal beat and turns the lady in a clockwise overhead turn (2 beats) and return (2 beats). In practice the lady completes a walking turn in the same direction throughout. |
| Double Handed Bow | R to R | Double chest tap | The man turns the lady a half-turn anti-clockwise and she spreads both her arms horizontally while the man steps in and places his hands palm upwards under the lady's upper arms near the shoulders (fists clenched preferably), preferably with L foot back and R foot forward (2 beats). Now the lady dips backward (weight on R foot, L foot slides forward?) while the man pokes his backside back with L leg bent and R knee straight and R foot sliding back to avoid the lady's head (2 beats). The man returns the lady to upright and moves his R either to the lady's R hip for a clockwise hip-spin or to the lady's R for a clockwise turn. |
| Double Lasso | R to R return | No signal | This is exactly the same as the Lasso but a double return is the entry. In class, the lady should not attempt to pick this move, but rather let her L arm spin out in response to the downward movement of her R in the guy's R as he leads the Lasso entry. Obviously the lady's L arm should come at her shoulder height as normal. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
|
El Parte Grosso 19/7/2006 |
L to R return | No signal | Towards the end of a L to R return, man places his R hand on lady's L shoulder (2 beats). Man walks forward and turns the lady anti-clockwise on the beats both would normally step back to prepare for the next move; here the man brings his L hand (with the lady's R hand) around the lady's head (2 beats). When lady has her back to the man, he changes grip to place his R hand on her R wrist under her chin and removes L hand, leaving a locked position. Then, man steps back R preparing to do a full turn counter-clockwise while leading the lady in a half-turn clockwise, passing lady's R hand to his L behind his back half-way through the turn, continuing the turn with an L step. When planting leading foot at end of the man's turn, both stamp the leading foot, and do a style move, then man leads both to step back to initiate a return. |
| Eskimo | L to R | No signal | This moves starts as for the First Move - checks with the man changing his L hand grip to a ballroom grip after stepping forward, and in the splay position moving his R high on the lady's back with palm to her back (4 beats). Both dancers need to maintain a strong frame here. Both pivot forward onto their leading foot, with the man stepping across the lady's line with his L on the second beat, pivoting on that foot to step backward on his R on the third beat, and then back into a splay position with his L. In the meantime he has led the lady forward on her first two steps, pivoting on her R as she steps back L on the third beat and further back R on the fourth (4 beats). The dancers are now facing the opposite direction from the initial splay position and have swapped sides (aside for geeks who know group theory - the before and after positions together make a C2h point group, with the move actually a symmetry-breaking effective C2 or Ci operation). Now the man leads the same Eskimo to return to the original splay position. The exit is a fast underarm turn - the man leads the lady forward on the first beat, raising his L arm and spins her clockwise under his L arm on the second beat, before a normal L to R return. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| False Pretzel | L to R | Pretzel Signal | As lady walks forward to take L as for the Pretzel, man walks forward and removes L hand as both turn to face each other (2 beats). Then return. |
| False Pretzel - lock | L to R | Pretzel Signal | As lady walks forward to take L as for the Pretzel, man walks forward and removes L hand, and drives L down behind his back, as the lady turns to face his back (2 beats). Then the man drives the lady in a counter-clockwise flick spin with his L - this can work like the exit from the Swinger, or you can lead the lady forward for 1 beat to spin anti-clockwise her R foot. |
| Figure of Eight | L to R | Figure of Eight Signal - R arm swept back with thumb at 90 degrees to outstretched fingers and pointing downwards | Man walks forward with R to his L, starting to turn counter-clockwise, placing the lady's R in his R before turning counter-clockwise under his own R arm, stepping back behind with his L (shifting weight there), and bringing the joined R hands down to about eye level (2 beats). Man needs to be careful not to have walked too far forward from the starting location - should be about the original midpoint. Then man steps forward on R and uses his R to turn the lady clockwise while stepping together (2 beats), and then back (2 beats). Ladies footwork is to step straight forward for 2 beats, and then walking turn for four beats to end in the back position. |
| First Move - twister | L to R | No signal | Guy leads normal First Move until the splay position where he changes to L to R palm-to-palm grip before leading the lady forward to check (2 beats) and then clockwise overhead turn to an extended position (2 beats), then anti-clockwise return (2 beats), double squeeze to signal then a pull-push with the L arm to wrap lady clockwise into L side (both point free arm forward from body for style) (2 beats) then lady spins anti-clockwise, man's R hand goes to R shoulder as it goes past, man takes L around lady's head, around own and places her R on his R shoulder blade, and squat as for Swan Drop |
| First Move - Fast Exit | L to R | No signal | Man walks forward and to L, bringing R to lady L hip, while lady walks forward (2 beats), all feet ending in a straight line. Small step back with R as lady turns counter-clockwise with L and both take larger second step, man's R moving to lady's small of back after she has turned (splay position). Then man steps back on R, lady placing L foot where man's R foot was, and turns to face man who raises L arm and returns R to her L hip (2 beats). Then gentle hip-spin lady clockwise under arch of L arm (2 beats), then return. |
|
First Move First Move - Normal Exit |
L to R | No signal | Man walks forward and to L, bringing R to lady L hip, while lady walks forward (2 beats), all feet ending in a straight line. Small step back with R as lady turns counter-clockwise with L and both take larger second step, man's R moving to lady's small of back after she has turned (splay position). Then man steps back on R, lady placing L foot where man's R foot was, and turns to face man who raises L arm and returns R to her L hip (2 beats). Then gentle pressure with R forces the lady to step backwards and turn counter-clockwise (2 beats), then return. |
| First Move - checks | L to R | No signal | Man walks forward and to L, moving R to lady L hip, open L to get palm-to-palm grip (signal), while lady walks forward (2 beats). Small step back with R as lady turns counter-clockwise with L and both take larger second step, man's R moving to lady's small of back after she has turned (splay position). Then both rock forward onto forward foot, step with outside foot to face each other while man brings L up to shoulder height and R to lady's L hip (2 beats). Then both rock back onto inside foot and step back with outside foot to return to splay (2 beats). Repeat once. Then from splay, man steps R back and lady places L where man's R was, then man raises L bringing lady to front (2 beats). Then man does gentle hip-spin of lady under L, then return. |
| First Move - barrier | L to R | No signal | Man walks forward and to L, moving R to lady L hip, while lady walks forward (2 beats). Small step back with R as lady turns counter-clockwise with L and both take larger second step, man's R moving to lady's small of back after she has turned (splay position). Then man steps back bringing L down while lady steps forward as for fast exit with the man's R on her L hip (2 beats). Now the man turns the lady clockwise with his R, but his L arm forms a barrier to the lady's turn (2 beats). The lady's L arm crosses her body following the motion of the turn, ready to spin back the other way. The man can also create some additional tension against that barrier with pressure of his R on lady's L hip. Then man releases tension turning lady counter-clockwise under his L (2 beats). No return needed. |
| First Move - Latin | |||
| First Move - ballroom | |||
| First Move - Whirlwind | L to R | No signal | Start as for First Move, changing to ballroom grip, reaching the splay position. Man gives firm forward pressure with L at small of lady's back, while rocking forward on R, turning inward on L, sweeping R out (Rondeing) while finishing the turn while lady walks forward and is checked by the linked arms under which the man has turned. Now a double left-hand walking counter-clockwise turn, and the man arranges to plant feet behind lady's R hip after two turns with R hand supporting her L shoulder, and dip lady down to his left in a secure dip. Rise and do a turn to exit. |
|
First Move - CJ CJ |
CJ Signal - Ballroom grip, then push down and out with L thumb | Start as for First Move, changing to ballroom grip, and then pushing down and out with L thumb to open out the hands to face palm downwards in the splay position. Both rock in on front foot and then pivot 90 degrees on that foot inwards to face each other, placing the former back foot beside the front one (2 beats). Man should use pressure from his R on the small of her back to control the lady's turning to mirror his own. Repeat, traveling in the same direction. To exit, on the leading foot beat, the man steps back with his R and raises L hand as for First Move (flattening his palm on hers to signal one turn) before stepping forward again, turning the lady clockwise under the joined hands. | |
| First Move - CJ Points | CJ Signal | While doing a First Move - CJ, man says "Points" and both lunge on the forward foot to "point" and look at the other. Now both keep heads level and change feet to point to the opposite direction, avoiding actually jumping (2 beats), and the back to the original feet (2 beats). Then three more swaps take place at double speed with the final beat seeing the man lead a step back to the splay position (4 beats). Then the man leads a normal First Move exit. | |
| First Move - man breakthrough | L to R | No signal | Start as for First Move but instead of the man stepping back to the splay position, he steps forward and around to R to stand in front and to the lady's L facing her R direction with R hand at her L waist (2 beats). The man now drops his R and moves it over the joined hands while turning counter-clockwise, as in the Man Breakthrough (2 beats). Then return. |
| First Move - Back-to-Back One-Arm Dip | L to R | No signal | Start as for First Move and reach the splay position. Lead forward with L while stepping behind and R with lead foot to turn clockwise. Touch L elbow to her R elbow as you continue the turn (dropping hands) as the lady turns counter-clockwise. As you turn to face the lady again, drive your R arm, palm facing outward under her R armpit and place the back of your R in the small of her back. The lady has gripped the man's R shoulder from behind with her R, and the man is facing the lady who is facing the man's R direction. The man's feet should be at least shoulder-width apart. (4 beats I think). Now the man shifts weight to his L while crouching (L hand can support the lady's L shoulder or be flung out at your shoulder height), while the lady supports her own weight on her R by bending R knee and either keeping L on the ground in front of her for balance, or doing something stylish with it. (2 beats). Then stand and come to R to R grip for a normal return. |
| First Move - safe drop | L to R | No signal | Start as for the First Move, but the man changes his L grip to a ballroom grip before proceeding back to the splay position (4 beats). Now the man walks forward and across the lady's path, planting his feet just over shoulder-width apart, and moving his R hand to support the lady's back at her L shoulder blade. In the meantime the lady has walked forward less far to contact her R hip with his R hip facing the opposite direction (2 beats). Now the man crouches vertically while the lady leans back and across in front of the man, raising her L leg to bring L foot to R knee (2 beats), and then the man raises the lady up again (2 beats). Both now step back (2 beats), and return. |
| First Move - Figure of Eight | L to R | No signal | This move starts as for the First Move (2 beats), but then the man steps forward onto his R and further forward onto his L, and moves his R hand from the lady's L hip to take her R hand in a handshake grip, as for the Figure of Eight (2 beats). Now the man steps backward under his R arm, bobs the joined R hands (2 beats) and drives the lady in a clockwise overhead turn (2 beats). Alternately, the man can not swap hands at the previously indicated, but quickly do so while stepping backward under his R arm in a more "concerted" fashion. |
| First Move - variation | L to R | No signal | Start as for the First Move but in going back to the splay position, the lady does a kickball change (step L turning, then the kickball change by quickly kicking R, placing R behind L, then transferring weight forward onto L in time for the next leading foot beat) (4 beats). The man ignores the kickball change and steps back with his R, dropping R hand and turning clockwise under his L arm (2 beats), then steps forward to turn the lady clockwise again under his L arm (2 beats), then return. |
