The Charleston is a major influence on Lindy Hop, and the Back Charleston is the move that is most directly
descended from that influence, deriving from the Charleston Basic. The Lindy Hop version is more linear and
involves less swivelling, but it is still recognizably the same move as the Charleston Basic. The conversion
to a more linear style also means that this move is ideally suited to faster tempo music.
While the dancers are kicking their feet, their arms are also swinging in opposition to their legs—as
the left foot goes back, the left arm goes forwards and the right arm backwards (and vice versa).
In social dancing, the main danger with the Back Charleston is that the dancers may kick each other. To
prevent this possibility, it is often best to kick slightly out to the sides, particularly when dancing with a
new partner. There's also a danger of kicking other dancers, so kicks backward should be kept small on a
crowded dance floor.
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right side view |
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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, moving their left hands forward and their right hands backwards.
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2. B:StL Both the leader and the follower lift their left feet next to their right feet, with the left knee bent, returning their hands to their sides.
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3. B:KfL Both the leader and the follower perform a kick forward with their left feet, moving their right hands forward and their left hands backwards.
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4. B:TL Both the leader and the follower close their left feet to their right feet, returning their hands to their sides.
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5. B:KfR Both the leader and the follower perform a kick forward with their right feet, moving their left hands forward and their right hands backwards.
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6. B:StR Both the leader and the follower lift their right feet next to their left feet, with the right knee bent, returning their hands to their sides.
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7. B:KbR Both the leader and the follower perform a kick backward with their right feet, moving their right hands forward and their left hands backwards. The follower should be careful not to kick backwards too far or too vigorously, just in case the leader is not kicking backwards at the same time.
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8. B:TR Both the leader and the follower close their right feet to their left feet, returning their hands to their sides.
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