Fundamental Steps

Fundamental Steps

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Introduction
Why Dance?
Fundamental Steps
List of Dances
List of Illustrations
Songs According to Tribes

Scout Books

Site Contents

by Julia M. Seton

1. Step Drag-Close (Fig. 1)

Fig. 1
(Click on diagrams to enlarge)

Counts
1. Long step to right.

2. Bring left up to right, dragging it along ground

Repeat to cover the required distance.

2. Step Lift-Close

Counts
1. Long step to right

2. Bring left up to right, lifting it clear of ground

Repeat to cover the required distance.

3. Shuffle

Counts
1. On ball of right foot, drag to right a very short distance

&. On ball of left foot, drag to right a very short distance

2. As 1

&. As & above

This is done very rapidly, as fast as you can count and may be done to right, to left, forward, or backward.

4. Front Trot

Counts
1. Jump on to right foot, lifting left knee high in front

2. Jump on to left foot, bringing right knee high in front

Repeat for required time, but with frequent holds for one count, with one knee held high through two counts.

5. Back Trot (Fig. 2)

Fig. 2

Counts
1. Jump on to right foot, bending left knee, and holding left foot high in back

2. Jump on to left foot, bending right knee, and holding right foot high in back

Repeat for required time, but with frequent holds for one count, with one foot held high through two counts.

6. Toe-Flat (Fig. 3)

Fig. 3

Counts
1. Step forward on left toe

&. Drop left heel in place

2. Step forward on right toe

&. Drop right heel in place

Repeat as often as necessary. This is a good rest step, to be injected between two more strenuous steps.

7. Toe-Heel Hop

Counts
1. Hop on left, at same time turning right leg over and touching right toe to floor at right oblique back, heel in air

&. Hop on left foot, at same time turning right leg over and touching right heel to floor at right oblique back, toe in air

2. Hop on right foot, at same time turning left leg over and touching left toe to floor at left oblique back, heel in air

&. Hop on right foot, at same time turning left leg over and touching left heel to floor at left oblique back, toe in air

8. Heel-Toe

Counts
1. Right heel forward, bending left knee a little

&. Point right toe, straightening left knee

2. Left heel forward, bending right knee a little

&. Point left toe, straightening right knee

This may be used as a rest step. It may progress forward or backward.

9. Heel-Flat

Counts
1. Right heel forward, bending left knee a little

&. Draw right foot backward, dropping the toe

2. Left heel forward, bending right knee a little

&. Draw left foot backward, dropping the toe

This may be done in place, or progress forward or backward, according to the distance covered in the draw-back.

10. Cross Toe-Flat

Counts
1. Cross left over right, stepping on left toe

&. Drop left heel, at same time swinging right foot out to right

2. Cross right over left, stepping on right toe

&. Drop right heel, at same time swinging left foot out to left

This is best done in place, without any progression, though distance can be covered by making one cross-step longer than the other.

11. Toe-Flat Cross

Counts
1. Step right toe to right

&. Drop right heel

2. Cross left toe over to right of right

&. Drop left heel

This makes a progression to the right. If movement to left is desired, start on left toe to left.

12. Flat-Heel (Fig. 4)

Fig. 4

Counts
1. Step forward with flat right, bending both knees a little

&. Lift and drop the right heel, straightening both knees with a snap

2. Step forward with flat left, bending both knees a little

&. Lift and drop the left heel, straightening both knees with a snap

This is a little difficult to acquire; but when the swing is once mastered, is a very useful step.

13. Toe-Tap-Tap-Heel

Counts
1. Step right toe forward

&. Left heel tap

2. Left heel tap

&. Drop right heel in place

1. Step left toe forward

&. Right heel tap

2. Right heel tap

&. Drop left heel in place

14. Step-Tap-Tap-Tap

Counts
1. Step left forward

&. Point back with right

2. Point back with right

&. Step back with right

3. Step left forward

&. Point forward with right

4. Point forward with right

&. Step forward with right

15. Cross-Hop

Counts
1. Cross right over left

&. Hop on right

2. Cross left over right

&. Hop on left

This may be done in place, or with progression in any direction. A good step, and easily acquired.