| First Move - Blind Exit | L to R | No signal | This move is identical to the First Move - Fast Exit, but the man walks through the position where he faces the lady preparing to exit and leads her to walk behind him with R hand at her hip, and the lady turns clockwise to face the same direction, with the man facing away from her. To finish, both walk back to their original starting positions normally. |
| First Move - backhander | L to R | No signal | This move starts as for the First Move, but the man signals by changing his L hand to a pincer grip, as for the Backhander (2 beats), which signals the lady to raise her L arm vertically in the air. Now the normal step and pivot into the splay position with the man moving the lady's L so that he takes her L wrist with his R at her R hip (2 beats). The man's L is still stretched across in front of the lady, reminiscent of the Sway. Now the exit is also like the Sway, with the man checking the lady in front of his R hip facing his L with his L going to her L hip (2 beats), and then leading a clockwise walking turn in his forward direction, remembering to keep the lady's R hand low for the first part of her turn (4 beats). Optional R-to-R return. |
| First Move - duck under dip | L to R | No signal | This move starts as for the First Move, but in reaching the splay position the man signals the duck under part by moving his R hand to the back and top of the lady's R shoulder (4 beats). Now the man leads the lady in an awkward fast anti-clockwise turn under his L arm (the lady has to duck her head to do this). The man's R hand ends up backwards on the lady's back and there's a point where there's a natural flip to having his palm at the lady's L shoulder blade to prepare for a dip (2 beats). The lady's R arm has gone around the man's L waist as normal. After dipping and rising, the man checks the lady out with his L and leads an anti-clockwise overhead return with his L. |
| First Move - Chest Push | L to R | No signal | Start a normal First Move but in going back to the splay position, the man drops the lady's R and instead taps twice on his chest with flattened palm. Now he leads the lady forward in front while stepping back, as for the usual exits, but the lady follows the signal by placing her L fingers on the man's chest (2 beats). The impetus for the clockwise turn to exit comes from both pushing off the chest connection (man stepping forward through the push-off) and optionally with the man's R at the lady's L hip. |
| Flingy Flam - variant | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | Start as for Wurlitzer then give give a further signal with R thumb pressure and L hand at R shoulder with palm facing the lady. The lady rolls in counter-clockwise, but is checked by the man's L on her back (2 beats). The man rolls the lady back out clockwise. Repeat. Flick turn to exit. Alternately, to exit the man can continue the clockwise roll-out by stepping toward the lady and moving his R around her, bending the wrist gently to continue her momentum into a free clockwise spin. |
| Flingy Flam | L to R | Start as for Wurlitzer then give give a further signal with L hand at R shoulder with palm facing the lady. The lady is lead to roll in counter-clockwise with the usual "six" or "J" by the man in a horizontal plane with his R, but is checked by the man's L on her back having walked around clockwise (2 beats). The man rolls the lady back out clockwise, and gently inverts the lady's L wrist as she faces away from him to keep her spinning clockwise. The man releases the lady's L and catches her R either immediately or after a free spin, then return. | |
| Flower Spin | Both hands | No signal | Both walk forward as the man places the lady's R arm behind his own head and his R arm behind the lady's head (2 beats). Now both the lady and the man walk forward clockwise for an even number of beats, before the man moves his R, holding the lady's L to her neck so that both of the lady's hands are behind her neck and the elbows pointing upward (2 beats). The man moves his R hand to the lady's R elbow and his L hand to the lady's L shoulder to spin her clockwise. Then the man catches her R arm and leads a return. |
| Fred's Figure of Eight | L to R | Figure of Eight Signal | After two beats of the normal Figure of Eight the man offers his recently-released L across in front of the lady and leads her subsequent clockwise walking turn double-handed, exactly as for the Figure of Eight. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Gemini | R to R | Secret Move Signal | Step in, verbal signal "Gemini" check out, leave L in around the same position and describe a large counter-clockwise circle with the R to lead the lady across the man's stationary position. When the R reaches the L, transfer the L to the inside of the lady's R arm (she leaves it bent at the elbow). Now both ronde their outside leg to face, and step for a clockwise(?) return. |
| Ginger Drag | L to R return | No signal | After a normal (or double) L to R return, the man positions himself and throws the lady's R over his R shoulder and places his R on the lady's L hip so that both are facing alternate directions side-by-side with the man's L hand supporting the lady's R shoulder blade (however Nitzan taught the move with the lady's R arm extended horizontally in the man's L, which was not strictly needed to support the lady in either lean or drag). Now the man leans to his L, bending his L knee to keep his R side straight for the lady to lean on (2 beats). The lady lifts her R foot by bending her R knee and rests it on her L calf. Now, with the weight on his L foot, the man lifts his R foot and walks to his L dragging the lady on her L foot (4 beats). A large initial step left with the R foot seems to be needed to transfer the weight properly, else the man will have to "bump" the lady up in order to do the second step with his L foot. To make this work, walking at half-tempo can be advisable. Anyway, after the drag, the man moves his R to support the lady's lower back for a safe dip across his front (2 beats), then upright (2 beats) for a counter-clockwise overhead turn to exit. For safety, the man should return the lady to near upright before the dip, and dip with a centred squat, rather than a lean to the L. |
| Guitar Check Exit | Lady Guitar | No signal | On initial foot beat, the man raises L hand to lead the lady in a clockwise turn while keeping R low and keeps the L as the lady faces him and moves both hands out to his L to check. Now Accordion-type moves could work here, or the man can lead the lady in a counter-clockwise double-handed overhead turn, choosing to keep the lady's R in either his L or R. |
| Guitar Exit | Lady Guitar | No signal | On initial foot beat, the man raises L hand to lead the lady in a clockwise turn while keeping R low and releases the L when the lady faces him, and both step back. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
|
Half Nelson Left Hand Nelson |
L to R | Man Breakthrough Signal | The man removes his R from his R hip and moves it over and past the joined arms. As he steps forward and to the L, he turns counter-clockwise and ducks under the joined arms, bending his R elbow to move under her R arm to make contact with nothing as he completes the turn, while the lady just walks straight through (2 beats). Then return. |
| Handless First Move | L to R | No signal | The man leads a normal First Move entry, flattening his L palm to indicate a spin (2 beats). Now the guy takes a small step back with R as lady steps forward L and turns counter-clockwise as both take larger second step, man's R moving to lady's small of back after she has turned, and the man's L moving safely out of sight to his L (2 beats). Now the man leads the lady forward for the normal First Move exit, using his L hand orientation to signal a single or double spin in the usual way. Should the man tuck his L behind his back out of the way but unfortunately into the lady's L behind his back, he should recover by using the Roaster. |
| Hanger | |||
| Hassamarie | L to R | Throwaway Signal | After throwing the lady's R arm away as in the Throwaway (2 beats), the man turns away from the lady to offer his R hand to her to catch behind his back, with the L hand offered behind his L hip as for a Catapult (2 beats). Having caught the offered R hand with her L, now the lady steps forward to take the offered L hand with her R as the man steps back and turns slightly anti-clockwise to face her (2 beats). Now the man gives a double squeeze (lead for Swayze Spin, squeeze either or both hands), drops the R hand and leads a slow clockwise turn with his L hand, bringing it to a halt with his R hand at the lady's L shoulder (2 beats?). Now the man drops his L hand, and uses his R to drive a shoulder turn anti-clockwise, keeping contact with the lady's back, kind of rolling his hand over towards the middle of her back. Part-way through this turn, the lady needs to have bent her knees and to duck her head to avoid the man's R arm. The turn continues and the man stops it with his L on the lady's upper R arm (4 beats?). Now the man drops his R and uses his L to drive a double clockwise spin, catching a hand when it looks right. Then return. |
| Hello | R to R | No signal | Start as for catapult. |
| Here and There | R to R return | No signal | During a Right Hand Comb the man doesn't push the lady's R hip backwards, but rather rests it there. The man ducks his head under the lady's arm on his shoulder and comes up on the other side to look at her as she swings her R hip out (2 beats), then back under the arm as the lady swings her L hip out (2 beats), then back under with R hip (2 beats), then the man steps back and catches L to R. |
| Hiro los dos | R to R | No signal | Start as for the Aerial Yoyo (2 beats), but give a verbal signal "Hiro los dos" before leading the turn. Now the man leads a slow double clockwise walking turn with his R and the lady responds to the signal by moving her L hand to the front of her body at the end of about one spin, where the man takes it. As he takes that hand he moves the joined R hands over the lady's head and both lean to the R in a towel position (4 beats). The man can cheat quite a lot on his footwork, taking two steps and one lean over the 4 beats. Anyway, in the towel position the man can lead a rock to the left and back right (optional), before leading the lady to walk around him anti-clockwise with the joined hands moving around the man's head as she walks. As the lady comes back around to the man's R, after she steps onto her L the man leads both in an Ocho around to his R (i.e. man Ochos R on his L, lady Ochos L on her R, pivoting on the L foot he saw her plant). Then the man leads Ochos in alternating directions, befure deciding to exit. To exit, the man draws the joined hands down in a circular motion contrary to the direction of the last Ocho, then lift the hands so the dancers are back-to-back, turns the hands over the heads (wrists close together!), and complete the turn facing eachother, with the man checking L with the R hand, before a return. |
| Hot 'n' Spicy |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| I Turn, You Turn | L to R return | No signal | After leading the normal anti-clockwise L to R return (2 beats), instead of stepping back to begin the next move, the man turns a full circle clockwise on the spot to turn and face the lady again with flattened palm (2 beats). Then to exit the man leads the lady in a clockwise turn like the First Move - Normal Exit (2 beats). |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Jack in the Box | L to R | No signal | Man had some reverse footwork that was optional, but lead First Move, signal with R on her R shoulder - somehow her R gets to my R shoulder, use downward pressure as she stays centered, squats low and turns anti-clockwise around the man's R arm while rising, coming out to face his R direction for a classic squat dip. Shoulder blade spin exit. |
| James Brown - variant | Wurlitzer | No signal | Need equal tension in a Wurlitzer-type position for both to do partial splits, then pull upright, then step back out to Wurlizter so the man can lead lady forward like a Rollacross, present L to change the lady's turn to clockwise and reach a normal L to R return position. |
| James Brown | R to R | Secret Move Signal | Verbal signal "James Brown" when stepping in, check out to L, then back to R, the double overhead clockwise turn, bringing R across lady's stomach into claw grip and L in front of man and release L. The man also places his R foot to brace against the lady's L when they face the same direction. Then using the claw grip and the braced feet, both point forward with their L arm while gently doing the splits. It is important for both dancers to maintain tension in the joined R arms because it is that tension that allows the couple to rise without pulling the other off balance. Having risen the man leads the lady to step behind their line in a counter-clockwise overhead turn (R low to initiate the turn of course). |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| KJ - variant | No signal | ||
