DESCRIPTIVE MOVEMENTS
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BOUNCE (BO)
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This term is used to indicate a weight change onto both feet.
Transfer weight to balls of feet, heels off the floor, knees bent slightly.
Usually done in half counts.
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BREAK (BRK)
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This movement is done with the leg that DOES NOT bear the
body's weight. Roll your foot onto it's outside edge, giving the appearance
of a broken ankle. Remember, DO NOT place any weight on the "breaking" foot.
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BRUSH (BR)
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The foot is allowed to swing from the knee with a pendulum
action. The ball of the foot produces a click by striking the floor with a
glancing blow and continuing in the direction of the swing (which may be to
the front, to the rear, to the side, or across in front of the opposite leg).
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CHUG (CH)
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The movement is done with the leg that does not bear the
body's weight. Fully extend the leg on the UP BEAT and bend the leg on the DOWN
BEAT. The movement can be done in any direction. The foot does not make
contact with the floor. This is most commonly used with shuffle clogging.
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DOUBLE TOE (DT)
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Two clicks are produced on the up beat of music. The ball of
the foot strikes the floor during the forward motion of a short kick and
the knee straightens; the same foot immediately swings backward in the same
spot as the knee bends upward. The heel should not touch the floor. The
forward and backward motions are considered to be one movement with no
hesitation between them. Normally the clicks occur slightly in front of the
body, but they may be done in the back or to the side as well.
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DOUBLE TOE STEP (DS)
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A combination movement using the DT and then stepping on the same foot.
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DRAG (DR)
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The foot is flat on the floor and the knee is flexed when the
DRAG begins. Keeping your weight on this foot use a springing motion which
will move the weight of the body up and back, and straighten the knee,
allowing momentum to lift only your heel slightly off the floor, and move
your foot to the rear slightly (about half the length of your foot). Can
also be done with both feet on the floor.
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HEEL (H)
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The weight of your body transfers to the ball of the foot
prior to the HEEL movement. Snap the heel down, producing a sharp click,
and distributing the body weight along the entire length of the foot.
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HEEL EDGE (HE)
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Transfer weight to foot by balancing on the edge of the heel.
The toe does not make contact with the floor.
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HEEL TOUCH (HT)
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The heel of the foot produces a click while the toe remains
out of contact with the floor. The word TOUCH implies that the body weight
IS NOT TRANSFERRED to that foot.
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HIT (HIT)
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This movement is done with the leg that does not bear the
body's weight. Swing active leg towards weight bearing foot hitting the inside
edges of the heels of both feet.
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HOP (HOP)
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The term is used in describing an upward motion that causes
the weight bearing foot to loose contact with the floor. The HOP usually
uses one full beat of music, with the upward motion taking place on the UP
BEAT and the click produced on the DOWN BEAT when the foot comes back into
contact with the floor. (The knee is flexed downward as you land). Landing
is made on the same foot that last had contact with the floor. (Example:
standing with the weight on left
foot, HOP up in the air and land on left
foot).
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JUMP (JP)
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Similar to HOP movement except there will be a weight change
from one foot to the other.
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KICK (KK)
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The movement is done with the leg that does not bear the
body's weight. A KICK is a straight legged extension of the leg. The foot
does not make contact with the floor.
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LEG SWING (Lsw)
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This movement is done with the leg that does not bear the
body's weight. With the knee bent, swing the foot in the direction
indicated (which may be in front, out to the side, to the rear, or across
in back). The foot does not make contact with the floor.
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PIVOT (P)
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Rotating in place on either toe or heel. Pivot is done in 1/4 or 1/2
increments. If it is done 3/4 or
more it will be reflected by the name a
SPIN.
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PULL (PULL)
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This movement is done with the non-weight bearing foot and is similar
to a slur, except that NO weight transfer occurs. The movement usually
starts from crossed leg positions, but not always. Move the foot in a
"pulling" motion along the floor
as though you were wiping something off your shoe. (Some people like to tip
the foot on it's side while they "PULL"). REMEMBER NO WEIGHT IS TRANSFERRED TO THE PULLING
FOOT.
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PULLBACK (PB)
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With the weight on (PB) one foot, extend the opposite foot
toward the back. Start like a hop
to execute a BR (b) with the supporting foot. Land on the ball of this foot
making 2 sounds. A similar movement may land on the opposite foot. For an easier version, replace the
PULLBACK with a HOP (or JP) as necessary. This is a very quick movement
taking an "ea" count of music.
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PUMP (PMP)
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Lift foot bending knee to bring it up either straight, or
across the body.
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ROCK (RK)
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A click is produced
by transferring the weight onto the ball of the foot slightly to the
rear causing the body's weight to rock as the center of gravity
changes. The knee is in a flexed position. The opposite foot is always lifted
off the floor during a ROCK. The
heel of the foot doing the ROCK does not touch the floor.
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SCOOT (SO
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Similar to a SLIDE, a SCOOT is done on the ball of the foot
but the heel remains off the floor
for the entire movement and the knee is kept in a flexed position. A SCOOT
can be done in any direction.
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SKUFF
(SK)
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This movement is the same as the BRUSH movement but the heel produces
the click instead of the ball of the foot.
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SLIDE
(SL)
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Begin with the foot flat
on the floor and the knee straight. Transfer your weight onto the ball of
your foot and move it forward or sideways slightly (about half the length
of your foot) and then let your heel snap down, producing a click. At the
end of the SLIDE the knee will be in a flexed position. Can also be done with
both feet on the floor in the same manner.
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SLUR (SLUR)
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Feet will be slightly apart when the SLUR begins. Draw the toe
of
the free foot along the floor
toward the weight-bearing foot on the
UP BEAT. Drop the heel to the floor
TRANSFERRING ALL THE
WEIGHT TO THE SLURRING FOOT, producing a click on the DOWN
BEAT. A SLUR is done in one full beat. ,
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STEP (S)
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Place the entire foot flat on the floor producing a click with
the toe and heel at the same time transferring the body weight along the
length of the foot while flexing the knee downward. When the term STEP is
italicized, it indicates a strongly accented STEP.
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STOMP (SP)
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Same sound as a strongly accented STEP movement but the foot
is immediately picked up again without transferring any body weight to that
foot. Knee should be kept bent.
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TAP (TAP)
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A toe
touch done with the tip of the toe.
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TOE (TOE)
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The ball of the foot produces a click while the heel remains
out of contact with the floor. TOE implies that the body weight has been transferred
to the ball of the foot. (If TOE movement is done in back of the opposite
foot it becomes a ROCK).
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TOE SNAP (TSN)
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The weight of the body is on the heel of the foot. Bring the
toe down producing a sharp click and flexing the knee downward,
distributing the body weight along the entire length of the foot.
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TOUCH (TCH)
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The same sound as the TOE movement but the foot is immediately
picked up again WITHOUT transferring any body weight to that foot.
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TWIST (TW)
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With weight on the balls of both feet, swing both heels in the
designated direction. NOTE: When indicating a direction in combination with
another movement, Tw will be used.
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UP (UP)
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Leg is lifted to finish with a bent knee. Normally the foot
will be parallel to the floor and in front of the body. UP may also refer to UP and to the back of the
weighted foot.
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