Fast Lindy-styled Line Dance (The moves aren’t hard, but the speed is difficult!)
Alternate music: “Rip It Up!” by Bill Haley and His Comets
Slower practice music: “Your Cash Ain’t Nothin’ But Trash” by Huey Lewis and the News
Note on the start: The start of the dance is too abrupt to start on 1, so wait 2 counts and start with the (R)ight foot kick on count 3. (Starting on 1 can look sloppier.) With preferred music, a band member says “Let’s rip it up!” and on Bill saying “Well..” the dance can start with the (L)eft kick, but wait 2 counts and start with count 3 doing the (R)ight kick for a more relaxed start. Don’t wait 80 counts to start the dance!!. On the original album version of the song, it starts more quickly at “Well...” so there’s really no count in for either version.
Savoy-style kicks: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
(With each count, there is a downward pulse with the weighted foot)
1
(L)eft kick forward (while pulsing downward on the (R)ight foot),
2
step down on the (L)eft next to the (R)ight foot (pulsing downward on the (L)eft),
3
(R)ight kick forward (while pulsing downward on the (L)eft foot),
4
bring (R)ight knee up as leg comes back to the (L)eft leg (while pulsing downward on the (L)eft),
5
low (R)ight kick back (while pulsing downward on the (L)eft),
6
hook (R)ight foot behind (L)eft foot to do a forward, sweeping kick up with(L)eft foot forward (while still pulsing the (R)ight foot downward),
7
continue sweeping the (L)eft foot to the back keeping it higher in the air while sweeping to the rear (and while pulsing the (R)ight downward),
8
finish the sweep back with the (L)eft foot by touching the (L)eft toes back with the (L)eft leg more extended. (Weight should be on the (R)ight.)
Side Kicks to Step and Drag: &1,2,&3,4,&5,&6,7-8
&1
Switch weight to (L)eft stepping next to the (R)ight foot and do a small side kick to (R)ight side with (R)ight foot,
2
do a pulsing (R)ight side kick with the (R)ight to the (R)ight side,
&3
switch weight to (R)ight foot and small kick to (L)eft side with (L)eft foot,
4
small kick to (L)eft side with (L)eft foot,
&5
switch weight to (L)eft while kicking to (R)ight side with (R)ight,
&6
switch weight to (R)ight foor while kicking to (L)eft side with the (L)eft foot,
7
then take a reasonably big step to the (L)eft with the (L)eft foot
8
finish by dragging (R)ight foot to the (L)eft.
Tacky Anne Variation: 1,2,3,4,5,6,&7,8
1
Finish that drag of the (R)ight foot to do a tap of the (R)ight toe behind the (L)eft foot,
2
step down and to (R)ight side with (R)ight foot (staying a little apart),
3
drag (L)eft to (R)ight, touching (L)eft toe behind the (R)ight foot,
4
step down and to (L)eft side with (L)eft foot (staying a little apart),
5
drag (R)ight to (L)eft, touching (R)ight toe behind the (L)eft foot,
6
step down on (R)ight foot to the (R)ight side a bit,
&7
With a small forward hopping movement, go forward (L)eft (R)ight (kind of pushing the pelvis forward a little and taking the shoulders back a little to give a different-looking pitch).
8
hold. (Weight ends on (R)ight.)
Whip Variation with Shag Cross: 1,2,3&4,5,6,&7,8
(Done a bit diagonally back, this is an 8-count whip variation, this starts at 12 o’clock and ends at 12 o’clock, where 3&4 is like a slow-turning triple step)
1
Step a little back and out to (L)eft on the (L)eft foot,
2
step forward diagonally (to where you started) on (R)ight, sort of turning the (R)ight to about 2 o’clock (so we are starting our 360 degree turn to the (R)ight),
3
small step forward to 3 o’clock with (L)eft foot (continuing our (R)ight turning movement),
&
just weight back down on the (R)ight foot (in front of the (L)eft) while continuing to turn to the (R)ight, so now facing about 5 o’clock,
4
Put weight back onto the (L)eft foot so now facing about 7 o’clock,
5
Step toward 9 o’clock with the (R)ight foot,
&7
small step (L)eft foot going ahead of (R)ight foot still toward 9 o’clock, and cross the (R)ight foot very close/locked behind the (L)eft foot,
Side Kick to Suzie Q’s (part 1): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
(“Suzie Q” is a cross step with forward foot where you do a heel rotation such that the back foot moves to the direction of travel, and you do this with a twisting motion of the hips and bent knees.)
1
Low kick out to the (L)eft side with the (L)eft foot,
3
(Weight to (L)eft heel) start Suzie Q moving to the (R)ight (facing 12 o’clock and moving toward 3 o’clock) with the (L)eft foot crossed in front of (R)ight,
4
continue movement to (R)ight by swiveling on (L)eft heel and moving the (R)ight foot to the (R)ight with the (R)ight foot staying behind the (L)eft,
5
start Suzie Q moving to the (R)ight (facing 12 o’clock and moving toward 3 o’clock) with the (L)eft heel crossing in front of the (R)ight foot,
6
continue movement to (R)ight by swiveling on (L)eft heel and moving the (R)ight foot to the (R)ight with the (R)ight foot staying behind the (L)eft,
7
start Suzie Q moving to the (R)ight (facing 12 o’clock and moving toward 3 o’clock) with the (L)eft heel crossing in front of the (R)ight foot,
8
continue movement to (R)ight by swiveling on (L)eft heel and moving the (R)ight foot to the (R)ight with the (R)ight foot staying behind the (L)eft. (Weight ends on the (R)ight foot.)
