Because at Dance Fans there are so many looking for an opportunity to learn to dance, we describe below the base of the disco. (Also called disco boogie, boogie, or swing).

However, my advice remains: go to a dance club, -association or -school. That's a lot more social, more sociable, more enjoyable and easier. You see what you have to do, and if you cannot (properly) manage, the teacher helps you and give you tips.

The second reason to still publish this is that it offers the opportunity to show how you can write dancing steps on a useful and simple way (and keep it on your PC).

To be able to write quickly and easily the most commonly used words are abbreviated:

L: (to) Leftlearndisco
R: (to) Right
Tr: Turn
r: right foot
l: left foot
f (to) forward
h: (to) hind (or backwards, not to confuse with back: set again on the same former place)
S: Slow, 1 (a) count
Q: Quick (fast), ½ count
A: And (&), ¼ count
E: e, 1/8 beat (very quickly, briefly, as the ball of the foot)

1, 2,... 11, 12: the direction, the numbers on the dial of your watch, where you stand in the center of, and your nose at the beginning of each step or move always points to the 12.

Any step that is put is always a full step, this means that the weight of your body for 100% rests on the displaced foot. The other foot (which you left) can thus move freely in principle.
This will automatically also become the foot that you have to put for the next pass.
If there is still a foot movement is described in which the weight does not move (e.g. tap) then this is indicated.

All basic moves and movements in the disco we do on 8 counts.
Each beat lasts as long.
Each beat is a count is a step.

Basic step

timing

partner

 

count

tempo

man

lady

explanation

1

S

l h

r h

*

2

S

r back

l back

 

3

S

l back

r back

 

4

S

r back

l back

 

5..8

S

repeat 1..4

   



The base is easy. No more difficult than just stepping.
Do every movement well. And do them correctly.
(*) The foot goes backwards, you place about ½ foot behind your other support foot.


Most important: Stay in rhythm, keep time, keep the right rhythm, act synchronic with the beats.
Search in our list for your favorite disco song (not too fast) to practice.

Most moves start with the same basic steps, counts 1 to 6, sometimes 1 to count 4. Therefore it is important to know the basics well.


Dance posture

You are not dancing disco separate from each other, but as a couple. We make the link of course with our arms and hands. For the disco you can do this in two ways:

Hand hold

Stand facing each other with a small gap, about 50 centimeters.
The man turns his palms up (at belly height).
The lady puts hers on them.
To control and monitor movements well and indicate good should both give a little pressure and counter-pressure. Your arms are no slack rope, but dance actively. You should really be pushing just as much - or rather give as little pressure to let your hand automatically follow every movement of the partner makes.
Try it first go out with random movements.
You know: on the dance floor the gentleman leads and the lady follows.
So the right hand of the lady is on the left hand of the man, and her left hand on his right.

Ballroom

We use a relaxed, casual ballroom attitude.
He puts his right hand under the left arm of the woman on / under her shoulder blade. She puts her left hand on his right upper arm.
He presents on shoulder height his left, palm up. The lady puts her right there.

You need both to have space to move around.
For example, in the basic step you step out - and again back to each other.
The move is important because in a number of figures it serves as a launch for an opposite movement. You stretch as to speak first a rubber band, thus to launch yourself and / or your partner in the other direction.

Also again, this you must first practice rhythmically to music before proceeding to the next figure.


Disco belongs to the family of Latin dance. So you have actually to move from your hips and not from the steps that you put with your feet.
Try it, move your body...

Lady turn

The first six counts are the same as the basic step.
For the man there is almost no change.
The lady first turns clockwise, then counterclockwise again.

timing

partner

 

count

temp

man

lady

 

1

S

l h

r h

 

2

S

r back

l back

 

3

S

l back

r back

 

4

S

r back

l back

 

5

S

l h

r h

 

6

S

r back

l back

man l hand up

7

S

l back

r f & begin Tr

lead lady to 9’, turn 1/4 to lady

8

S

r back

l h, lady to man

 
         

1

S

l h

r h

 

2

S

r back

l back

 

3

S

l back

r f & Tr

H l hand up

4

S

r back

l h

to start position

5

S

l h

r h

= basisc steps!

6

S

r back

l back

 

7

S

l back

r back

 

8

S

r back

l back

 


Hints for turning:

He indicates the movement: do this in time, not at the last minute (or (tenth of a) second), otherwise the lady has no time to make her turn properly.

The gent should not rotate the lady. Turn not like you're using an old coffee grinder. Declaring hand and movement is sufficient.

With this kind of turning the hands are always above the head of the person who turns (usually the woman). If you do not do this, then you take her off balance. So the pivot point is not over a shoulder, but always just above the head.

Create (in time) a wiiide motion with your arm. Take it easy, use the time you have. That makes it easier for both.



Crossing

Is again the basic step, with an amendment on 7 and 8, and the reverse on 3 and 4.

timing

partner

 

count

temp

man

woman

 

1

S

l h

r h

 

2

S

r back

l back

 

3

S

l back

r back

 

4

S

r back

l back

 

5

S

l h

r h

 

6

S

r back

l back

man r hand loose

7

S

l f

r f

r hand takes r hand *

8

S

r f & Tr

l f & Tr

 
         

1

S

l h

r h

 

2

S

r back

l back

H r hand loose

3

S

l f

r v

r hand takes r hand *

4

S

r f & Tr

l f & Tr

 

5

S

l h

r h

 

6

S

r back

l back

 

7

S

l back

r back

 

8

S

r back

l back

 


(*)The gentleman gives with his left hand, the right hand of the lady behind his back (while he steps forward, turns his back to her to and rotates) to his right hand, and immediately again takes over with his left hand.


You do not learn to dance with read (this),
You learn not to dance by looking at it,
You learn it just by doing it.


There are dozens of positions and variations for the disco boogie.
As seasoning we give of each mentioned figure a variant.
Make sure you first know the basic moves well, then this version is easy to do.

Closed turn

Start from handhold (both hands in contact)
Make the Lady turn, but keep both hands constantly holding.
It is the same figure, but it looks a completely different one.

Superman

Do the crossing, but instead passing the hand of the lady, the man swings his right arm over his left hand while releasing the lady first, and then takes and holds with his left (or even right, depending on next figure) again.