| Kentucky | Both hands | No signal | The man leads the lady in a counter-clockwise turn with his L and brings his L to rest on her L shoulder while standing behind her slightly to her L (2 beats). Now the man shifts the lady to his L side (2 beats), then raises his R over her head (keeping L at her L shoulder!) and brings it to his R shoulder as the lady turns counter-clockwise to nearly face the man (2 beats). Now the man takes his L past his R ear with the lady's R going behind his head as he turns clockwise, dropping R and ending facing the same directions as immediately before, but with his R at her L waist (2 beats). Now steer with R and change L grip to cross her R hand to signal a double spin (2 beats) and then drive a double clockwise underarm spin (2 beats), and return. |
| Kentucky - slow | L to R | No signal | They taught this move from a normal L to R with a Winder Signal lead to get the lady to take the other hand, while the man does the anti-clockwise turn with his L to reach the Lady Basket position, but is a bit cumbersome. Much better is from a two-hand hold where the basket can be reached easily, by turning the lady counter-clockwise under the man's L arm with his R staying low to end at her R waist with his L and her R arms outstretched in front of them (4 beats). The lady is now on the man's R side, and he now brings his L to her L shoulder while checking her across to his L side (2 beats), then check again to straighten the L arm across her neck and bring his R arm in front outstretched (2 beats). Now the man brings the R hand around her head to turn the lady counter-clockwise and places his R arm on his own L shoulder (2 beats) (all four hands are quite close now, at their respective shoulders), and smoothly turns clockwise under his own L (keeping R on his L shoulder until he has to drop it to avoid decapitation) (2 beats), then step forward to turn the lady clockwise under his L arm (2 beats), and then a normal anticlockwise return. |
| Killer CJ | CJ Signal | ||
| Killer Pretzel | L to R | Pretzel Signal | Having completed the initial turns in the Pretzel and reached the position facing eachother with joined hands stretched wide, the man leads the lady in the usual anti-clockwise turn with his L, but blocks her with his R wrist at her R hip so that both are facing the man's initial forward direction (2 beats). It is important for the look of the move that the man not allow the lady to over-rotate into a Pretzel Swizzle position. Now the man spins the lady clockwise, bring his L low and his R high to check the lady in the mirror image position, again with L wrist blocking the lady's L hip (2 beats). Now return to the original lock position (2 beats). This move led into a S???? Dip in the lesson, but you can stop it at some point by dropping any hand and doing whatever is natural, or morphing into a Pretzel Swizzle. |
| Kiwi Killer Boomerang | L to R | Throwaway Signal | (unknown) |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Lady Comb | R to R | No signal | While doing a R to R return, the man almost completes the return, staying close, dips the joined R to eye level (2 beats), then steps forward and bends the lady's R elbow as he brings his R over her L shoulder and her R arm behind her head, and brings his L to her R elbow (2 beats). Now gentle elbow pressure leads the lady into a counter-clockwise spin (man drops R hand) as the man turns clockwise and catches R to R. They did also call this move a Flower Spin, but it seems to have only a little in common with the real one. |
| Lady Drop Kick | R to R | L hand on chest | The lady is turned 180 degrees anti-clockwise to have her back to the man and extends both of her arms and locks her shoulders (2 beats). The man catches with both arms under her upper arms with his R foot forward and L back. As the lady leans backward to put weight on the man's arms, he keeps his R leg straight and bends his L at the knee (i.e. poking his backside out) (2 beats). Then lift and turn the lady clockwise to return to the R to R grip. |
| Lady Guitar | Man Guitar | No signal | On the initial foot beat, man releases R hand and pulls on L hand, walking behind lady to swap positions (2 beats) - man's R now holds her R at her R hip and lady's L is extended in man's L. Then man walks forwards in a circle while lady walks backward in a circle for an even number of beats. |
| Lady Lock | Joined L and R | No signal | Man steps forward and turns lady counter-clockwise under R arm while bringing L over R during the turn. R comes below her L shoulder and L comes below R at her L hip (2 beats). Both end facing the same way with lady's arms locked in front of her held by man's hands at her L side. |
| Lady Lock Spin Dip | L to R | Accordion Signal | |
| Lady Spin | R to R | No signal | The man draws the lady forward and towards his R with his R hand and slightly off-balance. He walks forward and faces her back as she does a slight counter-clockwise turn to follow his hand (2 beats). The man signals by closing a fist around the lady's R hand. Now the man draws his R back and drives the lady in a clockwise spin, releasing the R after the first half-turn (2 beats). The man catches the lady's R hand in his L and then returns. |
| Lady slow/fast Lindy Twists | L to R outstretched | No signal | |
| Lasso | R to R return | No signal |
After the first two beats of a normal R to R return the man continues his R hand down and around the lady to continue her turn for 180 degrees and ends in front of her right hip. Meantime her L arm will naturally swing out in this anti-clockwise spin and she should control it to come at shoulder height as for the Sway where the man will catch her wrist (2 beats). The lady should definitively not attempt to compensate for the guy by lifting it over his head or not bringing it high enough. The man could now lead moves with Sway entry, but in class we led a clockwise walk-around, led by backward pressure at the lady's R hip while the man walks forward (4 beats), and a clockwise spinning exit where the man throws the lady's R forward and leads down and up with his R (2 beats). |
| Latin Sway | R to R | Aerial Yoyo Signal | The man walks forward and moves his R elbow over and past the lady's arm, cocking R wrist downward (2 beats). It can be helpful to say "single" here, lest the lady rush off into some triple spin. Now the man starts the clockwise overhead turn for the lady with his R hand around her head, but he turns on the spot (not walking around clockwise, as in the Aerial Yoyo) and places his L hand on the lady's L hip as she turns, trying to avoid capturing her L arm in the process. If he does do so, the lady can lift it up gracefully with the L elbow bent to extricate it. In the meantime, the man has brought his R across his chest to straighten the lady's R arm and both are facing the same direction (2 beats). Now the man walks backward in a circle while the lady walks forward in a circle for an even number of beats, while the man changes his R grip to point palm upwards. The man throws the lady's arm away in front of him, steps behind her as she steps forward and moves both hands to her hips to wind the lady up for a clockwise hip spin (2 beats), then hip spin, catch the lady's R and return to exit. |
| Left Hand Comb | L to R | The man steps forward towards the lady, and takes his L hand over towards his R shoulder and ducks his head through the loop created by his L arm and the lady's R arm (2 beats). In the meantime the man has placed his R on the lady's R hip and gives gentle pressure there to move the lady away. The lady brings her R arm down the inside of the man's L and he catches L to R. | |
|
Left Hand Figure of Eight 19/7/2006 |
L to R | No signal | This move is identical to the Figure of Eight except that the signal is not given and the man retains the L to R grip throughout. He turns under his own L arm this time, flipping his L to point the palm to the ceiling as he takes his first R step. |
| London Bridge - drawbridge | R to R | Accordion Signal | Accordion, return lady on the spot (2 beats), man turns 180 clockwise (2 beats) and leads lady around anti-clockwise with R, ducking at waist under own arm when lady is in front (hence move name) continue leading her around behind shifting weight to R to prepare for lady-lead anti-clockwise man spin on L. |
| London Bridge - lunge | R to R | Accordion Signal | As for London Bridge, but 4 beat entry rather than two, and the man squats with pointed R leg which the lady steps over (Mark thinks you could probably do the move pointing L leg initially, and swap legs with the lady in front, but doesn't know how hard that'll be) and the final spin is with the man still bent over. |
| Lunge Kick | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | Verbal signal "lunge kick" before reaching the extended Wurlitzer position. The man leads the lady in a single anti-clockwise walking turn towards his L (2 beats) and for her second L "step" the lady kicks out and around the man's L leg with knee bent, with the man catching the leg below the knee with his L and lunging L with the lady's weight on his R side with his R holding her L in front of her (clasping?) (2 beats). To exit the man releases the lady's L knee and leads her back to the extended Wurlitzer position. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Magic Carpet | L to R | No signal | On beat 2 of a First Move the man creates frame high on R shoulder and low L arm (straighten her R arm to create some lift) and steps around clockwise (preferably only on the beat), exiting by straightening L arm to check the lady, then an anti-clockwise spin keeping R contact to eventually grip across her front at R waist, both style out with free L arm, and clockwise spin to exit, catching L to R. |
| Man Back Ronde with Tango Drag | L to R return | No signal | At the end of a L to R return, the man touches his R on the lady's L hip, while crouching slightly to prepare the ronde. Then he rondes back with his R, placing it behind his L as he turns clockwise under the joined arms, and while the hands are high, leads a clockwise overhead turn. During this turn, it is probably advisable to signal, saying "Tango Drag". At the end of this return, both set in a ballroom hold, with joined L to R out at the man's L, the man's R behind the lady's L shoulder blade and the lady's L on the man's R shoulder. The lady's L foot is cocked behind her R foot with toe to the ground. The man faces the lady and shuffles around clockwise (R foot not leaving the ground) to drag the couple pivoting around the lady's R foot, all the while facing eachother. To exit, a slight lift from the man leads an anti-clockwise L to R return as normal. |
| Man Breakthrough | L to R | Man Breakthrough Signal - R thumb extended at R hip with palm facing down | The man leaves his R thumb on his R hip as he walks forward and to L, turning counter-clockwise, dropping L and stepping back (2 beats). The lady drags her hand along the man's back and catches his L with her R before a return. |
| Man Breakthrough - barrier spin | L to R | Man Breakthrough Signal | The man walks forward L and further forward onto R turning in counter-clockwise but without releasing L (unlike the normal Man Breakthrough) to create tension for a clockwise spin (2 beats). Man rocks back onto R to do the spin, swaps the lady's R to his R behind his back and at the end of his spin (2 beats), drives the lady in a clockwise overhead turn (2 beats). No return. |
| Man Breakthrough - throwaway | L to R | No signal | This moves starts like a Man Breakthrough, but with no signal and the man lifts the girl's R hand to his shoulder height as he steps R and turns anti-clockwise "into" the lady's R arm and steps back L. Meanwhile the lady has stepped forward L and started to turn clockwise with her R step (2 beats). Now the man brings his R up to the lady's L upper arm that appears around his L shoulder and leads the lady in a clockwise spin as in the Throwaway (2 beats). I believe the lady's footwork must be to spin on the R planted in the second previous beat, landing L then bringing R together on these two beats. After the spin, the man catches R to R for a return. |
| Man Guitar | R to R | No signal | Man steps forward and towards R while she walks around clockwise, man moving R hand to his R hip and raising L hand for her L to take at man's chest height (2 beats). Then man walks backwards in a circle while lady walks forward in circle for an even number of beats. |
| Man Guitar - Reverse Conan Exit | L to R | No signal | Man walks forward as for the Man Breakthrough but changes the lady's R into his R at his R hip and presents his L in front of the lady (who has walked around behind the man) for her L to take (2 beats). Then the man walks backward and the lady forward to turn clockwise around a central axis (2 beats), then the man drops his R hand and leads his L hand down, with the lady turning clockwise under it, then the man turning anti-clockwise under it (2 beats). During (or perhaps before) he executes this turn, the man should prepare to present his R hand below his L hand at the completion of the turn, by pre-positioning it under his L armpit and letting the arm unwind through his turn. The lady takes the offered lower R hand to execute an R to R return after the man drops the L hands (2 beats). |
