Step Combinations

This page is intended to be a fairly random list of Step Combinations that I use and teach. I  plan to add to the page (I won't promise "regularly"), so come back to see what's new.

New material added 27th June 2004- and a bit more on 8th July 2004- click here

All the combinations are based on counts of 4 & 8.  So they would suit any of the basic 4 rhythms, such as Sa'aidi, Maqsoum, Wahda Wa Nous or Wahda Kebira.

A few general matters before I get started:

• Try not to start any move/step/combination with your weight evenly distributed.  It is more helpful to start with your weight in one leg and the other leg prepared for the move/step/combination.

• Although the descriptions here are one-sided, you should always practice moves equally on both sides.

• It may be obvious but...  R = Right, L = Left

Off you go then...

1. Rotations- 1 big rotation for count of 4, 2 small rotations for count of 2+2.  Repeat, changing direction.
2. Figure 8s (horizontal)- 1 big slow figure 8, for count of 8 (4 R, 4 L), 1 medium figure 8 for count of 4 (2 R, 2 L), 4 small figure 8s for 4 (RLRL).
3. Single hip circles vertical- 2 Forward, 2 to the side

1. Hip drop with foot flick x 2, cross & flamenco turn.  Over 1st count of 4, dropping R hip- drop, flick, drop, flick; over 2nd count of 4- cross R foot in front of L leg, then squeeze thighs together to untwist and prepare for next move.  This gives a 180° turn, so it is good to use in profile.
2. Side to side, Hip drop with foot flick to pivot round 1/4 turn. Over count of 4- side to side RLRL (you could also use double side to side- RRLL); pivoting (with weight in L hip) hip drop R- drop, flick, drop, flick. Do this 4 times to get yourself all the way round to face front again.
3. Forward back forward pivot hip drop flick. This works in profile well because it gives a 180° turn. Facing L profile, over first count of 4, step R foot forward, L foot middle, R foot back, L foot middle;  on count of 5 & 6, step R foot forward, and keeping R foot in place in front, pivot on the balls of your feet to face back & then R profile- your R foot keeps the weight but because you have changed focus, it is now your Back leg.  Over the count of 7 & 8, do hip drop with a foot flick with your L hip.  You could make that final count of 7 & 8 any move that leaves your weight in the back leg, so your foot is ready for next forward back... e.g. hip circle, lean out & back, figure 8, shoulder shimmy, etc.

1. Cross step & Retreat. On the first count of 4, cross step, place x 2 [Step with R foot 1st, then L], then on the second count of 4, retreat [stepping backwards RLR] then Pause -or- Hop -or- Horsestep. Then repeat the other way, starting with L foot.  The retreat can be a plain step or you can use an abdominal pull-in, or a camel.
2. Forward back with Arabesque.  Over 1st count of 4 step R foot Forward, L foot middle, R foot back, L foot middle, over 2nd count of 4 step R foot forward, L foot middle, R foot back and pivot to R on R foot, trailing L leg behind you in an Arabesque.  You are then ready to start the same pattern in the opposite direction.
3. Step push forward with turn back.  3-step turns & 4-step turns.  Step R push L, step L push R, 4 step turn RLRL.  Repeat, with R foot leading as before.  If you want to change foot each time, make it a 3 step turn.  Step R push L, step L push R, 4 step turn RLR, with a brief pause on 4th beat.  Repeat, starting the step push with L foot.
4. 3-step turn hip drop with flick.  Over 1st count of 4 turn to R, with 3 steps RLR, pause with weight in R hip; on 2nd count of 4 hip drop L with foot flick x 2.  Repeat in opposite direction
5. 3-step turn push forward push back. Over 1st count of 4 turn to R, with 3 steps RLR, pause with weight in R hip; on 2nd count of 4 push L hip forward and then back.  You can either keep the body weight in the R leg, so that it is a hip push action, or you can shift the weight so that it is a forward back step. Repeat in opposite direction
6. Zaza Hexagon.  An Arabesque based combination, named after Zaza Hassan, from whom I got this move.  The hexagon is the floor pattern, by the way.  Start with weight in L hip, with R foot ready to go.  Over 1st count of 4, step R foot behind L leg, step L, step R foot in front of L, Arabesque, with L foot trailing.  Over 2nd count of 4, cross L foot in front of R, step R, step L foot behind R, Arabesque backwards with R foot trailing.

