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Cajun Jitterbug Dance Steps

The Cajuns, or Acadians, moved from Acadia to Southern Louisiana, and developed a musical style that incorporated their own folk and fiddle music with that of the Creoles, who favored accordions. The Cajun Jitterbug, which Tom Dempsey describes as being characterized by "its many turns and unique broken-leg step," is a dance where several different steps are danced randomly (see References). These steps are determined by the man, who directs the woman through the different patterns. It consists basically of two parts: the East Coast Swing and the Cowboy Jitterbug. The Cajun Jitterbug is a fun and lively dance that not only works well with Cajun music but bluegrass music as well.
  1. The Cowboy Jitterbug: The Leader

    • The leader (the man) stands with his feet together facing the center of the room. He steps to the right and brings his left foot over and taps it next to his right. He steps to the left with his left foot and taps the floor with his right foot beside the left. Next, he takes a small step to the right with his right foot, brings his left foot next to his right, steps right again with his right foot and brings his left foot to his right. He repeats the pattern from the top by stepping to the left with his left foot, tapping the floor beside it with his right, stepping right with his right foot and tapping beside it with his left. He takes a small step to the left, brings his right foot to the left, steps again with his left and places his right foot next to his left, and then continues the pattern with his right foot.

    Transition to the East Coast Swing: The Leader

    • Transitioning into the East Coast Swing means that instead of taking two small steps to either side, the man now steps back and forward. After taking a step to the right and tapping with the left, stepping to the left and tapping with the right, the man steps back with his left foot and then his right. Next, he steps forward with his left foot, taps beside his left foot with his right foot and then steps right with his right foot and taps beside it with his right. He steps back with his left foot, back with his right foot, steps forward with his left and taps beside it with his right and so on.

    Pivot Turn with East Coast Swing: Leader

    • The next step is to add a pivot turn to the East Coast Swing portion of the Cajun Jitterbug. The turn begins with the steps forward and back as described in Section 2. When the man steps back with his left foot and back with his right, he then steps forward with his left foot and pivots on the ball of his foot to the right so that his back is to the center of the room. He brings his right foot to his left, makes a small step forward with his left foot, steps back with his left, brings his right foot beside the left, steps forward and to the side with his left foot, taps beside the left foot with the right, steps right and taps the floor beside it with his left, steps back with his left foot and continues the pattern. Repeat the pivot turn steps four times.

    Transition from East Coast Swing to Cowboy Jitterbug: Leader

    • The transition from the East Coast Swing to the Cowboy Jitterbug in the Cajun Jitterbug happens during the forward and back steps featured in Section 2. When the man steps back with his left foot, he does not bring his right foot back beside his left. Instead, he steps back with his left foot and forward and to the side with his right foot, taps beside it with his left foot, and continues with the Cowboy Jitterbug as described in Section 1.

    Pivoting Steps in the Cowboy Jitterbug: The Leader

    • Add to the footwork of the Cowboy Jitterbug portion of the Cajun Jitterbug by adding some pivoting steps. When you step to the right, turn your toes in toward the center so your right foot is at an angle. Tap beside your right foot with your left, and as you step to the left with your left foot, placing it so that the toes are turned inward, gradually lift your right heel and turn your right foot to the right before you pick it up and tap beside your left foot with your right. Instead of simply stepping twice to the right with your right foot, step to the right, lift your right heel and turn your right foot to the left at the same moment your turn your left foot to the right so your toes are almost touching. Lean back on your heels, pivot your right foot to the right and your left heel to the right with the toes of your left foot pointing left. Pivot on the ball of your right foot and turn your right heel to the right with your toes pointing left as you pivot on the heel of your left foot and turn your toes to the right so the toes are almost touching. Move to the right once more, tap with your left foot beside your right, step left with the left foot, tap with the right, and do another set of pivoting steps to the right.

    Variations and Followers

    • Continue adding variations to the above steps and transition back and forth from the East Coast Swing to the Cowboy Jitterbug as you do the Cajun Jitterbug. As long as you stay within the beat of the music, you will be fine. For the follower or the woman, she does the same steps as the man but in reverse. When the man steps to the right and taps with his left foot, she steps with her left foot and taps with her right.

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