| Man Roll Surprise | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | The man leads as for the Wurlitzer Lean, except that after roolling the lady into his R side and rolling her back out, he follows her before she is stationary, i.e. ahead of the beat. This movement ahead of the beat freezes the lady in position. The man starts a clockwise walking turn, taking the lady's L wrist in his free L hand on his first step R, continuing to rotate clockwise to complete his first turn, releasing his R hand and bringing it over the lady's L shoulder to hold her lower R ribcage (2 beats). Now the man steps R to a point on the original Wurlitzer line just outside the lady's R foot, as she steps L in front of that line and to the R side of her R foot position (coming with his momentum as led by his hands), and the man continues his clockwise rotation, placing his L foot also on the original Wurlitzer line and leading the lady down into a Swan Drop-style bob, not a dip - control that with a high R forearm preventing the lady from carrying her momentum into a dip (2 beats). To exit, walk the lady out forwards and do whatever you like. Note that the lady does not move her feet during the man's initial roll in, lest she trip him and/or destroy the line. |
| Man Trap with Wristy Roll Exit | Both hands, lady L behind her back | No signal | Leading from the Neck Break Barrier position, the man turns the lady anti-clockwise with his R (2 beats), keeps it high and turns clockwise under it himself, bringing his R low at the end (2 beats), and then R back up and over his head to end facing the lady with the lady's L in his L behind his back, the lady's R at his shoulder and his R straight by his side. The lady now does body rolls or other style moves. To exit, the man drops the lady's L and brings it up to his L shoulder and inside the lady's R wrist. Now inscribes a circle wwith his L hand around the lady's R wrist (2 beats), before inscribing a second circle with her R arm now moving around her head for a clockwise spin (2 beats), catching R to R. |
|
Man Walkthrough Underarm Walkthrough |
L to R | No signal | Man walks forward while raising L hand and walking under L arm, turning his L palm to face the ceiling, while the lady walks straight forward (2 beats), then the man brings the arms down, turning anticlockwise (lady turns clockwise) to face each other having changed places (2 beats), then return. |
| Manhattan something dip | Both hands | No signal | The man pushes the lady back with both hands (2 beats), and then forward and step across to his L, taking his L out to his L and his R past the lady's R shoulder out to his R, changing both hands to ballroom grips (2 beats). Now the man steps forward and brings his wrists together and sets his stance for a dip, feet shoulder width apart (2 beats). Now the man doesn't move his feet, but leads the lady back toward him with both hands, moving his hands roughly near his shoulders, while the lady steps indepedently to be in front of and near the man's R foot facing his R ready for a dip (2 beats). Now the man drops the lady, keeping wrists together as for the Ballroom Drop while she extends her L leg in the usual way (2 beats). The man leads the lady to returns upright in the usual way (2 beats) and some exit follows. |
| Manhattans | |||
| Mitchell's Move | R to R | Windmill Signal | The man draws the joined R hands behind him as he walks forward and swaps the lady's R wrist into his L behind his back (2 beats). The man steps back on his R while taking his L hand high as the lady turns anti-clockwise (2 beats). As the lady finishes that turn the man stops the Windmill, taking the lady's R to his L hip and taking both hands over the lady's R arm while turning anti-clockwise. As the man turns to face the lady again, he sets his feet just over shoulder width apart with the lady at 90 degrees ready for a dip (4 beats). The man's R hand goes over the lady's L shoulder to support her back, and his L (having gone over her R arm for the second time) either supports lower on her back, or is placed behind his own back. The lady extends her L leg in the dip (2 beats), and back up (2 beats). To exit, the man steps back, taking the lady's R with his L and may do a return. |
| Monkey Swing | R to R | Accordion Signal | Same entry as previous move, but change to R to R monkey grip and move the lady back to her original position, with her feet pointed at 45 degrees towards the front and left. Lower the lady to nearly squat on her heels with hips up and forward and sweep her clockwise as her feet scissor 90 degrees, raising her with her feet pointed at 45 degrees towards the front and right. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
|
Neck Break - Block Neck Break Barrier |
L to R | Open R with palm facing lady at R shoulder | Man walks forward like the First Move with R hand going over lady's L shoulder while she walks forward (2 beats). Then man steps back while lady places R in man's R, as lady turns clockwise stepping forward, with man's L to her L outstretched in front of man (2 beats). Then man steps back and uses R to turn lady clockwise keeping L grip to form a barrier after half a turn (2 beats). Man brings joined R over the joined L and out to his L. |
| Neck Break - unknown | |||
| Neck Break | L to R | Neck Break Signal - Open R with palm facing lady at R shoulder | Man walks forward like first move with R hand going over lady's L shoulder, then man steps back while changing to R-R hands as lady turns clockwise, with man's L to her L shoulder and lady's L stretched out in front of man. Then step back bringing lady in close with feet at 90 degrees facing in the direction of man's L. Then spin lady clockwise ending R to R. |
| Neck Break - spin | L to R | Neck Break Signal | Start as for Neck Break, but as lady turns, man takes lady's L hand in his L hand with her L arm outstretched. Then man spins lady with R hand, raising L hand to continue spin, keeping L to L grip, then return. |
| Neck Break - swivels | Neck Break Signal | ||
| Neck Break Dip | L to R | Neck Break Signal | Start as for the Neck Break man steps out left, lunges left and points out with L (signal), then transfers L back behind his R as the lady does a quick half-turn pivot and leans over the man's R thigh. In theory the only point of contact could be the joined R to L hands. |
| Neck Break Walkaround Manhattans(?) | Neck Break | No signal | Lead lady to Manhattan forward with R forearm while stepping behind half-speed R placing L on her L shoulder (2 beats), then lead lady to Manhattan backward with both hands while stepping off her line half-speed L (2 beats). Then over the next four beats, lead her to Manhattan forward, step R onto her line, turn anti-clockwise, place her R on R shoulder when facing her front (2 beats), continue anti-clockwise turn while lady Manhattans backward, to end up in splay position beside lady in her original position, picking up L (2 beats). Double walking turn to transition to next move. |
| New York Sweep | Eventually the man stand behind the lady with both hands under her armpits and gripping her shoulders with a bit of momentum to the R. Lady's weight is converted to clockwise momentum as she allows her feet to sweep out (short skirt not recommended) and rises to her feet naturally (with help from the man) after about 180 degrees. | ||
| Nicki's Spin | (unknown) |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Octo Nelson | Both hands | No signal | Man walks forward (small steps!) and to L, twisting torso down to L while raising both hands over R shoulder while about-facing as lady walks straight through. Then lady turns clockwise with both joined hands going over her head. Man can then drop R hand. |
| Octopus | Both hands | No signal |
The man raises his R hand high and brings it across his L while walking forward and turning his R foot to turn anti-clockwise, putting his head through a loop created by the arms as he moves his R towards his L shoulder and cross-steps behind with L. The man's L holds the lady's R and drifts naturally to his R hip. It's hard to describe, but takes 2 beats with the man ending facing his original L. The lady has walked forwards and turned to face the same way at the man's back. Now the man drops his L hand as he continues the anti-clockwise turn. The lady drags her dropped R hand along the man's back and down the top of his L hand to catch in a "C"-handhold (2 beats). The dancers have now exchanged positions. Now the man leads the second half of the move, where the lady now does the head-through-the-loop thing by raising his L hand high and across his R arm. After the lady drops his R hand, the man drags his hand along her back to signal the lady that he will catch her L hand again, but the man's hand is catching from below, unlike the lady's hand in her catch earlier. This move can chain indefinitely, with the man signaling the stop by failing to drag his hand along the lady's back, and thus ending in a normal L-to-R "C"-handhold. Also, the move can work with the lady going under the man's arm first, but I've never tried it to see how well it works in practice! |
| Octopus Squiggly Turn | Both hands | No signal | The man does a normal Octopus under his own R arm and steps back (4 beats). The man leads the lady under his L arm to reach the position where he is facing the lady's back (2 beats), then drops his R (as for the normal Octopus, spins on his R under his own L arm and drives it through (2 beats). This is quite a rapid move - the man has about one beat to get his spin done. Having driven his L through, with the lady's R in it, the man leads a (double) Lady Spin, where the lady remembers to step forward into her clockwise walking turn. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Paddlepop - hand change | L to R | No signal | Start as for First Move, but the man changes L grip to pincer grip while turning the lady's hand thumb down between his thumb and fingers (2 beats). In response to this signal, the lady throws her L arm vertically in the air as both step back to the splay position (2 beats). The man brings the lady's R to her R hip and grips her R wrist with his R and moves L to her L hip ready to check with that hand. The lady walks forward where the man's R foot just was, as he walks back to a ninety-degree position with the lady facing the man's left (2 beats). Now as the lady begins a clockwise turn the L hand at her hip checks her, as the man shifts his R to a fingertip grip and leans gently to his R (2 beats). Now the man turns the lady clockwise under his R (1 beat) and then turns himself clockwise under the same arm. Return if desired. |
| Perth Figure of Eight | L to R | Figure of Eight Signal | The man leads a normal Figure of Eight and the end of her final clockwise turn the lady squats facing the guy, extending her R leg and pointing R toe (4 beats). The squat is more stable if the man converts to a butterfly grip during her turn - this may also make the squat more leadable. Now the man steps forward R, moving the lady's R hand to the outside of his R thigh and kicks his L leg over her head (ducking can help here ladies!), turning clockwise 180 degrees to face away from her, releasing her R, which she rotates anti-clockwise(?) to grip on the front of the man's upper R thigh with thumb pointing down towards his knee (not sure of timing from here onwards). Don't leave the lady here looking at your backside, guys! Now the man shifts his weight to his L (legs apart), half-turns clockwise and lifts his R leg directly over the lady's R shoulder and onto the ground behind her, R toes pointed in the opposite direction from the one the man was just facing. Meantime the lady has fallen backwards with this step, hanging onto the man's R thigh for support, but not too tightly, because a grip that has her elbow bent too much and locked too hard makes it impossible for the man to step straight over her shoulder. Having stepped there keeps the balance in the move and allows the lady's upper(?) back to rest on the man's calf momentarily. Now the man steps through with his L with the lady resting where she is, and then the man kicks up with the back of his R calf to lift the lady - she uses her legs as soon as she can, keeping hips pushed forward. For better balance for the lady, the man can rotate his R leg clockwise so his foot stabilizes her lift beause of the plane created by his R foot "kick", but apparently this is more susceptible to muscle injury for the man. It is much easier to achieve all of this at speed than slowly. |
| Pointer | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | Start as for Staria or Siente, but turn R palm vertial and push out to reach a mirror-image Wurlitzer position with the man having turned 90 degrees clockwise from initial orientation, with the man lunging R, giving a verbal signal "pointer" and applying pincer grip with his L and turning the lady's hand inward as for the Backhander (4 beats). The lady raises her L arm vertically in response to the turned hand and then does a clockwise walking turn across the man (who shifts his weight to be central), who changes her R to his R when she is in front of him with her back to him (2 beats) and leads a further clockwise turn (R going down and then over the lady's head, then low again to come out holding her R behind her back at her L hip) which ends with the lady at the man's R facing the same direction as him (2 beats). Now the lady has her weight on her back (R) foot and L leg pointed forward of the man, and extends her L arm forward, pointing with the index finger, which the man copies while cross-stepping behind on his L to create parallel lines with his R leg and the lady's L leg (2 beats). To exit the man can lead the lady in front as for the Sway and then in a clockwise walking turn out. |
| Pretzel | L to R | Pretzel Signal - R behind back appearing at L waist | Man walks forward and towards R while lady walks forward and places her L in man's R (2 beats). Man now turns clockwise, raising L arm for lady to walk under (2 beats), then raises R to inscribe a circle around lady's head while she turns clockwise (2 beats). Then man turns counter-clockwise under own R arm. (2 beats) Then man drops R and lady turns counter-clockwise under man's L arm (2 beats), then return. |
