Dean Collins Shim Sham

A Note About the Quarter Break

You should know the half break and full break from the Frankie Manning Shim Sham. The quarter break is a variation that turns up over and over again in the Dean Collins Shim Sham, so it’s worth practicing on its own before learning the rest of the dance. Essentially, it’s a touch-ball-change, kick-ball-change done on the right foot. The right foot touches out and forward from the body on the first beat. Bring it in and commit a bit of your weight to the ball of it on the and of that beat, then shift your weight back to your left on the next beat. Repeat, doing a kick with the right foot on the first beat instead of a touch.

  1. Shim Sham Step

    Two normal shim sham eight-counts, four beats of a third eight-count, then a quarter break.

  2. Hip Pushes

    Two normal eight-counts of hip pushes. Begin a third eight-count, but on the 2 and 3, step right, then step left so your feet are side-by-side, then a quarter break.

  3. Tacky Annies

    Two normal eight-counts of tacky annies, four beats of the next eight-count, and a quarter break.

  4. Half-breaks

    Two half-breaks, a full break, two more half breaks.

  5. Evil Move

    Eight
    Weight goes forward onto the right foot.
    One
    Weight comes back onto the left foot, just behind the right foot, and the right foot pivots on the heel so that the toes are pointed to the left.
    and
    Weight shifts forward to the right foot.
    Two
    Left knee comes up high and right foot simultaneously pivots outward on the heel.
    and
    Left foot comes down and weight is shifted to it.
    Three
    Right knee comes up high.
    Four
    Right foot touches down, out and slightly behind you.
    and
    Push off of right foot.
    Five
    Right foot plants in front of you.
    Six, Seven
    Pivot anticlockwise on both feet 360°, ending up with legs crossed, left in front.
    Eight
    Step out with left.
  6. Inverted Suzy-Q

    Going to the left, the left foot plants pointing outward on the eight, then pivots to point forward on the one as the right foot is drawn up alongside. This repeats up until the next eight, at which point the right foot is put down to the right, and the movement is symmetric. On the next eight, the movement again reverses for four beats, at which point a quarter break follows.

  7. Boogie Step

    and Eight
    Step right, step left, turning 90° to the right.
    One, Two, Three
    Step right, left, right, pivoting 90° to the left in total.
    and Four
    Step left, step right, turning 90° to the left.
    Five, Six, Seven
    Step left, right, left, pivoting 90° to the right.
  8. Crossovers in Front

    On eight, the right foot plants outside and right. On the and, push off the right foot, planting it in front of the left on one. Repeat, switching sides, to fill up eight counts.

  9. One-legged Shorty George

    On eight, the right leg comes in to the left. With feet together, the knees go left, right on the one and two, then weight commits to the right leg on three as the left foot turns out and touches out and to the left. The right knee continues turning left, right, left, right, left, on the following five beats. The left foot comes in on the eight, and the whole patterns repeats symmetrically on the opposite side.

  10. Tabby The Cat

    Eight
    Right knee turns out (continuing the Shorty George)
    One
    Right foot steps back
    Two
    Left foot steps forward
    Three
    Right foot kicks
    and
    Right foot plants
    Four
    Left foot kicks
    and Five
    Stomp off, landing with feet apart
    Six, Seven
    Pivot to the left on both feet
    Eight
    Clap
  11. Crossovers behind

    This move is essentially identical to the crossovers in front, save that the instead of crossing in front, the foot crosses behind, making it more difficult.

  12. Single and Double Kick, Quarter Break, and Full Break

    and Eight
    Small rock step going back on the left foot
    One, Two
    Step right, step left
    Three
    Kick right
    Four, Five
    Kick left twice
    Six and Seven
    Quarter break

    At this point, do a full break, but kick forward on the seven.

  13. Savoy Kicks

    One
    Kick forward with the left
    Two
    Step down with the left
    Three
    Kick forward with the right
    Four
    Right knee comes up, foot beside left leg
    Five
    Kick back with the right
    Six
    Step down on the right
    Seven
    Hold left leg back
    Eight
    Tap left toe on floor

    Repeat twice.

  14. Three Kicks, Kick-Ball-Change, and Full Break

    One
    Left foot kicks forward
    Two
    Left foots steps down
    Three
    Right foot kicks forward
    Four
    Right foot steps down
    Five
    Left foot kicks forward
    Six and Seven
    Kick-ball-change

    At this point, do a full break, with kicking forward on the seven as before.

  15. Savoy Kicks

    Ibid. Two eight-counts.

  16. Single, Double, Triple Kicks

    One
    Kick forward with the left
    Two
    Step down with the left
    Three
    Kick forward with the right
    Four, Five
    Kick forward with left twice
    Six, Seven, Eight
    Kick forward with the right thrice
  17. Run Step

    One, Two, Three
    Step right, left, right, pivoting 180° anticlockwise
    Four
    Tap left toe behind
  18. Leg Swings

    Five
    Pivot 180° anticlockwise on right foot, kicking the left foot in the direction that will be forward at the end of the pivot.
    Six
    Step down with the left foot
    Seven
    Right leg swings in front
    Eight, One
    Right leg swings to the back
    Two, Three
    Right leg swings to the front
    Four
    Hop onto right foot
    Five
    Hold left foot back
    Six
    Tap left toe behind
    Seven
    Kick left foot forward
    Eight
    Step down on left foot
    One
    Right leg swings in front
    Two, Three
    Right leg swings to the back
    Four, Five
    Right leg swings to the front
    Six
    Hop onto right foot
    Seven
    Hold left foot back
    Eight
    Tap left toe behind
    Seven
    Kick left foot forward
    Eight
    Step down on left foot
  19. Exit

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