Outlaw Dance's Line Dance Glossary
Basic Steps
Brush: A movement where the ball of the free foot is brushed against the floor, either forward or back.
Chasse: A step together step pattern, also known as a side-close-side or triple step.
Coaster Step: A three-step movement consisting of step back, step together, and step forward.
Grapevine: A weaving pattern to the side, stepping side, behind, side, and usually ending with a touch.
Heel Dig: Tapping the heel of the foot on the floor with a slight forward movement.
Kick Ball Change: A small kick with one foot followed by a step on the ball of that foot and a step on the other foot.
Mambo Step: A forward or backward step followed by a step in place and then a step back or forward to the starting position.
Monterey Turn: A point, turn, and step pattern typically performed with a quarter or half turn.
Pivot Turn: A half or quarter turn executed by stepping forward and pivoting on the balls of the feet.
Rock Step: A forward or backward step followed by a weight transfer back to the original foot.
Scuff: A brushing motion where the heel of the free foot hits the floor.
Shuffle Step: A three-step pattern performed in a forward, backward, or sideward motion, also known as a triple step.
Slide: A sideward step where the free foot is dragged to meet the stepping foot.
Stomp: A step where the entire foot is placed forcefully on the floor, without a weight transfer.
Sugarfoot: A series of swiveling movements, typically involving turning the toes inward and heels outward.
Turns and Spins
Jazz Box: A four-step pattern that crosses one foot over the other, steps back, steps to the side, and then steps forward.
Lock Step: A forward or backward step with the opposite foot crossing in front or behind the leading foot, followed by another forward or backward step.
Paddle Turn: A series of small pivot turns executed by pushing with the free foot.
Triple Turn: Three steps executed while turning, often performed as a chasse with a turn.
Weave: Similar to a grapevine, but continues with more steps weaving in front and behind.
Body Movements
Hip Bumps: Movements where the hips are pushed to one side, usually performed in sets of two or more.
Shimmy: A shaking of the shoulders, usually done for several counts.
Snake Roll: A body roll starting from the head and moving down to the hips, resembling the motion of a snake.
Body Roll: A rolling movement of the body starting from the shoulders down to the hips.
Combination Steps
Applejack: A swivel movement where the heels move together while the toes move apart, and vice versa.
Charleston: A pattern involving a forward kick, step back, touch back, and step forward.
Knee Pop: A slight bend and straightening of the knee while keeping the foot in place.
Toe Fan: A movement where the toes of the foot pivot outward and back in.
Toe Strut: A step where the toes touch the floor before the heel is lowered.
Rhythm and Timing
Counts: The beats in the music, often referred to in 8-counts, which help dancers stay in sync with the rhythm.
Syncopation: Placing steps or movements in between the main beats of the music, creating a faster pace.
Tag: An additional set of steps inserted at specific points in the dance, usually to match the phrasing of the music.
Restart: Stopping the dance at a certain point and starting again from the beginning, often used to fit the dance to the music.