| Pretzel Free Play | L to R | Pretzel Signal | After four beats of a normal Pretzel, the man leads both dancers to squat vertically, keeping weight centered (hips straight down?) (2 beats), and back up (2 beats). In the class they now taught an eight-beat combination of right-left-right-left body rolls, followed by the man leading his L over his head(?) and changing the lady's normal Pretzel rotation to clockwise to place her R shoulder at his chest facing his R on the off beat, ready to lunge L, bringing L to her L hip to open her toward the audience (10 beats). (Note to self, work out what arms are where in this position). Now the man squats and leads the lady downwards, and she lunges her R foot between his legs (2 beats), and rises (2 beats), and then the man leads some exit (2 beats). |
| Pretzel Swizzle | L to R | Pretzel Signal | At the end of the Pretzel when the man and lady are facing each other before the man drops his R hand to do the exit, he instead raises his R hand and changes grip to some sort of "C"-handhold. Now with his L arm the man leads the lady in an anti-clockwise overhead turn, ending with his L high above the lady's L shoulder holding her R, his R at her R hip holding her L and both facing the same way (2 beats). Now the man pulls downward with his R to start the lady in a clockwise spin, and drives a second spin with his L hand above the lady's head. Then a normal return to exit. |
| Pretzel Walk | No signal | ||
| Prima | L to R | No signal | The man walks forward and to the left of the lady as for the First Move, moving his R to the lady's L hip, but bending his knees and ducking under the lady's straight R arm, keeping back and neck straight so that the man is still looking forwards with the lady's L arm at the height of the middle of the man's head (2 beats). Now the man leads a clockwise walk-around for an even number of beats (4 beats), before the man steps out with an anticlockwise step R, dropping his R from her L hip, bringing the lady around clockwise to face him with his L (2 beats), for a return. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Reverse Astaire Lean | R to R | In a (double) R-to-R return, the man steps into position to place the lady's R arm along his shoulder line, moving his L arm to her L hip, with hip and shoulder contact of the guy's L side with the lady's R side. Now the guy lunges to his right keeping his L leg straight, and upright, then into some return. | |
| Reverse Conan | R to L | ||
| Reverse Crossover Catapult | R to R | No signal | The man leads the lady through to his R in the usual Catapult bowling action with his R arm and when she turns to face him, presents his R palm behind his back (4 beats). Now the lady normally reaches for that palm with her free hand, but the man prevents that by transferring her R into his L himself, stepping to the right as she steps forward and raising his L high so the lady turns counter-clockwise underneath it (2 beats) and turns to face him (2 beats). The man can catch the lady's L as she comes through if he wants a two-hand hold. |
| Reverse Lady Lock (?) | |||
| Reverse Pretzel | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | This is a mirror-image of the Pretzel. After reaching the extended Wurlitzer position the man signals with his L arm behind his back with palm outwards and fingers pointed at the lady. The lady steps behind the man's line to take his offered L hand as he leads down with his R and around the lady's head anti-clockwise to stand the lady behind the man's back (2 beats), then the dancers change sides and the man leads the lady in an anti-clockwise turn with his L (2 beats), then turns himself clockwise under his own L to face the lady with both hands around shoulder height (2 beats). Now the man leads a double inward anti-clockwise turn with his L to exit. |
| Reverse Ronde Shoulder Dip | R to R | Sway Signal | This moves starts as for the Sway (4 beats), however having stepped back and brought the lady's L to her R hip, the man steps forward and returns to the position before the sway (2 beats), and repeats the sway (2 beats). Now the man steps back and behind the lady bringing both hands together behind her back (2 beats), and both push away from each other. Now both place R foot behind L, then ronde back with the L foot (or point with L then step behind R), then ronde back with R foot. The lady continues to ronde, while the man drops the R hands and pulls on the L hand to bring the lady around anti-clockwise to reach a dip stance with the lady facing 90 degrees from the man and his R arm over her L shoulder supporting her back (6 beats total?). Now the man bends both knees to squat vertically while the lady dips (not sure if extension or contraction) (2 beats), and rises (2 beats), step back L to R (2 beats) and return. The man's L hand can be used to support the dip or placed behind his back. |
| Reverse Wave Cross | L to R | Winder Signal | Winder, then in the exit, windmill the L high and R low and continue the counter-clockwise turn (man takes only very small steps and push L through for Reverse Winder except that the man raises the L and steps under at the completion of that. Now the man steps right and the lady right to swap sides back-to-back as the man flips both palms so that thumbs are sort-of pointing at the floor, pretzels the lady, then himself to reach the usual Pretzel exit position for double counter-clockwise walking turn led with L. |
|
Right Hand Comb Man Comb |
R to R | No signal | Man walk forward and turns lady counter-clockwise with R, bringing R down to dip between faces after the turn (2 beats). Then man brings R over and behind his head on the left-hand side - this naturally brings the lady forward (or at least stops her stepping backward!). It's best if the man has turned side-on so that he is looking to his L along the lady's arm at her in this position. Then the man pushes her R hip backward (away, depending which way she's ended up facing) with his L fingers while releasing R grip. Lady drags R hand down man's L arm and man catches her R arm while stepping back (2 beats). Then L to R return. Note: This move can be done without the lady's counter-clockwise turn, but it doesn't work as well. |
| Right Hand Figure of Eight | R to R | No signal | This is identical to the Figure of Eight except that the man's L-to-R changeover in the first beat is already accomplished. |
| Roaster | L to R | No signal | Start as for First Move, but in splay position take the lady's L hand behind man's back with R, then man ducks under and... (not sure). |
| Rob's Hesitation Return | L to R return | No signal | After the first two beats of a normal return, the man places his R to catch on the lady's back and whips her forward while he walks under her L arm in a manner reminiscent of the Underarm Walkthrough and both turn to face the other (2 beats). Now another normal return is necessary (and of course if the man is feeling particularly hesitant, he can chain another one!). |
| Roll In Sweep Dip Check | R to R outstretched | No signal | The lady rolls in counter-clockwise to stand facing the man with feet around his R foot, clasping L to R and with the man's R hand either high or low on the lady's back to indicated a shallow or deep sweep respectively (4 beats). Now both bend at the knees and inscribe a clockwise circle with the lady's head (2 beats), shift the lady to the man's L side (2 beats), and exit with a clockwise overhead turn under the man's L hand (2 beats), then return. |
| Roll to Death | L to R return | R index finger pointing down | Preferably during a stationary return, the man steps further back R to open his stance to a dip stance pointing sideways from the lady and signals with his R index finger pointing down with his R hand out from his body but in front where the lady can see it. The man's weight should be over his R foot. The man leads a double clockwise walking turn, placing his R hand on the lady's back to trail to her R shoulder blade as the lady finishes facing the man's L (4 beats). Presumably the lady can put her L arm around the man's back for safety. The man should transfer his weight to the L as the lady starts coming in, and back to the R by the time she arrives. Now the lady dips backward - this can be quite a gentle bob, turning outward to face the man's direction, or something more extreme with a man who can do it (2 beats), and upright with the man's R hand moving to the top of the lady's R shoulder (2 beats). Now the man drops his L hand and his R leads a clockwise forward walking turn, catching the lady's R hand for a return. |
| Rollacross | |||
| Rolling sit | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | After pushing R out as for Wurlitzer, man plants L with feet apart and pats L inner thigh twice so that lady can see it. Then lady rolls in counter-clockwise over 4 beats to end in front of man facing his R and she sits on his L knee as he goes down onto his R knee (Man's L at lady's L hip helps to steady the position). Both can now do fancy stuff. Man offers R in front of lady in C shape to exit, both rise together for double counter-clockwise turn, ending R to L, then flick turn to exit. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| S???? Dip | Swizzle | No signal | The position has the man holding the lady's R high with his L, with his R holding her L in front of her at her R hip. Now the man leads a clockwise turn and a half, keeping his L high and his R at hip level to reach a Winder position with his R again at her R hip, but the lady now facing the man with her L arm behind her back (2 beats?). Now the man unwinds the lady counter-clockwise, changing both hands to butterfly grips as she faces him again (2 beats), and the lady does an extension drop similar to the Ballroom Drop but with the arms uncrossed. The male instructor didn't move his feet at all through this, but in practice the man will need to step up to the lady to set for the dip to make it work smoothly. After the dip and raise a double-handed move can follow, or lead a counter-clockwise overhead turn with L to exit. |
| Salsa Comb Check | R to R | Swinger Signal | The first four beats are as for the Springer. In that extended position with both facing the same way, the man keeps both hands, while stepping R and turning to his L and ducking under the joined R hands, keeping his L low (2 beats). From the crouching position the man rises whil leading a clockwise overhead turn with his R (keeping L low) (2 beats), which is eventually checked by the joined L hands (lady's L now behind her back) while the man brings the R hands around the lady's hand to rest on her L shoulder in a comb position (2 beats). Now the man's R and lady's L feet stay where they are, while the man leads Manhattans (lady forward initially, no actual step on her leading foot, which is anchored), rocking back and forth on the other feet. To exit, when the lady is in her forward Manhattan, the man moves his L to the front of her R hip, wrist out, preparing to hip spin clockwise, while his R moves to the lady's L shoulder to help with that spin. As the lady steps back the man leads that spin - called the "Castaway exit". |
| Scissors | R open palm upwards pointing towards lady at R waist | ||
| Secret Move | R to R | Secret Move Signal - L hand palm inwards at man's R hip with fingers together | This move works the same as the Swinger but with the man's L in front of his body. The man walks forward and towards L while lady walks forward and places her L in the man's L (no grip) while man takes his R to his L shoulder (2 beats). Then man pushes lady's R out so she turns 180 degrees clockwise while both walk forward (2 beats) with feet ending in straight line and lady's R extended. Now both use L to L finger pressure to flick-turn counter-clockwise (optional man spin), man catching L to L (2 beats), then return. |
| Secret Move - fountain spin | R to R | Secret Move Signal | Both step forward as for the Secret Move (2 beats), but then the man retains both the joined hands and walks forward to open the stance and checks (2 beats). Then the man draws the joined R hands across the L hands while pivoting to face the other direction to check the other way (2 beats), then checks back to face the original direction (2 beats). At this point, a double squeeze with both hands signals the "fountain spin", which is preceded by another check to the man's R which the man exaggerates to create tension to transfer momentum back the other way, bring both hands up to around eye level (but not too high, lest the lady walk through under them) (2 beats). Finally the double clockwise overhead spin starts, with the man dropping one hand (preferably the L) and finishes holding the lady's R in the other for a return. |
| Short Backhander | L to R | Backhander Signal |
Well I've seen this taught in two completely different ways, so there must have been a signal for the second variety (thumb pressure or right index finger pointing down?). Start as for Backhander, but after taking the lady's R wrist with his R, the man walks forward and turns clockwise with normal footwork, transferring the lady's R back to his L, not going over her head as in the normal Backhander. Now a normal L to R return is in order. There is no stomp of the R foot or style moving here. Start as for Backhander, but after taking the lady's R wrist with his R, the man walks forward and plants his R so that he turns anti-clockwise faces away from the lady who completes her spin (but doesn't do the second one from the normal Backhander. Now both do style movement for an even number of beats while holding R to R wrist, ending with the man pivoting on his R foot to face the lady for more style movement. To exit, push back on the joined R hands for a return. |
