Back Charleston Changing Places

Like the Back Charleston Reverse, this move involves a change of positions for the dancers so that the leader ends up in front of the follower rather than behind her. For this move, however, the transition is more complicated, and the couple as a whole remain facing in the same direction throughout the move.

For the first eight beats of the move, the leader moves from behind the follower to in front of her turning 360° clockwise as he does so. During this, the follower continues to perform the normal Back Charleston except that she should move backwards slightly so that the leader has less distance to travel.

For the second eight beats the roles are reversed: the follower moves to the front, turning around as she does, and the leader shuffles backwards to reduce her travel distance.


left side view right side view behind view
1. B:PbL Start with the leader standing behind the follower, facing in the same direction, with the leader's left hand holding the follower's left hand and his right hand holding her right hand; both dancers have their weight on their right feet. Both the leader and the follower point backward with their left feet.
2. B:StL Both the leader and the follower lift their left feet next to their right feet, with the left knee bent.
3. B:KfL Both the leader and the follower perform a kick forward with their left feet, with the leader moving slightly forwards to left hand side of the follower. (image: elevated view - direction of leader's travel)
4. M:FL4R W:TL The leader takes a step forward on his left foot, turning 180° to his right, turning under his right arm. The follower closes her left foot to her right foot.
5. M:KfR4R W:KfR The leader performs a kick forward with his right foot, continuing to turn another 180° to his right, moving in front of the follower as he completes his turn. The follower performs a kick forward with her right foot.
6. B:StR Both the leader and the follower lift their right feet next to their left feet, with the right knee bent.
7. B:KbR Both the leader and the follower perform a kick backward with their right feet.
8. B:TR Both the leader and the follower close their right feet to their left feet.
1. B:PbL Both the leader and the follower point backward with their left feet. (image: direction of lead)
2. B:StL Both the leader and the follower lift their left feet next to their right feet, with the left knee bent. The leader draws the follower forwards with both hands, lifting his right hand over his right shoulder. (image: elevated view - direction of follower's travel)
3. B:KfL Both the leader and the follower perform a kick forward with their left feet, with the leader moving slightly forwards to left hand side of the follower, and with the leader moving to the right and back slightly to make the follower's travel distance shorter.
4. M:TL W:FL4R The leader closes his left foot to his right foot. The follower takes a step forward on her left foot, turning 180° to her right.
5. M:KfR W:KfR4R The leader performs a kick forward with his right foot. The follower performs a kick forward with her right foot, continuing to turn another 180° to her right, moving in front of the leader as she completes her turn.
6. B:StR Both the leader and the follower lift their right feet next to their left feet, with the right knee bent.
7. B:KbR Both the leader and the follower perform a kick backward with their right feet.
8. B:TR Both the leader and the follower close their right feet to their left feet.
 
 

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