Move of the Week: Tick Tocks

This week we are teaching you Tick Tocks as our Move of the Week. A simple, but also very popular move in the Charleston.

Start off with your feet parallel. Keep your knees bent at all time and go really low.

If you want to travel to the right start by turning in your knees and feet and while turning out again slide a bit to your right side.
Turn your knees and feet in again, but this time while turning out lift your left foot off the floor. Make sure that you keep the position which you had on the floor and really flex your foot.

Then repeat the same to the left. Knees in and out, while moving to your left, but this time lift your right foot up.

Now to the arms. Hold them like a marionette and just mirror your knees and this is all you need to know for the Tick Tocks.

Move of the Week: Tick Tocks

This week we are teaching you Tick Tocks as our Move of the Week. A simple, but also very popular move in the Charleston.

Start off with your feet parallel. Keep your knees bent at all time and go really low.

If you want to travel to the right start by turning in your knees and feet and while turning out again slide a bit to your right side.
Turn your knees and feet in again, but this time while turning out lift your left foot off the floor. Make sure that you keep the position which you had on the floor and really flex your foot.

Then repeat the same to the left. Knees in and out, while moving to your left, but this time lift your right foot up.

Now to the arms. Hold them like a marionette and just mirror your knees and this is all you need to know for the Tick Tocks.

Move of the Week: The Charleston Kicks

The most misleading thing about a kick in Charleston, is the word kick, so this week we are teaching you the truth behind the Charleston Kicks as our ‘Move of the Week’.

Having taught this move for a long time we have realised that when you say kick people lift from the hip, sending the leg straight up, like a can-can dancer.

This is not how kicks work in Charleston, the key is to think of it as two actions; 

Action 1: Bend the knee 
Action 2: Push the heel away (you don't need to go for a full extension)

The posture needs to be low with hips slung back and knees bent, use your core so your head isn't bobbing up and down like an Irish dancer. Let the arms work with the body to help with counter balance.

When you switch standing legs avoid hopping, try and make the switch clandestine as if you don't want anyone to see or hear.

Most of all this is an energetic move so feel the joy without throwing all your energy away.

Move of the Week: Apple Jacks

Apple Jacks is a dance move which is full of joy, so much so that I would guess this move has gospel routes.

It start with a flick ball change on beat 8, as you do this the chest should open in a celebratory manner. The arms Swoop across the body to make a big circle or sunshine arms as I often say when teaching children.

The footwork is then a series of little steps which lead with the ball of the foot and follows through with the heel pressing down firmly as if crushing grapes (no one ever gets that analogy, I’ve never crushed grapes in my life either but hey it works for me.)  Another way to look at it, is it's as if you really need the toilet, so your crossing your legs in front of one another as if your really holding on. 

The challenging aspect of this move is that your feet should feel grounded whilst the upper body is light and lifted. It’s what I would call a yummy move and when you feel it come together you’ll fell immensely satisfied.

Good luck practicing and don’t fall over!

Move of the week: Learn Knocky Knees

The knocky knees move is a staple to any Charleston routine and instantly recognisable as a classic 1920s step but can often confuse dancers when trying to move their hands and knees to create the illusion.

As a breakdown you need put your feet hip width apart and in a parallel position with both feet facing forwards. Once in the correct position, bend your knees and think about bringing your knees together and away from the centre of your body.

At the same time start with our hands on your bent knees and cross them when your knees touch in the centre so they are now resting on the opposite knee. You then reverse the motion by bringing your knees together and uncrossing them by putting them back into their original position.

When you feel confident with the step, try a variation by keeping both hands on one knee and swapping both hands onto the other knee each time your legs touch in the centre.

Once you are happy with both moves trying swapping between the two variations.

Remember the lower and more bent your knees are, the more effective the move will look.

Move of the week: Learn the Charleston

Learn the classic moves from the Roaring 20s with MyCharleston. Each week we will teach you a signature step in less than 2 mins.

Our move for the week today is the 1920s Charleston with Elena.

The Charleston is the founding move of the the genre and essential to any Charleston Routine.

It is a small step kept underneath us where we tap one leg forward then tap the other one back.

In the tutorial Elena is tapping forward on the right and then bring her weight back to the centre then tapping back on the left.

You could start that with either leg tapping forward first or backwards depending on preference.

Once you have mastered the basic moves have a play with swivelling your feet on each count.

Try the Charleston step to music starting on both your left and right leg.