Rock 'n' Roll (RnR)

The music has 4 beats to the bar and about 42 bars per minute. There are many different basic rhythms. Count S, QQ or QaQ per half bar for most step groups and figures.

RnR doesn't really use a close hold. Double and single handholds are more common.

The style of RnR varies a lot. It tends to be wilder than Jive - which was derived from it. So it has all the same figures, plus many more dangerous ones where the couple throw each other around.

Basics

There are a lot of different RnR basics. They all follow the pattern of 2 somethings (one on each foot) plus some sort of rock-step. The man's basic is always Left-Right-Left and the lady's is always Right-Left-Right. Note the rock-step is considered to be the last part of the figure rather than the first as in Jive. This is probably to pretend the dances are more different than they actually are.

In general, any flicks and closes are accompanied by a hop or bounce on the supporting foot. For a flick, raise the foot to shin level, then push it out low and slightly to the side to avoid hitting partner. The toe should be pointed down and not allowed to flap around. A Full-Change has both feet off the floor briefly, the rear one is put down first but weight goes onto the front one (which must be close to it). In heel digs the toe is pointed up and the heel touches the floor. In pump steps, the hip is raised as well as the knee so that when the foot is pushed down heel first it does not hit the floor!

		Press-Step Basic (FP, DH)
Beat		S		S		Q		Q
Man		LS		RS		LB		RF
Lady		RS		LS		RB		LF

		Tap-Step Basic (FP, DH)
Beat		Q		Q		Q		Q		Q		Q
Man		LS tap		LS		RS tap		RS		LB		RF
Lady		RS tap		RS		LS tap		LS		RB		LF

		Flick Basic (FP, DH)
Beat		Q		Q		Q		Q		Q		Q
Man		LdF fl		LC		RdF fl		RC		LB		RF
Lady		RdF fl		RC		LdF fl		LC		RB		LF

		Flick Basic with Flick Full-Change (FP, DH)
Beat		Q		Q		Q		Q		Q		a		Q
Man		LdF fl		LC		RdF fl		RC		LdF fl		LcB		RcF
Lady		RdF fl		RC		LdF fl		LC		RdF fl		RcB		LcF

		Double-Flick Basic with Flick Full-Change (FP, DH)
Beat		Q		Q		Q		Q		Q		a		Q
Man		LdF fl		LdF fl		RdF fl		RdF fl		LdF fl		LcB		RcF
Lady		RdF fl		RdF fl		LdF fl		LdF fl		RdF fl		RcB		LcF

		Pump Basic with Heel Full-Change (FP, DH)
Beat		Q		Q		Q		Q		Q		a		Q
Man		LS pump		LC		RS pump		RC		LdF heel		LcB		RcF
Lady		RS pump		RC		LS pump		LC		RdF heel		RcB		LcF

		Double-Pump Basic with Heel Full-Change (FP, DH)
Beat		Q		Q		Q		Q		Q		a		Q
Man		LS pump		LS pump		RS pump		RS pump		LdF heel		LcB		RcF
Lady		RS pump		RS pump		LS pump		LS pump		RdF heel		RcB		LcF

Square

This is my favourite RnR-only figure. It was used by The Shadows (on the rare occasions that they attempted to dance). The first step is forwards. The second step crosses all the way over in front of it (further sideways than shown in the diagram). The third step is backwards and the fourth is sideways. All 4 steps are slow - so it makes a change from the normal RnR rhythms.

		Square (FP, DH)
Beat		S		S		S		S
Man		LF		RxF		LB		RS
Lady		RF		LxF		RB		LS