Swing
Four Count, Six Count,
Triple Step, and Hustle
Swing Moves
4 = Four Count Swing 6 = Six Count Swing
T = Triple Step Swing H = Hustle
Most of these swing moves can be danced interchangeably in Four Count Swing, Six Count Swing, Triple Step Swing, and Hustle, with only a change in footwork. The numbers and letter after the name denote the footwork(s) with which the move had been demoed.
For variations specific to a particular kind of swing, see: Four Count Swing, Six Count Swing, Triple Step Swing, and Hustle.
Basics
» Basic (
4,
T)
» Push-Pull (
4)
» Turning Basic (
4,
T)
» Butterfly (
4,
T,
H)
» Reverse Turning Basic (
4)
» Reverse Butterfly (
4)
» Basic (Rock Step First) (
4)
» Pivots (
4)
Sendouts
» Outside Turn (
4)
» Fallaway Break (
T)
» Lead's Underarm Turn (
4)
» Shoulder Slide (
4)
» Pivots, Texas Tommy (
4)
Swingout Position (R-in-L)
» Inside Turn (Loop Turn) (
4,
T,
H)
» Inside Free Spin (
H)
» Waist Slide (
4,
T,
H)
» Inside Turn, Waist Slide (
4)
» Lead's Underarm Turn (
4,
T,
H)
» Outside Turn (Arch Turn) (
4,
T,
H)
» She Goes, He Goes (
4,
T)
» Reverse Behind the Back Hand Change (
H)
» Waist Slide to R-in-R (
4,
T,
H)
Open Two Hands
» Dishrag (
4,
T,
H)
» Dishrag Combo (
4,
H)
» Dishrag Sunburst (
4,
T,
H)
» Double Face Loop to R-in-R (
4,
T,
H)
» Loop-de-Loops (Chained Inside Turns) (
4,
T,
H)
» Chained Outside Turns (
H)
» Matador (In and Out)
Cradle
» Shoulder Catch (
H)
» Cradle (
4,
T,
H)
» Cradle (Back and Forth) (
H)
» Cradle, Unroll (
4)
» Cradle Yo Yo (
4)
» Double Turn Out of Cradle (High, Low) (
4)
» Deney Terrio's Double Unwind Out of Cradle (
4)
» Cradle to Reverse Cradle (
4)
» Cradle Wheel with Outside Turn Exit (
4)
» Wrong Way Cradle, Dishrag (
4,
H)
» Dishrag, Wrong Way Cradle (
4)
» Cradle (Back and Forth) to Wrong-Way Cradle (
H)
» Wrong-Way Cradle (Back and Forth) (
H)
» Wrong-Way Cradle (Back and Forth) to Cradle (
H)
Wheels
» Follow's Cradle Wheel with Single Turn Exit (
H)
» Follow's Cradle Wheel with Single Turn Exit (
H)
» Lead's Cradle with Inside Turn Exit (
4,
H)
» Lead's Cradle with Double Inside Turn Exit (
4,
H)
» Lead's Cradle with Duck Out Exit (
4)
» Matador Wheel with Lead's Underarm Turn Exit (
4,
H)
» Matador Wheel with Inside Turn Exit (
4,
H)
» Matador Wheel with Double Inside Turn Exit (
4)
» Matador Wheel with Outside Turn Exit (
H)
» Matador Wheel with Pretzel Exit (
H)
Pretzels
» Pretzel (Lead's Left) (
4,
H)
» Pretzel (Follow's Right) (
4,
H)
» Pretzel (Lead's Right) (
4,
H)
» Pretzel (Follow's Left) (
4,
H)
» Continuous Pretzel (
4,
H)
Crossed Hands (R-in-R)
» Waist Slide to R-in-R (see above)
» Double Face Loop to R-in-R (see above)
» R-in-R Inside Turn (
T)
» Behind the Back Hand Change (
4,
T,
H)
» Behind the Back Hand Change Combo (
H)
» Sweetheart (In and Out) (
H)
» Sweetheart (Back and Forth) (
H)
» Windows (
4,
H)
» R-in-R She Goes, He Goes (
4)
» Mixmaster (
4,
H)
» Reverse Mixmaster (
4,
H)
» Crossed-Hand Matador (
4,
H)
» Tunnel (
4,
H)
Goofy Hands (L-to-R)
» Goofy Hand Swing Moves (
T)
» Sliding Doors (
4,
H)
» Revolving Doors (
4,
H)
» Revolving Doors with Free Spin
» Revolving Doors with Rollaway (
4,
H)
Dips
» Wrong-Way Cradle Side Dip (
4,
H)
» Cradle Side Dip (
4,
H)
» Yo Yo Cradle Side Dip (
4)
» Valentino Dip (
4,
H)
» Valentino Dip (Double Turn Version) (
4)
Jedi Swing
» Jedi Swing (
H)
Four Count Swing
(Street Swing, Four Count Hustle,
Rope Hustle, Bugg)
Description
Four Count Swing is Swing in even timing, one count per beat, walk-walk-rock-step.
It first appeared in the 1950s as a minor variation among teenagers on American Bandstand. In the 1970s, it became a popular basic step in Disco.
Variations
These variations only apply to four count swing. For general swing moves, see Swing Moves.
Music
Here are a few of our favorite Four Count Swing tunes, arranged by tempo.
Six Count Swing
(East Coast Swing, Jitterbug)
Description
Six Count Swing appeared alongside Early Lindy Hop in the late 1920s, and has remained popular since then.
Variations
These variations only apply to Six Count Swing. For general swing moves, see Swing Moves.
Music
Here are a few of our favorite Six Count Swing tunes, arranged by tempo.
Triple Step Swing
(East Coast Swing, Triple Swing,
Triple Time Swing, Six Count Lindy)
Description
Triple Step Swing appeared in the 1930s alongside triple step Lindy Hop.
Variations
These variations only apply to triple count swing. For general swing moves, see Swing Moves.
Music
Here are a few of our favorite Triple Step Swing tunes, arranged by tempo.
Related Dances
Lindy Hop
All variations in Lindy Hop can be danced alongside Triple Step Swing, using the transitions above.
Hustle
(Three-Count Hustle)
Description
Three-Count Hustle first appeared in the early 1980s as a simplification of the popular Latin Hustle of the 1970s.
Variations
These variations only apply to hustle. For general swing moves, see Swing Moves.
Music
Here are a few of our favorite Hustle tunes, arranged by tempo.
If you or your community is interested in learning Swing, .
For more dance descriptions, see our three books on dancing:
The Book of Mixers: 100 Easy-Teach Dances for Getting Acquainted (2022) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge,
Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide (2019) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge, and
Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living (2013) by Richard Powers and Nick Enge.
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