Move · Videos · Technique · 11 min

Learn the Solo Charleston: Kicks, Twist and Arms

Learn the Solo Charleston: Kicks, Twist and Arms — video by Secrets of Solo Play · 10:42

Video by Secrets of Solo on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A solo jazz teacher breaks down the 1920s Charleston without a partner: the touch-step with a bounce, wider swing-style kicks, the heel twist and arms swinging against the legs. Good for any party with swing or jazz music.

  • 11 min
  • Beginner
  • Moderate impact
  • No equipment
  • Jazz

Good forDancing for fun

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Step by step 10

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Basic Charleston: right foot back, touch and step, touch and step, keeping a steady bounce. 0:38
  2. Keep the bounce, swing your arms in opposition as in a normal walk and keep your body facing the front. 1:09
  3. Swing-style kicks: replace each touch with a kick for a wider, groovier step, shoulders opposing hips. 1:37
  4. Kick back, kick front, then a kick-step, stepping where you kicked: kick, kick, step. 3:02
  5. Twenties twist: twist on the balls of your feet and tap the heel only as you finish the twist. 4:09
  6. The basic with a twist on every step, lifting your feet as if dancing on a hot frying pan. 4:54
  7. Arms in opposition: swing them from the elbows, then from the shoulders, then add the step. 5:53
  8. Feet on the floor: the same twist without the kick, as if your feet were magnetised to the floor. 6:36
  9. Grounded twist through the knees and heels: step away side to side, then forward and back. 7:17
  10. Put it together: kick steps into the twist; you can touch the heel on count five for the kick. 9:52

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Keep the groove and bounce, with your arms swinging in opposition to your legs
  • Face the front while you kick back and forward, and kick, kick, step
  • For the twist, stay on the balls of your feet and tap the heel only as you finish it

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 1 take load

  • Knees takes loadbouncing on one leg, kicks, knee and heel twists
  • Shoulders movesarms swinging against the legs
  • Hips movesswinging kicks back and forward
  • Ankles & feet movesballs-of-the-feet bounce, heel twists

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Secrets of Solo; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety