Jive (Intermediate)
Start with rock step.
(1) Basic (12 3a4 5a6)
(2) Whip (12 3a4 56 7a8)
12: Rock step
3a4: triple step, Men slightly diagonal to left forward.
56: Men right foot cross behind left, then left small step side, turn 180. Ladies two walks while turning 180 to right.
7a8: triple to the side.
(3) Kicks (12 34 56)
12: rock step behind.
3: kick, Men left, Ladies right foot.
4: close feet.
56: kick and close feet again. Men right, Ladies left foot.
(5) Jive walk (12 3a4 5a6 12 34 56 7a8 1a2)
12: rock step behind
3a4: triple to the side, keep facing each other
5a6: triple to promenade position, facing line of dance
12: zigzag, at 1 Men collect left foot to right, left toe on the floor; Ladies collect right foot to left, right toe on floor. Facing each other. At 2, facing promenade and straighten Men’s right foot, Ladies left foot.
34: repeat.
56: repeat.
7a8, 1a2: triple to the side, do a Ladies underarm turn.
Techniques:
(1) Accent on 2, 4, 6, 8. Bouncing forward and back, not up and down. Triple step: first step is toe on the floor and stop for one full beat, very small side step. Second step is right foot close left for Men, left foot close right for Ladies, but don’t even change weight, just a brief touch of foot on the floor (1/4 a beat), then the third step, Men’s left foot large step to left, Ladies right foot large step to right (3/4 beat). The key is the first step has to stop on toe for a full beat, and the second step has to be brisk (1/4 beat).
(2) Body lean forward, lift upper leg, not feet. When triple, lean body slightly to the moving direction.
Exercise: (same for Men and Ladies)
(1) Single kick (1 2, 3 4, 5 6, 7 8 )
Start with right foot kick (to left) on 1, place right foot on floor on 2, slightly side. Then left foot kick on 3, etc.
Repeat for 5 6, 7 8.
(2) Double kick (1 2, 3a4, 56, 7a8)
Right foot double kick (to right) on 1 and 2, 3 cross right foot behind left, &close feet, 4 right foot cross in front of left.
56 left foot double kick to left. 3 cross left foot behind right, &close feet, 4 left foot cross in front of right.
(4) Double kick with grapevine (1 2, 3a4, a5, a6, 7 8, 1a2, a3 a4, 5 6, 7a8)
12 right foot double kick to right. 3 cross right foot behind left, &close feet, 4 right foot cross in front of left. &close feet. 5 right foot cross behind left, & close feet, 6 right foot cross in front of left.
78 left foot double kick to left. 1 cross left foot behind right, &close feet, 2 left foot cross in front of right. & close feet. 3 left foot cross behind right. & close feet. 4 left foot cross in front of right.
56 right foot double kick to right. 7 right foot cross behind left, & close feet, 8 right foot cross in front of left.
Technique: remember that accent on 2, 4, 6, 8. It’s very hard to keep the accent correct when doing the kicks. Also, the kicks are not kicking the lower leg, but using the upper leg to straighten the knee, point the foot to the floor, not kick forward or above, otherwise you may kick your partner.
