Move · Videos · Dance · 28 min

Learn the Shim Sham Swing Line Dance, Step by Step

Learn the Shim Sham Swing Line Dance, Step by Step — video by Laura Glaess Play · 27:48

Video by Laura Glaess on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Swing dance teacher Laura Glaess builds up the Shim Sham, the party line dance done at swing dances worldwide: the shim sham step, pushes and crossovers, Tack Annie, half break and full break, then Frankie Manning's third chorus, with some history.

  • 28 min
  • Beginner
  • High impact (jumping)
  • No equipment
  • Swing

Good forDancing for funFun workouts

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Step by step 13

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Clap on the eight of the music: every move of the Shim Sham starts there. 1:34
  2. The shim sham step: the first of the four main moves, built up with your feet. 2:08
  3. Crossovers, built up step by step, then add the pushes and put them together. 2:36
  4. Tack Annie: the third main move, built up to the music. 3:50
  5. Half break: step on eight, clap and rock step, then kick instead of clapping. 4:14
  6. Style tips: smaller steps with the heel under the knee; let stomps and kicks come from the body. 5:06
  7. Dance the main body through with Laura, changing move every phrase. 6:48
  8. Learn the full break, also called the TOBA break, by following along to the music. 10:38
  9. Where the break goes: usually the last eight counts of the phrase; dance it through with breaks. 13:15
  10. Practise the tricky change from the Tack Annie stomp into the break. 16:10
  11. Third chorus: build the boogie back and boogie forward with a clap, a hop and a hip roll. 20:16
  12. Shorty George: kick-ball-change and walk, then get low and work the knees. 21:35
  13. Dance the whole Shim Sham to music: first chorus, freeze chorus and third chorus. 24:36

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

Form cues from the coach

  • Every move starts on the eight, so clap to find it first
  • Think small steps, with the heel landing right below the knee
  • Let stomps and kicks come from relaxed body movement, not big legs

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 2 takes load

  • Knees takes loadShorty George low knees, hops, stomps
  • Ankles & feet takes loadhops in the boogie back, stomps, kick-ball-changes
  • Lower back moveship rolls in the third chorus
  • Hips moveshalf-break kicks, crossovers, hip roll
  • Jumping or hopping. Impact goes through the ankles, knees and hips.

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 Laura Glaess; 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