Single Lindy Notes
Beginner 1 Single Time Lindy Hop Curriculum
#1 Open Dance Position Basic, 6ct single rhythm -slow, slow, quick, quick. Start with feet shoulder width apart. Move with bounce and a tilt: side, side, back forward. Call it step step, rock step. Push off with the ball of the foot on rock step. With a partner –follow stands in front of the lead with 2 hands connected. His hands cupped, fingers pointing to the other hand, palms facing his body. Her hands are cupped palms to the floor and folded over top of his. His thumbs rest gently on top. Arms are parallel, elbows slightly bent and her forearms are parallel to the floor. There is feeling of resistance between them called connection. Leads start with left, follows start with right. The names of moves are not what`s important. What`s important is to be able to lead or follow.
#2 Outside to inside turn- two 6 ct basics. Lead does not need to change places with the follow. Lead`s left arm goes up after rs and before 1st slow: follow turns out, arm goes up, follow turns. They square off on the rock step.
# 3 Closed Dance Position Basic.- Lead places his right hand in the centre of the follow`s back. The follow places her left hand near the top of the lead`s shoulder blade. The hands infront are as for OD position. The resistance between them puts them in a V position with the basic going forward and back and rock step. In closed position it is essential to connect well on the follow`s back and to relax & keep the front hands lower.
#4 CDP outside to inside turn-Lead uses his hand on her back to send the follow out.
#5 Closed DP circling –happens on the lead`s first slow moving clockwise.
#6 She turns, he turns: Using the outside to inside turn, after 1 basic, he sends her out pulling her thru, she does her inside turn on the first slow step, he then turns counterclockwise under his own arm on the second slow step.
#7 Man skin turn or wrap-from open position, after the rock step, the lead drops his right hand, he steps forward on the first slow step pulling his left hand to the right side of his waist. On the second slow he takes a side step while she faces him sliding her hand across the skin of his back. He catches her hand palm to palm
#8 Closed Position tuck turn- He preps the tuck by twisting her out on his rock step. He`ll set up the tuck on his slow left, they square off, his left arm is above her head height in a palm to palm position. On the 2nd slow step he`ll push her out. CP Tuck Turn to open-Similar but different from the underarm to open: Think, Twist Tuck Turn Twist her out while keeping hand connection-use the rock sideways to twist her. Tip-the right hand pressure on her right side forces her to twist-right arm will be straight on the twist. On Step(of rock step) tuck her in to square off to you (shoulders & hips) having your left hand raised to her head height. on the step (of triple step) turn her to face you. Tip- on 1st Triple-look at your partner Tip-by the end of the first triple the left hand should be down. FOLLOWS- On most turns use pivot, step & keep your elbow bent infront of you so you can see it. Stand tall & do not anticipate the lead.
#9 Basic cuddle-From 2 hands in open position he`ll pull her under his left arm into the cuddle. She ends up at his right side dancing the footwork of the closed position basic. He`ll then lift the left arm up and send her out to 2 hands.
#10 Cuddle yoyo- Start the cuddle with 2 hands, pull her into the cuddle and dance the basic together, then he`ll unwind her to the side and finish with a tuck turn to send her out.
East Coast Beginner 2
#1 She turns, he turns changing hands behind the back-After the tuck turn, on the second slow step of the basic as her right hand is coming down, he`ll pass her right hand into his right hand. He`ll take the rock step and pull her under clearing her head height on the first slow step. On the second slow step he changes the hand behind his back.
#2 The American Armside- From open position with 2 hands swing the arms in on the rock step and up to loop over the heads. Finish with the changing hands behind the back piece.
#3 Sweetheart to passing free spin-from right to right handhold he`ll walk her across into sweetheart position. They`ll take a closed position basic. He`ll send her out under his left arm on the next basic to a passing free spin at waist level.
#4 Sweetheart to trading places with passing free spin-From sweetheart he`ll send her out under the left arm. Now they`ll trade places keeping both hands. First he`ll step under both arms one at a time, then she`ll step under the arms one at a time. They`ll finish with the same passing free spin.
