Jive is a fast, heart-pumping rhythm. I'm not going over every possible step here, just the ones I commonly use that have a lot of technique built into them. See videos, Footloose, Tu Vuo Foi L'Americano http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwO0KRAHnbU&feature=plcp&context=C3c80d7fUDOEgsToPDskKEH68t58oxW-n_26So8WmK, Hey Mickey, Hafanana for examples. For a descriptive video of this post, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXxCxKhzCkw&feature=plcp&context=C3295737UDOEgsToPDskJUcscfXuQUxWoWWZagQIwt
Basic step
Timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4, 5 6 (This is a 6 count step done to 8 count music. It's normal.)
footwork: R L R (to the right), L R L(to the left), R(backward) L(forward)
knees: They pop up high right before each whole number.
body weight: forward, on the balls of the feet, just like any Latin dance, and on 5, step back on your whole foot, to sink your hip into your heel. Keep your upper body weight forward on 5, so you can quickly come forward for count 6. The music is fast!
hips: The dance is called swing because your hips swing. Do a hip bump at the same time the opposite knee pops up, on the "a" before each whole count. Then on 5, step back on your right foot as you do a right hip bump toward the rear. On 6, put your weight on your left foot and do a left hip bump.
Just Say: triple step, triple step, rock step
Jackhammer
timing: (straightforward), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
bounce: Stand on your left foot and bounce gently to the beat. Your left knee will bend and slightly straighten (not lock).
footwork: At the same time, point your right foot, bend back your right knee and kick toward the floor (don't touch the floor), right next to your standing foot. All your upper leg muscles should be engaged to make a sharp, stacatto kick. After the kick, quickly retract your foot to repeat.
body weight: Your upper body weight should be pitched forward, chest up, abs in.
Sailor's Shuffle (pas de bourree) - See in "Hey Mickey"
timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4
footwork: R L R, L R L
foot direction: Right foot diagonally back, left foot to left, right foot diagonally forward. Repeat other side.
body weight: (This step has the appearance of a drunk sailor, hence the name)As soon as your right foot goes back, begin tipping your whole body to the right. Second, your left foot should push off, causing your body to tip even more to the right. Finally, your right foot coming diagonally forward, catches you and keeps your from toppling all the way over. All of your body weight will be on that right foot.
hips: When your left foot pushes off, your left hip bumps up. Then your whole hip slides to the right till stopped by your right foot ending diagonally forward, at which point your right hip is up.
ribcage: Between the 2nd and 3rd, your ribcage slides right and up, so that on 2, your body weight is on your right foot, and the upward rib cage movement is causing you to start tilting toward the left.
arms: Lift your right arm up on 2, as an extension of you rib cage sliding right. same on other side. Let your arm float as hold the 2 and 4 as long as possible.
Tap, back, side, cross - see in "Footloose"
timing: (straightforward) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
bounce: Stand on your left foot and bounce gently to the beat. Your left knee will bend and slightly straighten (not lock).
footwork: 1=tap right foot next to left foot, 2=right foot diagonally back toward left side***, 3= left foot to left, 4= right diagonally forward to left side / repeat other side ***Try pushing off with your left standing foot on count 2, to add pep and momentum.
direction: Start count 1 by standing on a diagonal facing the front right corner of the room. End on count 4 facing the left front corner.
body weight: Your upper body weight should be pitched forward, chest up, abs in.
arms: On right tap, left forearm comes down sharply, (contract bicep). Then on 2, 3 4 left arm more gently goes down up down, while right arm goes up down up. Note that as your forearm goes down or backward, you should be focusing on your tricep. As your forearm comes up, you should be focusing on your bicep.
Kick Ball Change
timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4
footwork: R RL, R RL
description: Snappy kick on 1 with right foot, quickly step on ball of right foot , keeping body weight in the middle,. Keep right knee bent. Then place ball of left foot right next to right foot. Keep left knee bent. Left leg straightens during right kick.
hips: On kick, left hip bumps up. On 2, right hip bumps up.\
arms: Here's a good chance to pump those arms. On the kick on count 1, punch them sharply out to the side - don't straighten them, but them let bounce back in. The sharpness and sudden stop will cause you to contract your muscles. On the even counts, cross your arms in front of you, with the same sudden stop and bounce return.
