As the weightless freedom of the Sea Walk is the ultimate goal, the best place to start is with the basic moves. The Shuffle move is a step forward with one foot, keeping your weight distributed lightly and evenly between the heel of your back foot and the toe of your front foot. A slight hop allows you to switch feet. Rotate your hips with the hop so that your balance point does not move through the transition. Your shoulders, arms, head and torso should stay relaxed.
The Shuffle Kick move uses the same transition method as the Shuffle, using the heel of the front foot to balance, instead of the toes. Lateral travel is created by V moves, Heel Toe and Step Back movements.
V's are created with heels together and toes out at a 45 degree angle or toes together with heels at a 45 degree angle. Switching your feet from heels together to toes together while exchanging balance from toes to heels allows you to travel. Heel Toe moves use the same principle of weight shift as the V, with the feet parallel, shoulder width apart. Switching between V and Heel Toe movements allows you to move at all angles.
The Step Back is used as punctuation and to change direction. To perform it, simply step back, bringing the ball of the back foot to meet the heel of the front foot. Weight for the step back is lightly, but evenly distributed to the ball of the back foot and the heel of the front foot.
Practice the details of each movement until they come naturally. It might be helpful to start a little bit flat-footed, just to iron out the technical placement of your feet. The Sea Walk dance steps, however, are all based on the intricacy of weight shift in motion, totally relaxed but upright upper body and use of the hips to maintain control of body motion. Once you have the basic foot work down, choose the move that is most natural to you and focus on weight distribution, fluidity and upper body posture until you have the feel and control of your body balance that give Sea Walk dance steps life and freedom. With your reference move fully learned, translate the Sea Walk "feeling" to the other basic moves.
Sea Walk dance steps have evolved out of the hip hop and rap culture, but any music with more than one rhythm and counter rhythms can inspire creative stepping. Heel toe weight shifts are the core component to the Sea Walk. Listen to your music and start to step in concert with all the sounds in the song. Advancement comes with the ability to match heels, toes and hip movements to a variety of rhythms in the song, at the same time. For example, V's, Shuffle, Step Back and shuffle Kicks do not have to be performed at the same time, by both feet. The left foot can be moving in a V travel, while the right foot shuffles, then you can step back, switch feet and do the same combination in another direction. Complexity and style come with practice.
Sea Walk dance steps are fun, socially engaging and inspire freedom. It might be interesting to learn about the background of the dance style, which has its roots in the complexity of American gang history, so that your own creativity reflects the best elements of social harmony and caring family these groups seek. Your reasons for learning to Sea Walk are your own. Let the process of learning and the product of your own performance bring you happiness.