Transcript
The Charleston step — One of the key elements to understanding swing.
Most of us think of Charleston as this little back and forth, kind of underneath us, Charleston step. It’s similar to that for swing dancing, but it gets a little bit more athletic.
We still do want to think that what’s going to happen is, I’m going to have one foot go back. We’ll do it with our left, and then we’ll do it with our right. Our left goes back, back, and then our right goes forward, forward and then back, back. So that goes back, forward, forward, back, back, forward, forward, back.
You could start that with your right foot back as well. So that goes back, forward, forward, back, back, forward, forward, back.
That’s kind of a basic Charleston step. We’re going to show you how we do it in swing dancing. In swing dancing, the Charleston has a little bit more of a kick and athleticism to it.
What you are going to do here is to go back, back, like a rock step. You go back. You are going to kick forward, then step. Kick forward, and, as you kick forward, kind of pull that knee up and reach it back to take the step. Then it starts over: back, kick, up, and down; back, kick, up, and down.
The timing for that is: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. With your right foot: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight; one, two.
Now let’s try the Charleston step to music, [music playing] starting with your left foot. Now let’s start with the right.
