http://www.metacafe.com/watch/yt-ARz...nicole_beckey/



Oh my....

Windmill, Spanish Arms - not too bad either as names or steps, but try explaining Chicken Walks!!!

The Modern Jive Windmill (as posted by Doktor D) looks more sensible than the Ballroom International version which seems to mainly consist of running forward past your partner with your arms linked in a windmill shape.

Chicken walks are a long way off for me (but do sound really silly), but noticed from the syllabus there are also steps called Chugging, Catapult and Stalking Walks at that level. The jive really has the silliest names for its steps!

I don't think the silly step names are confined to jive - the turkish towel in the cha cha cha always strikes me as a very silly name; though I suppose the arm action does look like someone drying their shoulders with a towel when danced in two handed hold.

Yes Turkish Towel is a pretty silly name as well I guess even the familiar Hockey Stick is a bit incongruous for a beautiful romantic step.

I guess at least that makes the latin steps easier to remember. For example, I can never remember the names of the Tango steps because they are so dull (and sometimes long) - the names that is, not the steps! And don't know who decided they would try and get the word Telemark into as many foxtrot steps as possible.

I remember being taught The Twist (yes, I'm THAT old) and being told to
"Stub cigarette out on ground with your toe"

That doesn't sound much like the "windmill" to me- certainly not the international style ballroom jive I've ever seen!!!

Badly described then. My teacher's a licentiate and so knows what he's teaching . To be a bit more accurate then, 3 forward running steps from woman passing in front of the man. Hold from woman is one arm downwards and slightly forward (from what I remember) and one arm upwards and slightly back with body inclined (presumably to look like a windmill). Sounds more like it? Sorry I was being a bit throwaway in comment.

Just found description here. http://www.emotionsdancesport.com/jive/windmill.htm Rather more complete than my description above! The point of the post was just to say that it feels a bit of a silly step.

When we were first taught the 'Tipple' Chasse in the Quickstep we were convinced that our teacher had made the name up. Wasn't until we started buying text books that we realised we owed him an apology.

I like the 'Tipsy' and 'Fishtail' in the Quickstep.

Tipple and tipsy. The quicksteppers obviously like to have a good time!
I've not had to do the "tipsy" yet but my dance teacher demo'd it to me so that I could see why it was called the 'tipsy" I guess that aspect was a bit exaggerated for my benefit, but it did make me laugh.