16. Toe-Flat Rock

Counts
1. Point forward with right

&. Drop right flat

2. Point backward with left

&. Drop left flat

This constitutes a rocking, and is a good step with which to remain in same spot.

17. Toe-Flat Zigzag

Counts
1. Point forward with right

&. Drop right heel

2. Point left backward

&. Drop left heel

3. Point right forward

&. Drop right heel

4. Point left forward

&. Drop left heel

5. Point right backward

&. Drop right heel

6. Point left forward

&. Drop left heel

7. Point right forward

&. Drop right heel

8. Point left backward

&. Drop left heel

18. Three-point Drop (Fig. 5)

Fig. 5

Counts
1. Point forward right

2. Repeat

3. Repeat

4. Drop right flat

Repeat, starting with other foot. This is a preparation for the next step.

19. Five-point Pivot

Counts
1. Step forward with flat right

2. Tap with left to back

3. Tap with left to left oblique back

4. Tap with left to left

5. Tap with left to left oblique front

6. Tap with left to front

Drop left heel, and repeat taps with right foot. As the taps progress, pivot on the still foot toward the direction of the still foot. That is, when the left foot is tapping, the pivot is toward the right, making a half-circle until the left heel drops, when the pivot starts to the left, the right foot tapping.

20. Forward, Forward, Back, Back

Counts
1. Step forward left

&. Step forward right

2. Step backward left

&. Step backward right

21. Sneak Step

Fig. 6 & Fig. 7

Counts
1. Step to right with right toe, knees a little bent

&. Step to right with left toe, crossing in front of right (Fig. 6)

2. Step to right with right toe, uncrossing

&. Step to right with left toe, crossing in back of right (Fig. 7)

This makes for progression to the right. If movement to left is desired, start with left toe to left.

22. Cross Slide

Counts
1. Cross left in front of right

&. Slide back on left, lifting right from ground

2. Cross right in front of left

&. Slide back on right, lifting left from ground

23. Rock and Hop (Fig. 8 & 9)

Fig. 8 & Fig. 9

Counts
1. Balance forward on right toe

&. Balance back on left foot

2. Balance forward on right toe

&. Hop on right foot, swinging left forward

3. Balance forward on left toe

&. Balance back on right foot

4. Balance forward on left toe

&. Hop on left foot, swinging right forward

5. Balance forward on right toe

&. Balance back on left foot

6. Balance forward on right toe

&. Balance back on left foot

7. Balance forward on right toe

&. Balance back on left foot

8. Balance forward on right toe

&. Hop on right foot, swinging left forward

Keep the body loose throughout.

24. The Sioux Limp

Counts
1. Step left to left

&. Draw right to left, bending the knees a little with a snap, at the same time lifting the left heel

2. Step left to left

&. . Draw right to left, bending the knees a little with a snap, at the same time lifting the left heel

This may be done also to right, or forward, or backward. It is very tiresome to the foot which does the drawing if properly done.

25. Step Hop Hop

Counts
1. Step right to right

2. Hop on right

3. Hop on right

Counts
1. Step left to left

2. Hop on left

3. Hop on left

26. Sioux Hop-step (Fig. 10)

Fig 10.

Counts
1. Step forward with right

&. Hop on right, keeping left toe turned up, and raising left foot up in front of ankle (not backward as in our hopping). Progress forward, backward, or around self

27. Hop-point Step

Counts
1. Hop on left and point with right, feet landing close together, right foot about three inches in advance of left

2. Step on right

1. Hop on right and point with left, as above

2. Step on left

28. High Hop-joint (Fig. 11)

Fig. 11

Counts
&. Hop on left, at same time raising right knee high in front

1. Tap with right toe, feet close together

&. Hop on left, at same time raising right knee high in front

2. Tap with right toe, feet close together

Progression may be in any direction, but the feet do not alternate. The tapping is always on the right foot.

29. Front Ankle Hold

Counts
1. Hop on right foot, crossing left foot in front of right ankle

&. Repeat

2. Repeat

&. Repeat