Kathy Z's Y3K Step Toolbox

This is a Step pattern from www.turnstep.com. (pattern 5946)

Here's a group of new tools for your step toolbox! CAUTION: These are definitely NOT for the faint-of-knees, the two-left-footed, or beginners! Very advanced stuff, some of it requiring some funky groovin' and shakin', some hopping, some yelling, and definitely lots of shuffling! What can I say? Shuffles are just fun, and I won't give them up!!! Please don't put these all together into one combination...you'll get dizzy if you do, and when your head stops spinning, you'll look around to see that your class left in frustration!

I hope these directions make sense. I've described everything from a horizontal point of view, using my standard north-south-east-west landmarks.

UP-LUNGE-HOLD & SHUFFLE

Beginning at home, facing west wall

(1) Right foot to top of step
(2) Left foot to top of step (facing west)
(3) Right toes lunge to north side floor
(4) Right foot returns to top
(5) Left to floor at home (south side, still facing west)
(6) Hold position and shake it, baby!
(7-8) Quick right-left-right shuffle on the floor, heading east and facing north.

Note: You can angle your body during the lunge and then the hold so that this move is bigger and more powerful. It would take too long to try to describe it, so I advise playing around with it, experimenting with the power potential.

KICK-"UH-HUH"

This is one of my new favorites, and there's about a million variations and things you can do with this one! This is just a very simple beginning...you'll see more of this in combos to come. My class loves this one.

(1) Right foot to west corner of step
(2) Left foot kicks front (a karate-type kick...make it funky!)
(3) Left foot steps back down on the floor
(4) Right foot lifts off step and the entire leg circles up and around to the right... this is the "uh-huh"...get the class to say it every time they do it!
(5) Right foot out wide on the floor like a V, you are facing north
(6) Both feet hop together on the floor...a funky jack
(7) Jack out on the floor, still facing front
(8) Jack back in on the floor

SWOOP-HOLD AND PIVOT

(Thanks for the root-move, the "swoop", to Janis Pipon!)

(1) Facing north, right foot to top of step, out wide like a V
(2) Left foot on top of step, out wide like a V
(3) Right foot to floor, directly behind the left
(4) Hold this position...I like to shake it- shake it or clap or whatever
(5-8) Left lead, full pivot on the floor. Turns west-south-east-north

3-KNEE L -SHUFFLE

More basic types can do a regular L-step; advanced can do the regular 3-Knee L (see other submissions), and this is a fun option for the super-sharks!

(1) Right foot to west corner of step
(2) Left knee lifts
(3) Stepping carefully, slightly forward and off the NORTHWEST corner of the step, left comes to the floor
(4) With a hop, turning your body to face the west wall, lift right knee
(5) Step out wide with the right foot, your body turning to face south
(6) With a hop, turning your body to face southeast-ish, lift left knee
(7-8) Three quick shuffles, left-right-left on the floor, headed east

NOTE: This move is great if you do it twice, moving the student completely around the step. You always step slightly forward off the corner of the step, so please be careful. It's basically three "skates", (step-knee) and a shuffle, and should be done BIG so that you cover a lot of territory. Hop away from the step!!! This move doesn't change your lead.

ADVANCED SHUFFLE-OVER

This one is a real tough one for most people, because you have to move your feet so quickly. It's a syncopated move, and really all you're doing is the quick 1-2-3 shuffle I love so much, OVER the step. Here, however, I've given you my favorite way to mix it into a routine, and usually I do these 8 counts two times because it takes at least that long for most people to get their feet moving right! During the time it takes to teach it and practice it, most of the class will be ready to drop! So I recommend previewing it before class, doing a slow-motion breakdown during class, and giving a regular over the top option for all but the die-hards. Four over the tops equal the following 8-counts done two times. No duh, I guess! :)

(1-4) Over the top, right lead. No tap, go directly into the first shuffle over with a right lead! You are on the north side facing east at the end of count 4.
(5) Right foot on top of step as if you are doing a regular over the top
(and) Yes, it's syncopated, so on the last half of the fifth beat, the left foot comes up on top beside the right
(6) Syncopated, the right foot comes to the floor on south side (still facing east),
(and) the left foot lifts up on the second half of the 6th beat
(7) Left foot steps back onto top of step...still facing east
(and) on the last half of the seventh beat, the right foot comes up on the top
(8) Left foot steps down on the floor, north side, facing east
(and) the right foot lifts up on the second half of the 8th beat

Then you repeat the whole sequence, beginning with count one. You're on the right lead again, but you're on the north side of the step facing east. When you are done with count 16, you're back on the home side, facing west. Practice this!

SKATE THE BOX

This move begins facing north but standing close to the WEST corner of the step. This has a good side-to-side feel to it. No lead change.

(1) Right foot up on top of step, close to the west end. Leave room for your left foot.
(2) Left foot comes up on top of the step, beside the right foot.
(3) Right foot steps out wide like a V, still facing north
(4) Hop a little and lift the left knee
(5) Left foot steps down on the floor at home, still facing north
(6) Right foot steps down on the floor at home, beside the left
(7) Left foot steps out wide on the floor like a V
(8) Hop a little and lift right knee.

V-KNEE TA-DAAAA!

This is another toughie that only your most nimble will be able to do. The others can do the easier version, which I've supplied after the harder one below. You face north throughout the entire 8 counts. Again, you'll probably want to choreograph your routine so that this is done at least twice in a row so that everyone can get their feet beneath them!

(1) Right foot on top of step, out wide like a V
(2) Left foot on top of step, out wide like a V
(3) Right foot steps to center of step
(4) Hop and lift left knee
(5) Left foot steps to floor at home
(6) Hop south a little and lift right knee
(7) A syncopated run-run, right-left, which I call a "Ta-Daaa". Kind of a two-count gallop. I can't explain it better than that. The feet ta-daa out a little, approximately shoulder-width apart.
(8) Step forward towards the step on the right foot.

This leaves you ready to begin the move again on the left lead. It's fun, once you get it! Here's a simpler variation, as promised. Counts 1-4 are the same, then step down at home on the left foot and march the remaining beats...either in place, or move it around to the north side of the step.

POKEMAN TURN

No reason for this name...I had to call it something! I don't even know what a Pokeman is! It starts like a regular turnstep, but with a twist! It's a very circular movement, and requires some hopping to get your body pointed in the right directions without torquing your knees. Begin facing west, with the step to your right side...

(1) Right foot to top of step
(2) Left foot to top of step, out wide. You are facing north now.
(3) Right foot back down on the floor; face east
(4) Stepping down off the step, do a gentle little hop that turns your body from east to south to west- lift left knee
(5-6) Facing west now, do a quick left-right-left shuffle towards the south wall
(7-8) Still facing west, do a quick right-left-right shuffle towards the step. Angle it slightly so that you can face the step to start whatever you add to this, on the natural left lead. I would put something simple after the Pokeman, like two left-lead V-steps.

And remember...if you find yourself tapping in any of these moves, you're doing something wrong! Have fun and be careful! :)

Added by Kathy Z Grant at 12:58 AM on Tuesday, December 7, 1999 EST. Add to favorites (view favorites)
(Email: kathyzgrant@yahoo.com)
From: Clarksville, Tennessee (USA)

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