Cherokee Kick

Music: Crime of Passion by Ricky Van Shelton, Indian Outlaw by Tim McGraw, or Cherokee Fiddle by Johnny Lee
Choreographer: Unknown
Position: Individual line dance-all dancers start with heels together and hands on hips.
Comments: Original choreography called for the dancers to form one circle, with each dancer facing the center. The dance starts with the dancers facing the inside, then turning to face outside, returning to face inside, dancing single file in a CCW moving circle, and finally returning to face inside. In some clubs, dancers innovate and start with another and necessarily smaller circle inside the main circle with the dancers facing outward and looking between the dancers in the outside circle. The staggered spacing eliminates kicking opposing dancers while permitting closer dancing. The inner circle moves CW. The dance is more interesting to perform or watch with the two circles moving in opposite directions.

Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996 by Ronald L. Still. Merida Business Group, 1413 Kenbrook Drive, Garner, NC 27529-4447; 919-772-2082. If the Subject is Dance Steps ... Volume I, Third Edition, January 1996. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America.

Standard steps for gentleman and lady are identical.

1. Pivot on toes CCW swinging heels 1/8 turn CCW

2. Pivot on toes CW swinging heels back to starting position

3. Pivot on toes CW swinging heels 1/8 turn CW

4. Pivot on toes CCW swinging heels back to starting position

5. Right heel touch forward

6. Right toe touch backward

Country-Style Charleston

7. Right foot step forward

8. Left foot kick forward

9. Left foot step backward

10. Right toe touch backward

11. Right foot step forward

12. Left foot kick forward

13. Left foot step backward

14. Right toe touch to close to left foot

15. Right foot step right

16. Left toe touch to close to right foot

17. Left foot step left

18. Right toe touch to close to left foot

Vine to the Right with 1/2 Turn CW

19. Right foot step to the right

20. Left foot step behind right leg to the right

21. Right foot step to the right and left knee raise until thigh is parallel to the floor

22. Right foot hop 1/2 turn CW (left knee remains raised)

23. Left foot step backward and right knee raise until thigh is parallel to the floor

24. Left foot hop 1/2 turn CW (right knee remains raised)

25. Right foot step forward and left knee raise until thigh is parallel to the floor

26. Right foot hop 1/4 turn CW

27. Left foot step forward

28. Right foot step forward

29. Right foot scoot forward and left knee raise until thigh is parallel to the floor

30. Right foot scoot forward and left knee raise until thigh is parallel to the floor

31. Left foot step forward

32. Right foot step forward

33. Left foot step forward 1/4 turn CCW

34. Right foot stomp to close to left foot

Repeat Counts 1 to 34 until the end of song.

Option 1

Substitute the following for Counts 1-4, 16, 18, 25-26, and 28, dropping the original Counts 23-24, which reduces the dance to a total of 32 counts:

1. Pivot on toes swinging heels apart

2. Pivot on toes returning heels to starting position

3. Pivot on toes swinging heels apart

4. Pivot on toes returning heels to starting position

16. Left foot slide to close to right foot


18. Right foot slide to close to left foot

25. Left foot step forward 1/2 turn CW

26. Right foot step right 1/4 turn CW

28. Right foot step forward and left knee raise until thigh is parallel to the floor

Repeat Counts 1 to 32 until the end of song.

Option 2

Add a clap in Counts 8 and 12.

Option 3

Substitute the following for Counts 21-26 and 32:

21. Right foot step right 1/2 turn CW

22. Left knee raise until thigh is parallel to the floor

23. Left foot step in place

24. Right foot step right 1/2 turn CW

25. Left knee raise until thigh is parallel to the floor

26. Right foot step right 1/4 turn CW

32. Right toe slide forward to the left of the left heel

Option 4

This option adds steps bringing the count to 38.
Substitute the following for Count 14:

14. Right foot stomp to close to left foot

Add a clap on Counts 16 and 18.

Add the following four counts between Count 18 and Count 19.

18a. Right foot step right

18b Left toe touch to close to right foot and clap

18c. Left foot step left

18d. Right toe touch to close to left foot and clap

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