#5 Two handed cross kicks- Signal the move by lead adjusting the hands on the second slow of the open basic. Cross kick 4 times. Finish by pushing her into rock step. Readjust the hands and return to the basic.
#6 Wrap in-From open position the lead lifts his left arm for her outside turn, keeping both hands. He lowers the right hand behind her back on the 2nd slow. The left arm pulls her around til she squares off to him on the rock step. He pulls with both arms to unwrap her.
#7 Wrap in to double turn out- He pulls the lower arm and she does 4 steps for a double turn. Double turn-both replace the 2 slows with 4 even steps for the 2 turns. Follows think-turn look –spotting the lead
#8 Charleston-8 count Lindy Charleston basic –In closed position basic drop the front hands and wrap her waist tightly. Both face forward and rock step, kick forward step, kick forward & kick back step. Let the free hands dance with you. The upper body is bent forward and there is a bouncing motion throughout.
East Coast Beginner 3
#1 X hold tuck with free spin-is really 2 tuck turns -Tuck basics-prep by twisting her out, square off on the tuck, turn her out change the hand and square off in open before the rock step. Prep another tuck on the rock step. square off stepping to the side on your left. Connect with a tense right arm at her waist height . Give her a push a she pushes off into a free spin on her right foot. -Take a tuck from closed position into open right to right handhold. Twist her out on the rock and tuck and free spin her at waist level. He preps the tuck by twisting her out on his rock step. He`ll set up the tuck on his slow left, they`re squared off, his left arm is above her head height in a palm to palm position. On the 2nd slow step he`ll push her out. To change the hand he brings his rt hand up to meet her rt hand. Follow` arm moves the body as a unit
#2. Step Xs- Prep a tuck then any even number of step Xs before the turn. Prep a tuck but keep the left hand low and adjust the right hand to her hip as you step to the side on the 1st slow then X away on the 2nd slow. Repeat the step X`s until the lead is ready to complete the tuck turn
#3 Circling Step Xs rotate CCW
#4 Tap the back step. From right to right the lead opens his arm more to the right to pivot the follow to tap her back . As he crosses she taps he is back. End with the tuck with free spin. Rotate CW from x handhold any even # of taps –6 then tuck with free spin
#5 Frankie`s Strut CP Tuck to x hold to reverse skaters hold Strut tuck out -The Strut is just a 6 ct basic with kick X on ct 1,2,3,4. Move fwd in small or big steps. The lead for the Strut is established with the follows L hand bent down on top of the lead`s L hand which is extended out to his L side. Frankie`s Strut -Using 1 basic-from R to R the lead gives the girl an underarm and looking over his left shoulder he goes forward turning a quarter to his left placing her in reverse skaters with her on his left side. With her right hand behind his back and his L hand infront of her waist joined to her Left hand they go forward in a strut basic which is kick step kick step rock step. When he wants to bring her out of the strut he release the left hand and walks her forward into a closed position with his R hand on her back and his Left and joined to her R infront. From here he give her a free tuck out using only the hand on the back to initiate the turn.
#6 One Handed X kicks, 2 CP basics, Tuck, Change to R to R, X kicks, Tuck with free spin- notice on the X kicks both using same foot, the body leans forward and then across. Both start with right foot- Kick, bend knee, kick to a straight leg, step down.
The base leg pivots kick pivot kick step! Use a X hold, thumbs up. The hands continue to adjust (to L to L) they adjust again coming out.
