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Footwork5 minutes

Dance sideways in a small space with the Jive Chassé

By Bernhard De LucaUpdated

In short
  • The side Jive chassé consists of three weight changes: step to the side, close the other foot, and step to the side again.
  • As you close, the foot you bring in takes your weight, freeing the first foot for the final step.
  • Small side steps and an upright upper body limit the sideways travel without skipping the middle weight change.
  • Practice the chassé slowly without music first, then transfer the secure foot sequence to the Jive rhythm.

On a crowded dance floor, every unnecessary inch stands out. When your feet lag behind your body during a change step, even a simple sideways movement becomes tiring, and the hand connection suddenly gets pulled along.

What you need for the exercise

  • An open space with a level, dry floor
  • Flat, flexible shoes without highly grippy soles
  • Good balance while standing on one leg at a time
  • Removable tape for marking the floor
  • To finish: someone to practice with

The closing foot takes the weight on the middle step

In the Jive chasse, the feet briefly look as if they are simply sliding together. In fact, closing is its own weight-bearing step. For a chasse to the left, the foot sequence is left, right, left. To the right, it is right, left, right. If the middle foot only touches the floor, there is no weight transfer. Then the first foot has to take the last step again from the same supporting leg, often causing a jerk in your upper body.

Closing here means placing your free foot next to your supporting foot, without crossing it or knocking it against the other foot. Your feet are almost together, but you don't need to press them together. Your body moves over the new base of support instead of getting stuck between widely separated legs. Keeping the ball of your foot close to the floor helps you set it down quietly, but it doesn't replace transferring your weight. So don't hold yourself artificially high on your tiptoes.

A chasse moves sideways. Compact doesn't mean staying where you started, but keeping the movement deliberately short. You can find out how this fits into the dance in Getting started with Jive as a couple. Despite the similar step names, you shouldn't copy the movement unchanged from Cha-Cha-Cha: the timing of the three steps is different.

A floor marking makes your actual path visible, even when the steps already feel small.
A floor marking makes your actual path visible, even when the steps already feel small.

Practice the side chassé step by step

  1. Mark the starting position

    Place a short strip of tape next to your starting position, not under the sole of your shoe. Stand on your right foot with your knees soft and leave your left foot unweighted; the marker will serve as a reference for your sideways movement later.

  2. Take your first step to the side

    Move your left foot a little to the left and transfer your weight onto it. Choose a distance that lets you stand over your left foot without leaning your upper body to the left or stretching your right leg out straight.

  3. Close your right foot and transfer your weight onto it

    Bring your right foot close to your left, keeping it low to the floor, and transfer your weight onto it. Pause briefly: You should be able to take the weight off your left foot without first tipping your body over; if you can't, your body is still between your feet.

  4. Take the third step to the left

    Step small to the left again and transfer your weight. Keep your right foot unweighted and ready; now pay attention to the distance to the marker, because two large outward steps will make you travel far even if you close neatly.

  5. Mirror the footwork to the right

    Starting with your weight on your left foot, step right to the side, close with your left, then step right to the side. Repeat in both directions slowly; after each three-step sequence, the correct foot should be free to move in the opposite direction, without an extra tap.

  6. Replace the pauses with rhythm

    Connect the three steps smoothly in the Jive rhythm, for example on “3 a 4”: The middle step is short, and the intervals are uneven. Only add music after that; slow down again as soon as the closing step becomes just a touch.

  7. Coordinate the short path together

    Stand facing each other and begin with mirrored footwork, leading to the left and following to the right. Dance in the same direction of travel with light hand contact; let your hands accompany the movement without pulling either of you sideways, and stay centered over your own feet.

Small steps without evasive moves

That's right

  • Guide the free foot close to the floor alongside the standing foot
  • Keep your knees soft and flexible as you transfer your weight
  • Move your upper body along over your feet
  • Let your hands follow the movement you share

Not like this

  • Swing the free foot across in a high arc
  • Lock your knees before each side step
  • Throw your upper body sideways ahead of your feet
  • Pull the other person sideways with your arm

Your control during the exercise

Before the first run-through

Preparation

After the slow foot sequence

Control

After the partnered run-through

Conclusion

Frequently asked questions

  1. No, your shoes do not have to touch when you close. Bring your free foot almost beside your supporting foot, without pressing against its inner edge. A small, natural gap is better than forcing your feet together. What matters is that you can stand on the closing foot and take the weight off the other one.

Latin classes for your Jive chasse step

In a Latin dance class, you can practice the compact chasse with guidance and reinforce the weight transfer with a partner.

See all matching classes

A compact step takes practice

On udansa, you can find dance partners to calmly practice the small side-to-side Jive change step with. Arrange to practice both directions before adding it to your familiar figures.

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A compact step takes practice

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