| Shoulder Break | Shoulder Break Signal - R arm bent at elbow in plane at shoulder height with hand pointing towards lady | ||
| Shoulder Spin | L to R | No signal | The man steps forward as for the First Move but moves his R hand to the lady's L shoulder (2 beats). Then the man leads a double anti-clockwise spin with pressure on the lady's L shoulder with his R and his L inscribing the usual halo around the lady's head (2 or 4 beats), followed by a return. |
| Simon's Peekaboo | L to R return | No signal | The first two turns are as for the I Turn, You Turn, but int he third turn, the man steps forward towards the lady and and continues his clockwise turn to end in a lock position (such as found in the Springer or False Pretzel - lock) with the man's L arm behind his back at his R hip holding the lady's R (2 beats). The man should turn his head to the right to look at the lady in this lock. To exit, the man leads the lady forward with his L to a free anti-clockwise spin (2 beats). |
| Slam | L to R | Wurlitzer | After reaching the extended Wurlitzer position, the man leads the lady in an anti-clockwise walking turn, but drops after one step and places R thumb up at the base of the lady's neck as she continues the walking turn and drops her to rest on his L thigh, also supported by the man's R at her neck and her R gripping firmly high on the man's torso (2 beats). Now the man steps over the lady with his R, pivots on that foot and steps L, presenting the lady in the same pose reached previously without the thigh support. |
| Slam Butterfly | R to R | Cupped L at L shoulder facing outward | Start as for Sway but the man flings the lady's L out while she steps behind on her R to end up behind the man at his L shoulder. The man offers his L hand over his L shoulder and the lady takes it wither her L. Then there follows several "towels" where both shift weight to the other foot by outstretching the arm in that direction, turning to look at each-other after each move. Eventually, after extending the L arms, the man steps back under the L arms, and then does a double two-hand overhead turn on the lady. |
| Sneaky Sway | R to R | Sway Signal | This moves starts as for the Sway but the man actually transfers the lady's L into his R at the end of the sway part (4 beats). Now the man uses that hand to do a double clockwise spin, with a hand change after the first spin (hmm, that ends L to L... I'm confused), followed by a return. |
| Spaghetti Move Dip | L to R | Pretzel Signal | Spretzel into Pretzel Swizzle then while double spinning the lady the man releases R and turns clockwise to lock his L behind his back and offers R to the lady to take. Then the man shifts weight to his R, turning counter-clockwise, windmills R low and L high, turns under L, bobs L down (to keep the beat) before Pretzeling the lady clockwise under his L while immediately raising the R arm in another Windmill (to prevent the lady's R elbow locking if you lead this bit too late) before a double counter-clockwise walking turn into a dip reminiscent of the Tornado Drop, except that here the lady's walking turn is from the man's L to R, rather than R to L for the Tornado Drop. |
|
Spretzel Speed Pretzel |
L to R | Pretzel Signal |
I've seen this move taught two ways. The timing is effectively the same, but the man's lead quite different. Both start with the usual four beats from the Pretzel ending with the couple back-to-back. In the first version, the man takes his R over his head and pivots at normal speed (2 beats) and with extra tension in his L leads a double anti-clockwise spin, omitting the usual straightening of the R arm that leads the normal exit of the Pretzel. In the second first, the man takes his R over his head as for the normal Pretzel but at double speed and then straightens the R at double speed to compress into two beats what normally takes four (2 beats). Then the double anti-clockwise spin is led with by the man with his L with extra tension to signal the double. |
| Spring Butterfly | R to R | Swinger Signal | |
| Springer Drop | R to R | Springer Signal | The man leads the Springer as normal, but puts his R elbow over the lady's R arm (as in the Aerial Yoyo but not as exaggerated) after walking forward (2 beats). Now the man inscribes a clockwise circle around the lady's head as she turns clockwise. After half a turn the man brings his R hand down to waist level to get those hands through between the bodies as the lady keeps turning clockwise. Meantime, during the clockwise turn, the lady's L hand in the man's L has to flip twice to maintain contact without breaking her wrist. After the hands have come through, the man steps back and under his R arm to reach a position where both are facing the same way, man at the lady's back, with L hands joined low and R hands joined high. Now the man readies a dip stance, drops the R hand, moving to the lady's R shoulder blade as he turns her a three-quarter turn anti-clockwise by throwing her L arm high in the air. The lady's R arm goes around the man's waist for security in the dip. The man's R supports the lady in a contraction dip, his L can either support the lady's back or be placed behind his own back. To exit, stand the lady upright, move R to the lady's L hip and L to take her R for a normal L to R return. |
| Springer Spin(?) | R to R | Springer Signal | The man walks forward as for the Springer (2 beats) and then further forward and around clockwise as the lady pivots while the man's R takes the lady's R across her chest for a check (but no release, as would be the case in the simple Springer) (2 beats). Now the man steps to his R leading the lady to his L with both wrists kept low (2 beats). The man then drops the R hands and leads a clockwise double free spin with his L, remembering to gently twist he lady's L wrist behind her back as she enters the first spin (2 or 4 beats). Then catch and return. |
| Staria | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | As the lady walks forward, then man converts the signal by turning his R palm to face the lady. She meets that palm with her L and prepares tension to spring outwards (2 beats). Now the tension in the R " L hands is used to spring the lady out to a mirror image of the Wurlitzer position (2 beats). The man gives a further signal in this position with his R palm facing the lady in front of his chest. The lady needs to be sure she has not over-rotated, and can see this signal. The man leads a clockwise walking turn by inscribing a "six" with his L in a plane parallel to the floor and meets the lady's offered L palm with his R palm after one-and-a-quarter turns, to stop her rotation (2 beats). Now the man leads an anti-clockwise spin (or two) with his L hand, placing his R hand on the lady's back at the end of the last spin, trailing around as she finishes the last spin (2 or 4 beats). The man will need to walk around anti-clockwise to position for a scissor at the end of the spin. To scissor, both bend at waist and knees and pivot clockwise so that their R knee moves between their parter's knees (2 beats), and back upright (2 beats). Now the man leads a L to R return. |
| Stitch | R to R | No signal | Catapult entry, present L hand with palm forward, as she turns clockwise raise L elbow and lead her back behind the stationary man (lady should travel), keeping both hands held, then behind the man, whose R goes to the top of her R shoulder for an anti-clockwise ducking turn... can't remember what follows. |
| Styler | R to R | No signal | The man lets the lady walk forward for a return, but brings the joined R hands down to about eye level as for the Right Hand Comb (2 beats). Man then lifts lady's R over his L shoulder onto the top of his back, quickly moves both hands to hold them behind his own back while bending forward and turning counter-clockwise on the spot on his L foot (2 beats). Towards the end of the turn the man uses his L with bent elbow to help catch the lady's L falling off his back and then drives a clockwise overhead turn with that L (2 beats), then return. |
| Swan Drop | R to R | No signal | Usually this move comes on the end of an R-to-R double spin. At the end of the spin, the man steps up to the lady, places her R over his head onto his R shoulder, and makes contact between his L and her R hips so that the lady stands in front of him facing his R. The man's L hand has gone to the lady's L hip, but with his elbow high on her back to prevent the lady from dipping backwards. Now the man gives downward pressure with his L on the lady's hip so that both crouch while the lady raises her L knee, keeping her L foot pointed down moving up her R leg, while the man moves his R to the top of the lady's L knee (2 beats). In the meantime the lady has faced the audience, and with her free L arm done something stylish, either vertical, horizontal or on her backside. The man gives Downward pressure on the lady's L knee to signal the exit, so both return to a standing position while the man moves his L to the lady's R hip (2 beats), and pushes her away (catching L to R) (2 beats), for a return.. |
| Sway | R to R | Sway Signal - Open L facing upwards at L waist | Man spins lady counter-clockwise holding R low, ending at her R hip, invert L and catch her L forearm across chest at HER shoulder height with feet in a line both facing the same direction (2 beats). Then both take small step back on inside foot and larger step backward on outside foot while man brings L to lady's R hip (2 beats). Then man steps back on R foot while lady places L where man's R was and faces 90 degrees to his direction, i.e facing man's L direction (2 beats). Then man releases L, and pulls on R, keeping R low as lady spins clockwise (2 beats), then return. |
| Sway - Dip | R to L | Sway Signal | Start as for the Sway, but the man steps not so far forward and a bit to the right so that the lady over-turns and comes in with her L shoulder at his R shoulder facing towards his L (2 beats). Man's R hand is firmly on her R hip and his L catches her L as normal. Now the man pushes her L horizontally towards her L shoulder to force her to bend backwards and balance on her R foot. L foot is raised and a kick can be done at the lady's choice (2 beats). Then the man brings the lady back to standing at 90 degrees (2 beats), and exits as for a normal Sway remembering to keep the R hand low for the first part of the turn. |
| Sway Steps | R to R | Sway Signal | The man leads the Sway as normal, but having reached the Sway position, he gives the verbal signal "ocho" and both ocho on their R forward to the L (2 beats), then pivot and ocho to the R (2 beats). This repeats an even number of times, before the man gives a verbal signal "lunge" before an ocho L which converts this to a lunge by both to the L (2 beats). The lady can be dependent on the man for balance here, this is best achieved if the man has kept both her hands in his near her R hip. Then both take a large step back with their R, to end in the Sway position with the man's feet inverted (2 beats). Now a normal Sway exit finishes the move. |
| Sway Under | R to R | Sway Signal | This moves starts as in the Sway, but having reached the splay position, the man leads differently. To simplify the move, the man should probably straighten the joined R arms behind the lady as they complete the sway. Now the man leads with his R up over the lady's head as he turns clockwise under these arms and steps out to his left into a towel position (4 beats - optional bob for timing after 2 beats when his L arm is between the heads). Now the man leads towels at will, before exiting after a towel where the man's right hand is at his own neck. To exit, the man brings his L over his own head to meet his R hand and turns to face the lady (2 beats), followed by a two-handed anti-clockwise overhead turn (2 beats). |
| Sweeping Sway | R to R | Sway Signal | Sway, lift R arm back and high, then somehow (anti-clockwise spin with R overhead?) get the lady to L leg with both hands supporting her stomach and her leaning forwards for a clockwise sweep, then pivoting on her R leg to straddle the man's R leg for a Seducer-style shoulder roll dip, shoulder blade spin exit. |
|
Swinger Springer |
R to R | Swinger Signal - L open behind R waist | The man walks forward and towards L while lady walks forward and places her L in the man's L (no grip) while man takes his R to his L shoulder (2 beats). Then man pushes lady's R out so she turns 180 degrees clockwise while both walk forward (2 beats) with feet ending in straight line and lady's R extended. Now both use L to L finger pressure to flick-turn counter-clockwise (optional man spin), man catching L to L (2 beats), then return. |
| Swinger - Turn | Swinger Signal | Start as for the Swinger, but the man begins the signal by bringing his R elbow over and past her R arm, like in the Aerial Yoyo (2 beats). Now the man says "turn" as he walks forward and around to his R and inscribes a circle around her head, before turning counter-clockwise himself (reminiscent of the Pretzel) to end with the lady in front of him with joined R raised high and L joined behind her L hip - note there is some risk of shoulder injury to the lady, and it all feels very clumsy and I am not sure how it should work (2 beats). | |
