Jitterbug Stroll

The Jitterbug Stroll is a swing line dance choreographed in 1992 by Ryan Francois, [cite web
url = http://www.ryanandjenny.com/
title = Ryan Francois and Jenny Thomas
accessdate = 2007-07-23
date =
year = 2007
month =
publisher = ryanandjenny.com ] a Lindy Hop dancer and teacher. It is usually danced to swing music with 12 bar blues structure such as Woody Herman's "Woodchopper's Ball" or Steven Mitchell's "The Jitterbug Stroll", a modern song created for this choreography.

The dance is very popular among Lindy Hoppers, like the Shim Sham.

The Step List for the Jitterbug Stroll is as follows:

The dance is organized in groups of 6 bars of 8 beats each. each group of 6 bars faces a different direction on the dance floor - meaning the dancer turns 90 degrees every 6 bars. every group of 6 bars is organized in the following way: 3 bars of a signature step, 1 bar of stroll around/pivot turn, 1 bar of signature step and 1 bar of a break step that helps the dancer turn 90 degrees. The signature step is different for every group of 6 bars.

*first group (the first bar in every group starts with the right leg always)
**Hustle forward (2 beats)
**Skip back (2 beats)
**Boogie Forward twice (4 beats)
**Hustle forward (2 beats)
**Skip back (2 beats)
**Boogie Forward twice (4 beats)
**Hustle forward (2 beats)
**Skip back (2 beats)
**Boogie Forward twice (4 beats)
**Stroll Around (sometimes also called jazz pivot turn) (8 beats)
**Hustle forward (2 beats)
**Skip back (2 beats)
**Boogie Forward twice (4 beats)
**Break step (4 beats) (step right, tap left behind right, step left, tap right behind left)
**Turn 90 degrees (4 beats) (step right, turn 90 degrees, step back left, step back right, step forward left)
*second group
**Knee slap right (2 beats)
**Knee slap left (2 beats)
**Kick right and Shorty george 3 times (4 beats)
**Knee slap right (2 beats)
**Knee slap left (2 beats)
**Kick right and Shorty george 3 times (4 beats)
**Knee slap right (2 beats)
**Knee slap left (2 beats)
**Kick right and Shorty george 3 times (to the left) (4 beats)
**Stroll Around (same as above)
**Knee slap right (2 beats)
**Knee slap left (2 beats)
**Kick right and Shorty george 3 times (4 beats)
**Break Step and Turn around (8 beats same as above)
*third group
**Suzie Q left (start with right leg cross over left) (8 beats)
**Suzie Q right (start with left leg cross over right) (8 beats)
**Suzie Q left (start with right leg cross over left) (8 beats)
**Stroll Around (same as above)
**Suzie Q left (start with right leg cross over left) (8 beats)
**Break Step and Turn around (8 beats same as above)
*fourth group (last one)
**Boogie back kicking with right leg (4 beats)
**Tick Tock (to the right) (4 beats)
**Boogie back kicking with left leg (4 beats)
**Tick Tock (to the left) (4 beats)
**Boogie back kicking with right leg (4 beats)
**Tick Tock (to the right) (4 beats)
**Stroll Around (same as above)
**Boogie back kicking with right leg (4 beats)
**Tick Tock (to the right) (4 beats)
**Break Step and Turn around (8 beats same as above)
*and repeat from the top

When doing the Tick Tock you can tilt your head as a pendelum, starting in the direction you are moving.

This dance can be danced to any song that has a 12 Bar structure or a 6 bar AABA chorus structure. The AABA chorus strcture would allow you to do the Suzie Q's on the B chorus line (sometimes referred to as a Bridge), adding enhanced musicallity to your dance.

References