Basic step
Timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4, 5 6 (This is a 6 count step done to 8 count music. It's normal.)
footwork: R L R (to the right), L R L(to the left), R(backward) L(forward)
knees: They pop up high right before each whole number.
body weight: forward, on the balls of the feet, just like any Latin dance, and on 5, step back on your whole foot, to sink your hip into your heel. Keep your upper body weight forward on 5, so you can quickly come forward for count 6. The music is fast!
hips: The dance is called swing because your hips swing. Do a hip bump at the same time the opposite knee pops up, on the "a" before each whole count. Then on 5, step back on your right foot as you do a right hip bump toward the rear. On 6, put your weight on your left foot and do a left hip bump.
Just Say: triple step, triple step, rock step
Jackhammer
timing: (straightforward), 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
bounce: Stand on your left foot and bounce gently to the beat. Your left knee will bend and slightly straighten (not lock).
footwork: At the same time, point your right foot, bend back your right knee and kick toward the floor (don't touch the floor), right next to your standing foot. All your upper leg muscles should be engaged to make a sharp, stacatto kick. After the kick, quickly retract your foot to repeat.
body weight: Your upper body weight should be pitched forward, chest up, abs in.
Sailor's Shuffle (pas de bourree) - See in "Hey Mickey"
timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4
footwork: R L R, L R L
foot direction: Right foot diagonally back, left foot to left, right foot diagonally forward. Repeat other side.
body weight: (This step has the appearance of a drunk sailor, hence the name)As soon as your right foot goes back, begin tipping your whole body to the right. Second, your left foot should push off, causing your body to tip even more to the right. Finally, your right foot coming diagonally forward, catches you and keeps your from toppling all the way over. All of your body weight will be on that right foot.
hips: When your left foot pushes off, your left hip bumps up. Then your whole hip slides to the right till stopped by your right foot ending diagonally forward, at which point your right hip is up.
ribcage: Between the 2nd and 3rd, your ribcage slides right and up, so that on 2, your body weight is on your right foot, and the upward rib cage movement is causing you to start tilting toward the left.
arms: Lift your right arm up on 2, as an extension of you rib cage sliding right. same on other side. Let your arm float as hold the 2 and 4 as long as possible.
Tap, back, side, cross - see in "Footloose"
timing: (straightforward) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
bounce: Stand on your left foot and bounce gently to the beat. Your left knee will bend and slightly straighten (not lock).
footwork: 1=tap right foot next to left foot, 2=right foot diagonally back toward left side***, 3= left foot to left, 4= right diagonally forward to left side / repeat other side ***Try pushing off with your left standing foot on count 2, to add pep and momentum.
direction: Start count 1 by standing on a diagonal facing the front right corner of the room. End on count 4 facing the left front corner.
body weight: Your upper body weight should be pitched forward, chest up, abs in.
arms: On right tap, left forearm comes down sharply, (contract bicep). Then on 2, 3 4 left arm more gently goes down up down, while right arm goes up down up. Note that as your forearm goes down or backward, you should be focusing on your tricep. As your forearm comes up, you should be focusing on your bicep.
Kick Ball Change
timing: 1 a 2, 3 a 4
footwork: R RL, R RL
description: Snappy kick on 1 with right foot, quickly step on ball of right foot , keeping body weight in the middle,. Keep right knee bent. Then place ball of left foot right next to right foot. Keep left knee bent. Left leg straightens during right kick.
hips: On kick, left hip bumps up. On 2, right hip bumps up.\
arms: Here's a good chance to pump those arms. On the kick on count 1, punch them sharply out to the side - don't straighten them, but them let bounce back in. The sharpness and sudden stop will cause you to contract your muscles. On the even counts, cross your arms in front of you, with the same sudden stop and bounce return.