| Swinger - Dip | No signal | Having completed the Swinger - Turn, now the man steps around to his L while bringing the R arms down and the L up high, with R going to her L shoulder blade as she does a three-quarter counter-clockwise turn. The man steps behind the lady to provide support on his R hip for the dip (2 beats). Now the man squats and supports with his L stretched high and his R behind the lady's L shoulder blade (optionally, the man can drop the L and the lady can support with her L gripped around the man's back). I have no idea how the exit should work, but if the L hands are joined then some normal return will work. | |
| Swizzle |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Tango First Move Lift | L to R | Tango Signal | During the first two beats while walking forward the man changes his L hand grip to a ballroom grip with his R going to the lady's R hip. After she kicks through with her L the man crouches slightly to lift with the lady's R thigh on the man's L thigh. The man lifts the lady and rotates counter-clockwise for only half a turn before the lady plants her L leg between the the man's feet on the ground and faces him. Hmm, for that to work, the lady needs to have rotated around the man's R thigh, but I'm not sure of the detail of how that works. Anyway the L leg gets planted and the momentum the R leg had for the initial lift and turn carries the dancers around counter-clockwise as the lady wraps her R leg around and the man brings the L hand to between the foreheads. I've no idea if they even taught an exit to this one! |
| Tango Kick | L to R | Tango Signal - R hand with fingers splayed over R stomach with palm inwards | Man walks forward planting L a little wide for balance, and change L to ballroom grip while lady walks forward, takes man's R hand which stays at her L hip. Then lady pivots on R foot and turns clockwise to kick her L foot out. Lady's L hip ends on and a little in front of man's R hip, and his R hand moves to her R hip. Now with the man's R supporting her R hip, lady's kicked L leg moves out and around the man's L leg, then back to the leg kicked out position. Then the man spins lady counter-clockwise to exit |
|
Tango Kick - Declined (something) |
L to R | Tango Signal | If the lady declines to do the Tango Kick, then after kicking out her L leg, she plants it and rondes with first her R (2 beats) and then her L. Then she Ochoes for 4 more beats (lift foot up alongside knee, place forward and slide forward as you transfer weight to that foot), and exits with turn under the man's L arm. All the while, the man stands with feet planted, providing a strong frame for support with L holding her R and R on the small of her back. |
| Tango Lunge | |||
| Teapot Grind | Both hands | No signal | Man leads lady around clockwise, pushing her against his back with R on her lower back (or L hip if he can reach), both grind hips down and up, then exit with lady doing anti-clockwise hip spin and man turning to face her. |
| Teapot Push | L to R | Winder Signal | Start as for the Winder but instead of extending the lady's R arm in front of him after 4 beats, the man has moved it behind his own head. Now both walk forwards in a clockwise circle for an even number of beats. To exit, the man brings his R arm to the lady's L hip. |
| Teapot Shoulder Lean | Both hands, inverted R | No signal | The man enters the both hands grip via tapping the top of the lady's L shoulder in a return and dropping that hand into C-handhold with fingers pointing down (i.e. that hand is as for the lady's initial hold in normal L to R position) and steps back (2 beats), and forward to the L (2 beats). Now the man leads the lady around clockwise as for the Winder(2 beats) and places his left elbow along her back to create a V through her shoulder blades and R behind his neck as for the Teapot and then the man takes the lady off-balance backwards using L behind man's neck for balance (2 beats). Can do shallow or deep dip here, careful of man's R shoulder. Raise and spin lady for a tango drop. |
| Teapot Wrap | L to R | Winder Signal | Start with a Teapot and then do weird stuff for a while. |
| Terry's Rotating Comb | R to R | No signal | |
| Throwaway | L to R | Throwaway Signal - R hand up at waist with two inside fingers pointing up and other fingers bent under thumb | Man walks forward and towards L while lady walks forward, and man places R fingers to her R wrist (2 beats). Then man pushes away with R while stepping forward and clockwise around to R, while lady does a walking turn clockwise leaving R arm extended (4 beats). Man catches lady's R with his R by making forearm-to-forearm contact and sliding down to catch backhand R to R. Then R to R return is now possible. |
| Tidal Wave | L to R | Winder Signal | This move starts as for the Winder and continues through to where the man straightens the lady's R arm. Now the man leads an anti-clockwise overhead turn first with his L and then with his R to reach a reversed winder position, but he doesn't stop there. He steps under his own R arm after the second turn, raising the R arm, turning clockwise and inverting his hand so that it faces palm down. Now he leads the lady in a Pretzel-like anti-clockwise turn as he completes his clockwise turn, and when both are now facing eachother he leads the lady into a double anti-clockwise spin with his L, then return. |
| Tornado Drop | L to R | Sway Signal | Start as for the Sway but the man swaps hands at the lady's R hip when in the splay position. The lady starts a double walking turn to their left, with the man's R hand trailing around her back at waist height. As the man plants his final L foot, he changes his L hand grip to clasp palm-to-palm, and moves his R hand to support the lady's L shoulder blade. The man can drop the lady either by lunging to his L for a deep dip, or just over his R thigh by crouching for a shallow version. In both cases the lady supports her weight on her R with the L extending. The man gives initial impetus to rise, the lady brings her L foot next to her right and uses both legs to rise, then normal L to R return. |
| Tornado Sway with double spin, lift and sweep | R to R | Sway Signal | Lead Sway but change hands to lead an anti-clockwise walking turn to exit from the Sway position, and the man walks around anti-clockwise... |
| Train tracks | R to R | Sway Signal | Sway, duck lady turning anti-clockwise under R arm, man turns clockwise under R arm back to face lady (untangle arms properly), repeat, at end snap out to crucifix. |
| Triple Conan | L to R return | Conan Signal | Finishing a normal return, give the Conan signal and almost complete a normal Conan. Man takes lady's L wrist with his spare R hand at the end of his first turn, and continues to drive the lady clockwise by drawing a circle around her head. Towards the end of her second turn, the man turns counter-clockwise himself, changing hands behind his back, staying close to the lady, and returns to face the lady in time to drive her third clockwise turn with his L hand, then return. The man's second turn needs to be quite fast for this to work. |
| Triple Styler | R to R return | No signal | Start as for the Right Hand Comb, but the man places his L arm behind his back (4 beats). Now the man ducks his head under the lady's arm to reappear on the other side while starting to sweep his R hand in a large arc clockwise under the lady's R arm, over it, and finally meeting the R hand as the man starts to walk around clockwise (4 beats). Now the man drives the lady in three clockwise walking turns with the joined R hands, and at the end takes the lady's R wrist and quickly steps across to end at her R side facing the same direction as the lady, with her R hand along his shoulders and his L hand behind the lady's R hip. Now both Ocho on R (yes, ladies on wrong foot), then Ocho L, Ocho R and on the second Ocho L the man prepares the exit by moving his L hand to the front of the lady's hip (8 beats). Now both continue to Ocho R (2 beats) and the man drives a clockwise hip spin with his L, catching with either hand. The man's footwork should be off here, and he will have to shuffle to get back on beat. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Unknown - lock | |||
| Unknown - shoulder tapping |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| VR Winder Cross | Both hands | No signal | The man twists his R hand so the lady's thumb points downwards while leading her around to his R with her R hand going behind her back and her L hand going to her R shoulder as the man moves behind her (2 beats). A verbal signal of "duck" is now advisable, as is downward pressure on the lady's R shoulder. She ducks and turns anticlockwise under the man's L arm which he raises and steps under as for the Winder Teapot (2 beats). Now the man steps back to his R to reverse the teapot position (2 beats). Now the man leads the lady to pivot anti-clockwise slightly as he Pretzels under his own L arm, pivotting to face the lady as in mid-Pretzel (2 beats) before raising his R arm and turning under it again (keeping L low) to return to the original teapot position but with his L hand now behind his L waist (2 waist) - so it's actually now a towel position I think. Now step back and to the R again to reverse the towel (2 beats) before dropping the R hand and leading a double clockwise spin with the L. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Wheelbarrow Dip | L to R | Pretzel Signal | Dive an R under her L armpit at some point, walk around clockwise while the lady turns counter-clockwise and end up with both arms under her armpits back-to-back. Lean forward and take her weight. Lady should avoid her hands looking like a dead chook. Then lead back to give her back her weight, and turn clockwise and exit somehow. |
| Whirlybird | L to R | No signal | The man walks forward and to the left of the lady as for the First Move, using his R arm to lift the lady's upper L arm to horizontal (lady straightens lower arm for style) with palm facing upwards, while L hand has gone to palm-to-palm grip to signal a spin to the lady (2 beats). Now the man pushes down and across with his L hand while stepping around clockwise, bringing his R hand around, and ducking so that his R passes over his head with the lady's L still in it as she starts her free (double) spin (4 beats). The man does not push off both hands simultaneously and duck, but keeps contact with his R as he ducks until after the lady's L has gone overhead. The lady offers her R hand at the end of her spin as normal for a return. |
| Winder | L to R | Winder Signal - R hand open palm upwards pointing towards lady at R waist | Man walks forward and towards L while lady walks forward and places her L in man's R while man takes L to L shoulder and R to lady's L hip (2 beats). Then man walks forward and clockwise around to the R while inscribing a circle clockwise around lady's head as she does a clockwise walking turn (2 beats). To make the walking turn easier, the lady should angle her first L step in the direction of the turn. After drawing the circle, the man continues the motion of L out in front of his chest to straighten the lady's R arm (2 beats). Both look at the other in this locked position. Then man releases R hand and inscribes a counter-clockwise circle around lady's head with his L as she turns out counter-clockwise (2 beats) and steps back (2 beats). |
| Winder - Block | L to R | Winder Signal | Start as for Winder, and after achieving the straight-arm lock position, the man starts as for the normal return, but takes the lady's R to her R shoulder with his L and checks her turn with that shoulder (2 beats). Note that her arm needs to be flexible for the man to be able to achieve this! Now the man uses his L at her R shoulder to spin the lady clockwise (1 or 2 turns), catching R to R backhand (2 beats), then return. |
| Winder - Reverse Manhattans | L to R | Winder Signal | Start as for the Winder for four beats, but on the next two beats where the man normally walks forward and extends his L and the lady's R arm, he does that extension while stepping backwards to bring feet together. The lady has her lead foot in front and her weight on the back foot. This backward step by the man signals the reverse Manhattans. The man steps forward to meet the lady's R arm, while she rocks onto her forward foot and places her backward beside it (2 beats), then both return to the original position (2 beats). Now the man walks around the lady clockwise by stepping forward and crouching to move under the lady's R arm, across to the R with his L in front of his R, and then backwards under the lady's L arm (4 beats). Then the man steps forward to meet the lady's L arm, while she rocks onto her forward foot as before, and back (4 beats). To exit, the man leads the lady in a clockwise turn with his R above her head to end in two-handed grip. |
| Winder Double Dip(?) | Winder | No signal | The man leads an anti-clockwise overhead turn with his L, and brings his L to behind his own L hip, the lady's R shoulder to the middle of his chest and his R to the lady's L hip, with both hands still in "C" handhold (2 beats). The man leads a shallow dip for the lady without significant hand movement (but plenty of tension) (2 beats), before a "bounce" up for a second deep dip where the lady straightens her arms and the man moves his L in front of his hip (but not exaggeratedly so) (2 beats). The man lifts the lady in the usual way, and leads her in a backwards check, into some return. |