¼ Turn to Left and Side Kick to Suzie Q’s (part 2): &1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
(For this movement, we start with low, pulsing kicking movements with the (R)ight leg while turning ¼ turn to the (L)eft so we start Suzie Q’s on the 9 o’clock wall going (L)eft.)
&1
Shift weight to (L)eft foot, then using the (R)ight foot to do a very low, pulsing outward kick to the (R)ight side while doing 1/8th turn to the (L)eft (so about 10:30 o’clock)
2
still using the (R)ight foot, do a low, pulsing outward/downward kick while doing 1/8th turn to the (L)eft (so now at 9 o’clock),
3
start Suzie Q’s moving to the (L)eft (facing 9 o’clock and moving toward 6 o’clock) with the (R)ight foot crossing in front,
4
continue movement to (L)eft by swiveling on (R)ight and moving to the (L)eft with the (L)eft foot with the (L)eft foot staying behind the (R)ight foot,
5
start Suzie Q’s moving to the (L)eft (facing 9 o’clock and moving toward 6 o’clock) with the (R)ight foot crossing in front,
6
continue movement to (L)eft by swiveling on (R)ight and moving to the (L)eft with the (L)eft foot with the (L)eft foot staying behind the (R)ight foot,
7
start Suzie Q’s moving to the (L)eft (facing 9 o’clock and moving toward 6 o’clock) with the (R)ight foot crossing in front,
8
continue movement to (L)eft by swiveling on (R)ight and moving to the (L)eft with the (L)eft foot with the (L)eft foot staying behind the (R)ight foot. (Weight ends on (L)eft foot.)
Tap Styled Steps (with 1/8th turn to right): 1,2,3,&4,5,6,7,8
(Keeping a fairly flat topline and keeping the feet mostly under the body)
1
Angling to about 10 o’clock, step down on the (R)ight foot (with the body over the foot and weight mostly on the ball with a tap dancer styling), with the (L)eft foot back in the air (a few inches off the floor and back diagonally from the (R)ight foot),
2
Rock back onto the (L)eft foot,
3
do a little scuff forward with the ball of the (R)ight foot,
&4
On the AND count weight the (R)ight foot on the spot where you scuffed it, and then put weight back onto the (L)eft foot,
5
small rock forward (toward 10 o’clock) onto (R)ight foot again (with tap dance styling),
6
small rock back onto (L)eft foot (note that this kind of accelerated from count 5 to match the horn),
7
small rock forward (more toward 11 o’clock) onto (R)ight foot (with tap dance styling),
8
hold. (Weighted on (R)ight foot, angled toward around 11 o’clock, next part will start on 12 o’clock.)
(As an easy alternative movement, you could just do pulsing rocking movements, holding 5-8.)
Kick and Crosses: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
(Body will start facing 12 o’clock for this pattern.)
1
At the same time stepping back (to 7 o’clock) onto the (L)eft foot do a low kick forward with the (R)ight foot,
2
now step down on the (R)ight (underneath your body, and pulsing downward),
3
while pulsing downward on the (R)ight foot do a small kick forward with the (L)eft foot,
4
step down on the (L)eft next to the outside of the (R)ight foot (and as the weight goes down on the (L)eft, the weight on the (R)ight foot is released),
5
small step back diagonally onto the (R)ight foot while doing small kick forward with the (L)eft slightly diagonally (while pulsing down on the (R)ight foot),
6
step down under the body with the (L)eft (pulsing downward),
7
small kick forward with (R)ight foot (while pulsing downward on (L)eft foot),
8
step down on (R)ight foot across the (L)eft foot (to outside of (L)eft foot, causing unweighting of (R)ight foot) and finish slightly more to the right at around 2 o’clock.
Kick and Crosses to the Ball o’ Foot Touch: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8
(The first 4 counts are essentially a repeat of the previous pattern; Body will start facing 3 o’clock for this pattern.)
1
At the same time stepping back (to 10 o’clock) onto the (L)eft foot do a low kick forward with the (R)ight foot,
2
now step down on the (R)ight (underneath your body, and pulsing downward),
3
while pulsing downward on the (R)ight foot do a small kick forward with the (L)eft foot,
4
step down on the (L)eft going a bit forward (to 3 o’clock) like a tiny hop forward,
5
very small continuation “hop” forward on the (L)eft foot (with the (R)ight still in the air behind you)
6
tap the ball of the (R)ight foot down behind you
7
hold (for “..at The Ball tonight!”) [I sometimes point to the ball of my foot that I’m now tapping into the floor]
Step Right slightly fwd, Step Left, shimmmmmmy!!: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-8
2
Make a quick step (R)ight slightly forward (to 3 o’clock) and slight out,
3
step (L)eft slightly out (so that feet are apart at least should width),
5-8
shimmy the last 4 counts!!!
This dance was inspired by Fast Lindy Dancers, who are pretty amazing to watch at a Lindy event or on YouTube. Special credit to Ben Morris for making a couple of key tweaks to make the dance flow better.
This line dance was difficult to figure out how to write up; this dance is a lot easier to learn via video so a video will be posted at various sites to make it easier to learn.
Contact: rob@dancegeek.com