Practise connection. To get in & out leads use cheat step: Heel pop push your hips back- Heel pop replaces the Rock step! Start with 2 CP basics, tuck turn with hand change, heel pop to kick R L R L. Cheat again to finish with a tuck & free spin! Trade places & return to CP
#7 Cross Hold Double Loop- lead 2 loops over the head to CP-leads use finger tip connection and follows keep the arms infront in a casual bend to be ready at any time to go into CP. Leads stay in place and get the right hand on her back asap X Hold Double Loop: 2CP Tuck Hand Change, Loop, Loop,-4 basics: An easy pattern that comes in handy, from a x hold the leader loops his R arm(1st slow) up and over his head while asking underneath for the left Hand. When he takes it he then loops his L arm over his head (2nd slow) and they end up in closed position. Notice when he loops his chin is lifted & his eyes are looking at his partner. His elbows are out of the way-out to the sides of his face. He finishes the lines looping all the way down to the neck!
#8 The Duck Walk end with double loop - From CP tuck turn-.right to right- rock-step -duck walk-.rock step- double arm loop. The Duck walk: pattern of step together-- She R He L: when you step forward step onto a straight leg. Let the hip push out behind you. 2 CP Tuck, hand change, -After RS he`ll turn his back to her, pivoting on his right foot, he`ll step L and Duck walk for 6cts, 123456 finish with the RS & the double loop going to CP.
#9 The Chug Step- In CP move fwd together with snaps-2 CP basic, 6 cts of step together (3 chugs) , tuck out, underarm to trade places. CHUG – partners in Closed P. move forward in unison! Using opposite feet! His hand on her back pushes her forward! While the hand in front snaps or at least moves with the body as you chug forward. On the RS before the Chug he moves his hand all the way around the right side of her waist. When he moves her his right leg stays connected to her left leg so the move as a unit. The footwork is the same step together action as the duck walk. Finish Chug with a rock step! Do a tuck turn connection with the hand in front & turning her out underneath it.
#10 Wrap in to Jump: From a basic wrap the man connects his r wrist at her low waist, locking her between both arms. Timing is RS Jump hold RS Both land on both feet at the same time. From the wrap he will give her a push & a pull & pass her behind him as he moves under his own L arm.
#11 Wrap in to Circling Kicks- kick around#10 Charleston-8 count Lindy Charleston basic –In closed position basic drop the front hands and wrap her waist tightly. Both face forward and rock step, kick forward step, kick forward & kick back step. Let the free hands dance with you. The upper body is bent forward and there is a bouncing motion throughout.
#12 Wrap in to Circling Kicks with Jump: Kicks are single Kick step etc He starts L She R. From the wrap in he pushes her with the hand on the back for circling kicks. Finish with the same RS & jump on the end!
#13 Sliding Door: Start in wrap in! After the RS he steps across with his L foot under his L arm. On the second slow step he steps under his R arm & they square off in a reverse wrap. After the RS she will turn CW 2x until back in 1st wrap in position. As 1 arm goes up the other goes down. They both look over their shoulder toward each other. Finish with a jump on the end. 2OP/wrapin /sliding door/ turn her/ jump/ RS
East Coast Beginner 4
#1 Sliding Door Combo- like the octopus –leads push/ pull /do Sliding Door/ Wrap in to Kicks and Wrap in to Jump in a combo
#2 X kicks in layout position-Traveling
#3 Toe Heel X`s- Palm to palm: Toe Heel Crosses - From open position. Switch hand grip during second slow-.rock step then starting with left (leads) toe, heel, cross in front...then with right (leads) toe, heel, cross in front and repeat and then exit the move during a cross with your right foot(leads). Return to normal grip.
#4 The Man`s Flat Back-Like skin turn-1 arm high and bend; From OP Keep the back straight as you bend.
#5 The Tunnel- from sweetheart-under 2xs:
#6 Intro to Int & Adv Footwork Double & triple time All the above basics done in triple time. Single Rhythm review -Double Rhythm- Tap Step, Tap Step, Rock Step or Tap Step, Tap Step, Step Step. Triple Rhythm - Tri-ple-step, Tri-ple-step, Rock Step or 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 6.
Adding the Triple Steps in, we reviewed the: Closed Position - good frame, connection between elbows, Diamond Shape.Tuck Turn - From Closed Position. Out, in, spin. Keep your triples steps though-lead pushes the follow through on ct 4.
#7 X Kick