| Winder One Arm Dip | L to R | Winder Signal | I thought they taught this move incompletely in class. If you do the normal Winder as they described, the lady ends with her natural line behind the man, whereas to do the one-arm dip effectively she needs to do the walking turn along a line in front of the man. That requires the man to lead her to cross-step at about 90 degrees to her natural step-forward direction with virtually no notice from the signal (R hand at L shoulder, palm facing man). To make it work, I think the man needs to step back on the last count of the Winder (as for the Winder Reverse Manhattans) so that he crosses the lady's line and can now lead her in front of him naturall. Anyway, the walking turn proceeds and the man has to walk with her and thrust his right hand (palm down) under her right armpit and up to her back, either center of shoulder blades for a secure upwards-facing dip that doesn't look very good, or just to behind her right shoulder blade so that the lady opens out to face the man's front in the dip. The man needs to position himself so that his right foot is ahead of the lady's final left-foot position so that in the dip her center of mass will be on about the same vertical line as his. Best technique for the guy's left foot is to point the toes in the line of the dip and bend at the knee into the lunge. To get the lady lower, allow the right arm to straighten, rather than bend the man's back to be over the top of the lady. |
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Winder Suspense Nitzan's Move |
L to R | Winder Signal | This move does work better from a two-hand hold, because as the lady moves forward, the hands join at her L shoulder in a "C"-handhold as the man straightens the lady's R as normal (2 beats). Now the man inscribes the usual circle around the lady's head clockwise as she does a normal clockwise walking turn, but at the end the man grips the lady's L shoulder from above with his thumb down the lady's back, retaining her fingers as best he can (4 beats). The man's R arm must be straight in this position to provide support to the lady in the coming dip, and he should be in a wide dip stance. Now the man pulls the lady off-balance with his R on her L shoulder and the lady leans back, supporting her weight with her R foot, pointing the L. The man can lean to his L a little if suitable. To exit, after putting the lady upright the man simply walks backwards and catches the lady's R arm with his L as it comes over his R shoulder. |
| Winder Swizzle | L to R | Winder Signal | Start as for the normal Winder and continue until the man straightens the lady's R arm (8 beats). Now the man retains both hands while inscribing a fast double anti-clockwise spin above the lady's head with his L, with the R hand going to the lady's R hip by the end of the second turn, blocking her (2 beats). In order to stop the lady comfortably, the man should step around the lady clockwise and tense his L arm at the end of the second spin. From this lock position, the man leads a clockwise double spin with his L, dropping his R hand to end L to R. |
| Windmill | R to R | Windmill Signal - R thumb pressure | This move is very hard to describe. In theory the man walks in a square facing the same direction throughout, with the lady walking around the man clockwise. As she gets behind him he transfers her R wrist into his L, then he lifts the L as the lady turns anti-clockwise walking forward past him as he steps backward, then he changes back to R to R and can keep going in the windmill, or stop for a windmill dip, etc. The lady always has one hand in the air, so she just alternates which shoulder is up according to whether the man has her R hand high or low. Despite appearances there is no hand changing in this move. |
| Wrapper Breaks | L to R | No signal | The man leads into Lady Basket and then leads the lady to walk backward and around clockwise as the man walks forward and around clockwise for an even number of beats. On the leading foot step, the man detaches his R and takes it vertically past his R ear and presents it near his L hip while stepping a little to the right to allow the lady to walk behind him and take his R, now in a Man Basket. Continue the clockwise stepping (now man backwards and lady forwards) until the lady repeats the detach R move and Lady Basket is regained. Now use an exit, e.g. man leads lady forward and around to the L and lead a Sway exit with his R going down and then up, or clockwise free spin like Lady Spin. |
| Wrist Breaker | L to R | Start as for Wurlitzer, but man gives thumb pressure when outstretched. Man steps forward on R and turns counter-clockwise under the joined hands, and the lady walks behind him before the man drives her in a clockwise walking turn to end up back in the outstretched Wurlitzer position facing the opposite direction. | |
| Wurlitzer | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal - R open palm upwards pointing towards lady at R waist | Man walks forward and towards R while lady walks forward and places her L in man's R while man takes L to L shoulder and opens L palm (2 beats). Then man walks forward while pushing lady's R hand away. Lady walks forward and clockwise keeping R arm extended at shoulder height. At the end of 2 beats, all feet are in a straight line, both facing opposite directions. Now man does flick turn with L to turn lady counter-clockwise while he steps forward and catches R to R (2 beats). |
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Wurlitzer - lean Astaire Lean Stare Lean |
L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | After pushing R out as for Wurlitzer, man plants L with feet apart and signals with L open facing lady at R shoulder (optionally, man can rock weight onto L foot, so long as he rocks back in next two beats). Then the man draws a "six" in the air at waist height to lead the lady in rolling in counter-clockwise to end shoulder-to-shoulder facing the same way as the man, with his L on her R shoulder and his R at her R hip (2 beats). Now man takes weight as both lean to L (hence planted L foot earlier) and back to upright (2 beats). Now man uses R to drive lady in a double clockwise spin, then return. |
| Wurlitzer - push spin | L to R | Wurlitzer Signal | Drop R hand and push out and down with L to drive clockwise spin. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Yoyo Figure of Eight | R to R | No signal |
Both step forward as for the Aerial Yoyo, but the man's R elbow goes under the lady's arm and he gives a verbal signal "ronde" (2 beats). The lady rondes back to her right while the man moves his R out to his R, while lunging to his L (2 beats). Now the man leads an exit that is the same as the exit to the Figure of Eight, but the lady may have to skip a step to correct her footwork after the ronde. Alternately, the man can omit the verbal signal and lunge to his L over beats 3 and 4. The lady can accentuate the lunge with her vertical L arm. The exit works as above. |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| Name | Grip | Initial Signal | Description |
| (Conan, dip thing) | L to R return | Conan Signal | While doing a L to R return, the man drives his L through after the lady spins and lunges after it. Then, over 4 beats, the man turns counter-clockwise while the lady turns clockwise, with the man taking the inside of her L elbow from behind her with his R as she turns through, and raising his L hand behind his ear, lunging away from lady on final L foot beat. Then bring lady in front with R hand, raising L hand and spin counter-clockwise(twice?) to bring the lady to a position with her L hip on man's R hip. Then the man dips her down to his L over his R thigh, and raise. Then counter-clockwise spin allows an exit. |
| (Rhumba Kicks) | |||
| (Windmill with dip) | Windmill Signal | ||
| (double return with dip) | |||
| (knee pop, kick through) | weird | No signal | From butterfly dip man raises lady, takes L knee with R and brings her around to straddle his R leg with her weight on her L ready for the man to "pop" his upper right leg to move her R around to have her face the (stationary) man's R direction. The man hooks his R foot around the lady's L foot to kick her foot back towards his L foot, she pivots on her anchored R foot to face the man's L direction and steps backward as he hesitates slightly before stepping forward in time with her step. |
| (lasso dip - different?) | |||
| (neck bend hip spin) | R to R | No signal | Lead as for Albatross, but keep L arm, lady lowers her head onto her L shoulder for the clockwise spin (leave shoulder low, needs practice) |
| (promenade-things, duck-under spin into butterfly dip) | weird | No signal | |
| (reverse Wurlitzer shoulder dip) | Wurlitzer | No signal |
Having reached a Wurlitzer position, lead a free anti-clockwise spin, man reverses direction and catches L to achieve a reversed Wurlitzer position with R palm facing the lady. Now the man leads forward with his L and transfers the lady's L to his R (tension) for a double clockwise spin, hooking his R under the lady's |
| (some rotating dip) | L to R | R index finger pointing at the floor | At the end of a normal L to R return, the man places his feet so that he turns outward and all four feet are in a line with the dancers side-on, with his weight on his R foot. The R index finger pointing at the floor should be in front of the man's body so the lady can see it, and the lady needs to be careful not to have over-rotated such that she can't see the signal. The man continues the lead with his L hand inscribing the usual "six" or "J" in the air as the lady does a clockwise walking turn in front of the man to end facing the man's L near his R foot (i.e. at 90 degrees to his direction) taking 2 beats. The man has to shift his weight to be central, and had to remember to drop the lady's R after the first half-turn or so. The man's L should be in at his chest ready to outstretch horizontally for good style, and his R should be supporting the lady's R shoulder blade. The lady's L should have gone around the man's waist at the end of her walking turn. Now the man shifts his weight back to his R foot, straightening his L leg while the lady dips, supporting her weight with her R(?) leg, outstretching the L in front of the man and facing the man's forward direction (the audience) (2 beats). The lady does not fall backwards like a tree, but keeps her backside above the foot supporting her weight. The man's L goes out horizontally for style. The man leads the rise, and brings his R to the front and top of the lady's R shoulder for a clockwise walking shoulder-spin. The pressure is quite illusory, the lady spins under her own steam this time! The man may catch with either hand and return. |
| (some unknown dip) | Backhander Signal | (With backhander signal, double left walking turn) | |
| (unknown) | Unknown | ||
| (unknown) | L to R return | Lady Break In | Lady places her L own L shoulder and plays, presenting arms in crucifix at end for clockwise spin. |
| (unknown) | Latin walk into extended Wurlitzer position, then lead into anti-clockwise sweep around man. | ||
| (unknown) | Unknown | ||
| (unknown) | L to R | No signal | Double L to R return, man cocks L elbow over lady's R arm (avoiding her face!) and moves L to her L shoulder (lady 90 degrees facing man's R) and pushes her down to a squatting position. Now either a single clockwise spin to rise, or a low clockwise spin and a second spin to rise. |
| (unknown) | R to R | Secret Move Signal | In the first two steps the lady is led to turn 90 degrees anti-clockwise and the man turns 90 degrees clockwise to face her back with both hands high (2 beats). Now both turn inwards under the joined hands to move in the R direction to spin 360 degrees (2 beats). The man now steps R while spinning the lady again to end with R at her neck (like Neck Break) and L combing his own head to open the lady into a Circular Bow Tie position at 45 degrees from the man's line. |
| (unknown) | L to R, open stance | Backhander Signal | After the lady picks up the Backhander signal and starts to raise her L arm, the man moves ahead of the beat to cut the lady off in his own anti-clockwise walking turn to the front of the lady, changes R to R leaving his L by his side, turns anti-clockwise again (think this starts the lady turning), places L behind the lady's back and whips around to present her. |
| (unknown) | Two-handed crossed splay | No signal | Side by side, step across with L, slow lead around man anti-clockwise with R to R, after lady reaches L side, man turns anti-clockwise to follow, picks up L and takes it high while continuing his own clockwise turn, whips the lady back anti-clockwise while continuing her clockwise motion to end with R hands in front of her R hip, facing man's original direction while he combs L over his own head. |
| (unknown) | weird | No signal | Man steps in L to have his feet in a T, turns anti-clockwise in a Half Nelson, does a walking turn of the lady anti-clockwise keeping his R behind her back (not in front of her) and when she's in front of him, a double clockwise exit. Change to monkey grip for next move. |
| (unknown) | R to R monkey | No signal | Lead lady in front with R, check with L (her L shoulder?), lower lady down with her pushing hips forward of heels, clockwise rotation, pull lady up but don't raise R too high - end with R at waist level. |
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