Step Lists for Beginner- and Intermediate-Level American Style Ballroom Dances

Printable Version

Tango: (1) Basic Step, (2) Corte, (3) Basic to Promenade Position, (4) Closed Promenade, (5) Open to Fan, (6) Closed Fan, (7) Tango Walk, (8) Side Basic, (9) Fall-away Fan, (10) Rocking Step, (11) Promenade Pivot (12) Rock to Corte (turning).

Rumba:

(1) Basic Box Step   Video Clip

(2) Cross Body Lead   Video Clip

(3,4) Cross-over Breaks (New York) and Spot Turn   Video Clip

(5) Underarm Turn   Video Clip

(6) Side Basic   Video Clip

(7) Time Step   Video Clip

(8) Open Cuban Walk   Video Clip

(9) Walk Around Turn (for lady), (10) Forward and Backward Rocks, (11) Fifth Position Breaks, (12) Cucarachas, (13) Offset Breaks, (14) Cuban Breaks, (15) Cross-over Variations (Swivel & Fencing).

Waltz: (1) Basic Box Step, (2) Hesitations, (3) Side Whisks, (4) Close Changes (Progressive), (4) Quarter Turn to Left, (5) Quarter Turn to Right, (6) Six Count Underarm Turn, (7) Promenade Hesitation, (8) Twinkle, (9) Triple Twinkles and Variations, (10) Butterfly, (11) Open Reverse Turn, (12) Offset Progressive Forward and Backward (including variation with hesitation and Open Reverse Turn finish).

Cha Cha: 

(1) Basic Step

(2) Progressive Basic

(3) Underarm Turn

(4) Cross Body Lead

(5) Crossover Breaks

(6) Fifth Position Breaks, (7) Spot Turn, (8) Chase, (9) Isolated Right Turn, (10) Triple Cha Cha Cha (short and long versions), (11) Offset Breaks, (12) Reverse Underarm Turn, (13) Two Way Underarm Turn (You Turn, I Turn), (14) Crossover Breaks with Double Rocks, (15) Shadow Breaks.

Foxtrot: (1) Basic Step, (2) Side Sway, (3) Ad Lib to Left and Right (Emergency Step), (4) Promenade, (5) Underarm Turn, (6) Fifth Avenue, (7) Running Step, (8) Twinkle, (9) Triple Twinkles and Variations, (10) Time Step, (11) Grapevine, (12) Promenade Pivot, (13) Promenade Twist Turn, (14) Quarter Turn with Slip Pivot.

Swing: (1) Basic Step (in place, turning to left and right), (2) Open Break (basic throw-out), (3) Underarm Turn, (4) Kick Step in Open Position, (5) Fall-away Kicks, (6) Sweetheart Turn, (7) Lindy Rhythm (in place, turning to right), (8) Time Step, (9) Reverse Underarm Turn, (10) Turn Behind the Back, (11) Single Check Turn, (12) Double Check Turns, (13) Shoulder to Shoulder, (14) Travel Steps.

Salsa: (1) Basic Step (in place and passing), (2) Side Basic, (3) Open Break, (4) Underarm Turn, (5) Twelve Count Underarm Turn, (6) Cross Basic, (7) Cross-over Break, (8) Walk-around Turn, (9) Isolated Right Turn, (10) Cross-body Lead, (11) Fifth Position Break with Scallop Ending, (12) I Turn and You Turn, (13) Arm Loop, (14) Head Roll, (15) Rope Spin, (16) Mambo Turn, (17) Change Hand Behind Neck.

Salsa Steps at Latin Workshop: (1) Basic Step, (2) Open Break, (3) Cross Basic, (4) Crossover Break with Point & Ronde, (5) Spot Turn or Walk Around Turn.

Samba: (1) Basic Step (in place), (2) Box Step, (3) Whisk, (4) Volta, (5) Open Break and Underarm Turn, (6) Reverse Turn (left turn), (7) Natural Roll, (8) Promenade Run, (9) Counter Promenade Run, (10) Botafocos.

Step Lists for Advanced Level American Style Ballroom Dances

Tango: (1) Open Fan Combination, (2) Promenade Swivel, (3) Oversway with Ronde Exit, (4) Argentine Rock.

Rumba: (1) Advanced Open Cuban Walk (and variations), (2) Cuban Breaks and Cucarachas, (3) Shadow Breaks, (4) Circular Sweetheart, (5) Offset Break Combo, (6) Open Cuban Walk and Fencing Combo, (7) Right-to-Right-Hand Hold to Turkish Tower Combo, (8) Advanced Walk-Around Turn.

Waltz: (1) Open to Left and Right, (2) Promenade Run, (3) Advanced Butterfly, (4) Telemark to Open Natural Turn to Open Impetus Ending, (5) Opening Out to Promenade Run, (6) Telemark to Pivot to Natural Twist Turn to Standing Spin to Promenade Exit, (7) Check to Oversway.