Slap your upper-front thighs with the palms of your hands two times. This counts for steps one and two. Add your own smooth moves, such as shifting your hips from right to left, to spice it up a little.
Raise your hands to mid-chest level and clap them twice. These are steps three and four. Keep in mind that these claps should be quick. Two claps for one beat.
Stick your hands out palms down without extending the arms. Your hands should be at waist level. For steps five and six, wave the bottom of your right hand horizontally over the top of your left hand. Next, wave your left hand over your right hand to complete steps seven and eight.
Make two fists and bend your elbows. Make sure that your thumbs are on the top of your fists. Lightly pound the top of your left fist with the bottom of your right fist twice to complete steps nine and 10. Pound the top of your right hand with the bottom of your left hand to complete steps 11 and 12.
Extend your thumbs while your hands are still in a fist so you look like you are giving two thumbs up. Point over your right shoulder twice to complete steps 13 and 14. Repeat with your left thumb over your left shoulder, and you have done steps 15 and 16.
Incorporate your own style into the hand jive dance now that you know all of the steps. Rock your hips, hand jive in pairs or hand jive in a line dance.