1. Swerves with changes in level.  Single sided swerves, changing levels by combining swerves where the leading foot is on toes then flat-footed.  Try toes, flat, toes, flat.  Or toes, toes, toes, flat.  
2. Cross step push, cascade hip drop.  Cross R foot in front of L, push L hip up & drop L hip with a cascade (stopping half way down then continuing the full drop), pause on the 4th count, with weight still in R leg.  Repeat to other side.
3. Cross step push, drop, rock.  As No 2 above, cross R foot in front of L, push L hip up & drop L hip with a cascade, pause (with weight in R side); on second count of 4, move L foot forward & rock weight onto it, with shoulder shimmy, move weight back onto R foot, with shoulder shimmy.  Repeat to other side.
4. Linear Camels with forward & reverse turns. (Start travelling to R) camel, travelling sideways, with R foot leading, 2 x slow (on the counts 1-4), 3 x fast (counts 5 & 6).  On 8th count, step onto R foot & pivot either forwards or backwards to turn 360°.  Repeat in opposite direction
5. Crossing Camels with forward & reverse turns. (Start travelling to R) camel, travelling sideways to R, with L foot leading, 2 x slow, 3 x fast, as in 4 above.  On 8th count, cross L foot in front of R & pivot either forwards or backwards to turn 360°.  Repeat in opposite direction
6. Leila's Camel with bottom.  Named after Leila Haddad from whom I learned this combination.  Over 1st count of 4, camel leading with R foot in front, (you are stepping RLR) then cross-step L foot in front, and (keeping L foot on the floor), pull weight into R hip & pull R hip back into R diagonal.  Then repeat in reverse, starting with L foot in front for camels.
7. Inside arabesque walk diagonal. (Travelling to R first) step RLR (it feels as though you are starting off with the 'wrong' leg), 'inside' arabesque (lift L knee, and then twist body to L, letting the L knee trail so your thighs stay together).  Repeat in other direction.
8. Inside arabesque walk diagonal with Camels.  (Travelling to R first) Over the count of 4- step RLR (it feels as though you are starting off with the 'wrong' leg), 'inside' arabesque lifting L knee; over second count of 4- double camel LL RR. Repeat in other direction.  [Instead of the double camel you could do a rocking pivot step turning in circle to L, but you have to make sure you do 4 steps to have the opposite leg ready to take you in the opposite direction].

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Some combinations we worked on in class this term

These use two counts of 8 each 

1. Step Push
   For the first count of 8, step push x 4 walking forward, starting with the R foot.  For the second count of 8, retreat back to your starting point, with 123 steps x 3, RLR LRL RLR, then step back L & R.  Repeat with the opposite foot- L foot starting.
2. Diagonal with Figure 8
   For the first count of 8, travel in diagonal R forward then back.  Step forward RL, then step back RL, then on 5th count, step R foot across L, & turn to face the L side. On the counts of 6,7 & 8, do 1½ figure 8, to RLR, so you finish with your weight in the R side.  On second count of 8 you repeat the same pattern but with the opposite foot, so you travel on the L diagonal, stepping LR forward then LR back, cross the L foot in front and turn to face R, figure 8 is LRL
3. Hip Drop Retreat
   This combination travels backwards.  Start in profile, facing L, weight in L foot, R foot ready to start the hip drops.  Do hip drops with a foot flick x 4 on R, for the first count of 8.  For the second count of 8, travel to the back, with a cross-step x 2, crossing the R foot in front of the L, then cross the R leg in front of the L a third time, but instead of carrying on with the cross-step, squeeze the thighs together, into a flamenco turn.  This should be just enough to get you facing the R, and leave you with the weight in the R leg ready to repeat the move using the L leg first.
4. Grapevine with Jazz Turn
   This combination travels sideways.  You start with your weight in the L foot & travel to the L with the grapevine over 4 counts- the R foot steps across first. You finish with your R foot ready for a pivot turn- on count 5, step forward with the R foot, circling the R hip forward & L, & shift weight onto R foot, keeping both feet in position & swivelling on the balls of the feet, so you are facing back & the L foot is in front of you.  On count 6, step onto L foot. On count 7, step forward with the R foot, circling the R hip forward & L, & shift weight onto R foot, keeping both feet in position & swivelling on the balls of the feet, so you are facing front again & the L foot is in front of you. Mark the 8th count with a R heel drop, horsestepping the L knee up.  Repeat in opposite direction for the second set of 8.
5. Camel with Forward, Side, Back Push
   This combination should *in theory* be on the spot, try not to let it drift off its place.  Start with weight in the L foot.  Camels x 2 for the first count of 4, making sure you finish with weight back in the L foot.  Hip Push R x 3, moving the R foot forward on the first, to the side on the 2nd, and back on the 3rd. for the 8th count, step onto the R foot, dropping down securely onto the heel.  Repeat in the opposite direction for the second count of 8.

Magdy's Hip Drop, Turn & Tombé
This was a combination that I learned at a workshop with Magdy el-Leisy.
Start with weight in L foot, R foot ready to start the hip drops. Do hip drops with a foot flick x 2 on R, for a count of 4.  Then do a 2-step turn to R (step RL). Fall back (or sideways) onto R foot, on the count of 7 and straighten up onto the L foot again on the count of 8. 

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