Move · Videos · Technique · 13 min

Collegiate Shag for Beginners: Basic Footwork and Positions

Collegiate Shag for Beginners: Basic Footwork and Positions — video by Summer Jamboree Dance Academy Play · 12:54

Video by Summer Jamboree Dance Academy on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Steve and Chanzie, swing teachers and dance champions from Los Angeles, teach the six-count collegiate shag basic (slide, scoot, quick, quick), the step-kick basic, and how to move between closed, side-by-side and open positions. The positions are best with a partner.

  • 13 min
  • Beginner
  • Moderate impact
  • No equipment
  • Swing

Good forDancing for fun

Open in VideosLog it in Train

Step by step 9

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Basic slows: leaders start with weight on the right foot, followers the left; slide back on 1, scoot on 2. 0:51
  2. The quicks on 5, 6: run in place, leaders left-right, followers right-left. 1:52
  3. Repeat the six-count basic: slide, scoot, slide, scoot, quick, quick, brushing rather than hopping. 2:23
  4. Closed position: offset from your partner, hips back, on the balls of the feet, hands up. 2:58
  5. Dance the closed-position basic to music, smoothly rather than bouncing. 4:45
  6. Step-kick basic: slide back, then kick with a straight knee as you scoot back. 5:38
  7. Side-by-side and open positions for the step-kick basic. 7:24
  8. Change from closed to side-by-side position, and back, on the quick-quick. 8:48
  9. Change from closed to open position and back on the quick-quick, then link all three. 10:45

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

Form cues from the coach

  • Slide and scoot rather than jumping or hopping, so your feet brush the floor
  • Stay on the balls of your feet with your hips slightly back
  • Change position on the quick-quick, counts five and six

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 2 takes load

  • Knees takes loadslide-scoot basic with hips back, step-kicks
  • Ankles & feet takes loadon the balls of the feet, scoots, quick runs
  • Hips movesstraight-knee kicks, hips-back posture

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

More like this

Browse all 764 videos

Video by Summer Jamboree Dance Academy; 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