This is a 'new' line dance (ie it dates from the recent Lindy revival, rather than the pre-war period), which was choreographed by Ryan Francois to fit the Woodchopper's Ball (click here to view the Music for Swing Dance pages). It can be danced to any swing music which has phrases of 48 beats (= 6 lots of 8 beats); this is a different structure to that of most of the music to which we Lindy Hop in classes, which has phrases composed of 32 beats (=4 lots of 8 beats). {Click here to visit the What is Swing music? pages, which contain a fuller explanation}.
where the 'X' is a step that changes from phrase to phrase. An outline of the dance appears below, and a step-by-step breakdown below that.
As with all of these pages, the summaries are intended to remind
dancers of the steps once they have learned them, not to teach
the dance from scratch.
First 48-beat phrase;
Boogie Woogie 1 | ||
&8 | RL ball change stepping forward | |
&1 | RL ball change stepping forward (leaning back) | |
2 | Clap | |
&3 | RL ball change stepping back (back into get down) | |
Boogie Forward | 4-5 | Sweep R leg forward to right |
6-7 | Sweep L leg forward to left | |
Boogie Woogie 2 | ||
&8 | RL ball change stepping forward | |
&1 | RL ball change stepping forward (leaning back) | |
2 | Clap | |
&3 | RL ball change stepping back (back into get down) | |
Boogie Forward | 4-5 | Sweep R leg forward to right |
6-7 | Sweep L leg forward to left | |
Boogie Woogie 3 | ||
&8 | RL ball change stepping forward | |
&1 | RL ball change stepping forward (leaning back) | |
2 | Clap | |
&3 | RL ball change stepping back (back into get down) | |
Boogie Forward | 4-5 | Sweep R leg forward to right |
6-7 | Sweep L leg forward to left | |
8 | Clap or click | |
Big strong turn | 1-2 | Fwd on right foot (NB this is on 1 NOT 8!) |
3-4 | Turn 180 deg left, step on left | |
5-6 | Fwd (as you now face) on R foot | |
7 | Turn 180 deg lest, step on left | |
Boogie Woogie 4 | ||
&8 | RL ball change stepping forward | |
&1 | RL ball change stepping forward (leaning back) | |
2 | Clap | |
&3 | RL ball change stepping back (back into get down) | |
Boogie Forward | 4-5 | Sweep R leg forward to right |
6-7 | Sweep L leg forward to left | |
Tap Break | ||
8 | Drop on to R foot in front of you | |
1 | Dot L foot behind it | |
2 | Step back on to left foot | |
3 | ||
& | R knee up | |
4 | R foot returns to floor (a little back) | |
& | L knee up | |
5 | L foot returns to floor (a little back) | |
6 | Step on right foot turning 90 deg to left | |
7 | Step on left foot beside right foot. |
NB - beware the rather difficult transitions in and out of the
Big Strong Turn (which starts on beat 1 and ends on 7, whereas
the moves that surround it start on 8).
Second 48 beat Phrase
Knee slap | ||
8 | R knee up & slap | |
1 | R foot return to floor | |
Knee slap | 2 | L knee up & slap |
3 | L foot return to floor | |
4 | Kick R foot to side & return next to L on '&' | |
Shorty George | 5 | Shorty George step left |
6 | Shorty George step right | |
7 | Shorty George step left | |
Knee slap | ||
8 | R knee up & slap | |
1 | R foot return to floor | |
Knee slap | 2 | L knee up & slap |
3 | L foot return to floor | |
4 | Kick R foot to side & return next to L on '&' | |
Shorty George | 5 | Shorty George step left |
6 | Shorty George step right | |
7 | Shorty George step left | |
Knee slap | ||
8 | R knee up & slap | |
1 | R foot return to floor | |
Knee slap | 2 | L knee up & slap |
3 | L foot return to floor | |
4 | Kick R foot to side & return next to L on '&' | |
Shorty George | 5 | Shorty George step left |
6 | Shorty George step right | |
7 | Shorty George step left | |
8 | Clap or click | |
Big strong turn | 1-2 | Fwd on right foot (NB this is on 1 NOT 8!) |
3-4 | Turn 180 deg left, step on left | |
5-6 | Fwd (as you now face) on R foot | |
7 | Turn 180 deg lest, step on left | |
Knee slap | ||
8 | R knee up & slap | |
1 | R foot return to floor | |
Knee slap | 2 | L knee up & slap |
3 | L foot return to floor | |
4 | Kick R foot to side & return next to L on '&' | |
Shorty George | 5 | Shorty George step left |
6 | Shorty George step right | |
7 | Shorty George step left | |
Tap Break | ||
8 | Drop on to R foot in front of you | |
1 | Dot L foot behind it | |
2 | Step back on to left foot | |
3 | ||
& | R knee up | |
4 | R foot returns to floor (a little back) | |
& | L knee up | |
5 | L foot returns to floor (a little back) | |
6 | Step on right foot turning 90 deg to left | |
7 | Step on left foot beside right foot. |
Third 48-beat Phrase:
Suzy Q Leftwards | ||
8 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
1 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
2 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
3 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
4 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
5 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
6 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
7 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
<change direction> | & | Step on ball of R foot. |
Suzy Q Rightwards | ||
8 | L foot down flat (crossing R foot) | |
1 | Stepping on heel of L foot, open your R foot to the right and step on the ball of it. | |
2 | L foot down flat (crossing R foot) | |
3 | Stepping on heel of L foot, open your R foot to the right and step on the ball of it. | |
4 | L foot down flat (crossing R foot) | |
5 | Stepping on heel of L foot, open your R foot to the right and step on the ball of it. | |
6 | L foot down flat (crossing R foot) | |
7 | Stepping on heel of L foot, open your R foot to the right and step on the ball of it. | |
<change direction> | & | Step on ball of L foot. |
Suzy Q Leftwards | ||
8 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
1 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
2 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
3 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
4 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
5 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
6 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
7 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
Big strong turn | 1-2 | Fwd on right foot (NB this is on 1 NOT 8!) |
3-4 | Turn 180 deg left, step on left | |
5-6 | Fwd (as you now face) on R foot | |
7 | Turn 180 deg lest, step on left | |
Suzy Q Leftwards | ||
8 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
1 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
2 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
3 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
4 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
5 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
6 | R foot down flat (crossing L foot) | |
7 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
Tap Break | ||
8 | Drop on to R foot in front of you | |
1 | Dot L foot behind it | |
2 | Step back on to left foot | |
3 | ||
& | R knee up | |
4 | R foot returns to floor (a little back) | |
& | L knee up | |
5 | L foot returns to floor (a little back) | |
6 | Step on right foot turning 90 deg to left | |
7 | Step on left foot beside right foot. |
Fourth 48-beat phrase; Note - this is the version usually danced in Edinburgh. There is another, in which, there is only one tick-tock following the Boogies Back, and it therefore takes place at half the speed (Boogie back, Boogie back, t-i-c-k, t-o-c-k). This creates a nice break of pace.
Boogie Back (R) | 8 | Flick R foot |
&1 | R-L ball change | |
Boogie back | 2 | Flick R foot |
&3 | R-L ball change | |
Tick-Tock (R) | 4 | Feet & hands outwards |
5 | Feet and hands inwards | |
Tick Tock see note | 6 | Feet & hands outwards |
7 | Feet and hands inwards | |
Boogie Back (L!) | 8 | Flick LEFT foot |
&1 | L-R ball change | |
Boogie back (L!) | 2 | Flick LEFT foot |
&3 | L-R ball change | |
Tick-Tock (L!) | 4 | Feet & hands outwards |
5 | Feet and hands inwards | |
Tick Tock see note | 6 | Feet & hands outwards |
7 | Feet and hands inwards | |
Boogie Back (R) | 8 | Flick R foot |
&1 | R-L ball change | |
Boogie back | 2 | Flick R foot |
&3 | R-L ball change | |
Tick-Tock (R) | 4 | Feet & hands outwards |
5 | Feet and hands inwards | |
Tick Tock see note | 6 | Feet & hands outwards |
7 | Feet and hands inwards | |
Big strong turn | 1-2 | Fwd on right foot (NB this is on 1 NOT 8!) |
3-4 | Turn 180 deg left, step on left | |
5-6 | Fwd (as you now face) on R foot | |
7 | Turn 180 deg lest, step on left | |
Boogie Back (R) | 8 | Flick R foot |
&1 | R-L ball change | |
Boogie back | 2 | Flick R foot |
&3 | R-L ball change | |
Tick-Tock (R) | 4 | Feet & hands outwards |
5 | Feet and hands inwards | |
Tick Tock see note | 6 | Feet & hands outwards |
7 | Feet and hands inwards | |
7 | Stepping on heel of R foot, open your L foot to the left and step on the ball of it. | |
Tap Break | ||
8 | Drop on to R foot in front of you | |
1 | Dot L foot behind it | |
2 | Step back on to left foot | |
3 | ||
& | R knee up | |
4 | R foot returns to floor (a little back) | |
& | L knee up | |
5 | L foot returns to floor (a little back) | |
6 | Step on right foot turning 90 deg to left | |
7 | Step on left foot beside right foot. | |
These pages are COPYRIGHT.
Page last modified 15th Oct 1997
Jamie.Davies@ed.ac.uk