Ball Change

The ball change is found in most dance disciplines, including jazz, tap, lyrical,
and hip hop. Due to its crossover appeal, it's usually one of the first steps taught
to new dancers. The ball change is completed in two counts - transferring weight
onto the ball of the foot (1), then a step back onto the other foot (2). This step is
usually connected to another step, such as the "kick ball change" movement.

1. Step onto your right foot, transferring all your weight to that foot.
2. Lift the left foot and step back, behind the right foot, just onto the ball of the
foot.
3. Shift your weight to the ball of the left foot as you raise your right foot.
4. Step back down onto the right foot, completing the move.
5. Step-ball-change can be done to the right, to the left or in place. It's often
used as a transition, and it happens very fast.

Jazz Square
This iconic move consists of a few basic walking steps, but done in a particular
order:

1. Step forward on the right or left foot

2. Cross the other foot over the first foot
3. Step back with the first foot
4. Bring the feet side by side.
A jazz square is often done with some attitude in the upper body, accenting the
motion. Jazz squares can be executed in groupings of two or more, repeated on
the same side.

Chassé
Drawing from the ballet tradition, the chassé is literally a "chasing" step:

1. Step one foot forward (or to the side)

2. Bring up the second foot behind the first foot
3. As you bring up the second foot to join the first one, immediately step off the
foot to create a skipping movement across the floor
Your chassé step can take on a variety of different looks based on the speed with
which you execute it. Accent the step with your arms to create artistry for this
movement.
Okay. Now I'm going to demonstrate what a hip walk looks like. Arms pressed back. Up on your toes.
And we rock, hip, hip, hip, hip. So that's a stylized jazz walk. And now I'm going to break it down and
explain exactly how it's done. Your arms are going to be pressed back behind you, sort of cupping the
hips. Okay. Elbows are pressed. Chest is lifted.

Our tummy is activated. Our core is activated. Your going to relieve all the way up on your toes. And
how I was taught this was that you need to think about walking in a pencil skirt on a tightrope. Yes.
Pencil skirt and a tightrope. So you're going up on the toes, and the hip rocks out to the right. And then
up on the toes, hip left.

Come all the way up, and you can see on the first arch, relieve as high as you can go. It's like your
walking in your grandmother's high heels. So again, you lift up nice and tall. Relieve. Hip walk to the
right, left, right, left. This take a lot of balance and control and style, and it looks a lot easier than it is.
But with practice you'll be fine. So this is a hip walk going slowly, and then I'll do it a little bit faster.
Slow. Good. Now a little bit faster. And stylized walk it out. Hip walk. Five, six, seven, eight.

Jazz steps include basic turns, including chaines, piques, pirouettes, jazz
turns, and some ballet turns, to name a few. Leaps include grande jetes,
turning jumps, and tour jetes. Signature to jazz dancing is the "jazz walk."
Jazz walks can be performed in many different styles. Another popular jazz
move is the "contraction." A contraction is accomplished by contracting the
torso, with the back curved outward and the pelvis pulled forward. You'll also
learn the basic jazz square and leg holds. Learning jazz dance technique
takes a lot of practice.
There are many varieties of jazz walks. Jazz walks can be performd in pile, in releve, in plic-releve, with
any isolation movements, in any direction, and at any tempo. The technique for the basic jazz walk is to
roll through the ball of the foot and then the heel to the floor. The legs stretch and reach as far as
possible, and at least one foot maintains contact with the floor at all times. The jazz walk is stylized with
a step longer than the natural stride. Another stylized variations of the jazz walk is the strut. Between
each step of this movement, the leg comes through a low passe position.