Neckbreak (6 counts ; 12 musical beats)
Steps
- 1: (Step back)
The lady faces south directly in front of the man, who faces north.
The man holds the lady's right hand in his left hand.
The man leads the lady to move backwards — by pushing her right hand slightly with his left hand — as he moves backwards-left off the lady's line, leaving it free for her to step forwards.
- 2: (Step in)
The lady faces south stepped away directly in front of the man, who faces north.
The man holds the lady's right hand in his left hand — the man's right arm is slightly above the lady's left shoulder, so that his right hand is available behind it.
The man leads the lady to move forwards — by pulling her right hand slightly with his left hand — as he moves forwards slightly to the left of the lady's line, so that the lady will come into his right side. As both partners step together the man places his right forearm on the lady's left shoulder, so that he can see his fingers past the lady's head. The man can use the heel of his right palm on the lady's left shoulder as a brake to stop her walking past his right side.
Some men signal the Neckbreak with their right arm at shoulder height pointing to the right with the right forearm pointing forwards, palm parallel with the floor. Other men signal the Neckbreak with a right arm at shoulder height pointing to the right with the right forearm pointing vertically, palm facing forwards — sometimes described as “how!”, or as a policeman's stop sign. Both of these signals are stylised preparations so that the right hand is available to place over the lady's shoulder.
- 3: ()
The lady faces south on the right side of the man, who faces north.
There is no handhold — the man holds the lady's left shoulder with his right hand.
The man leads the lady to rotate 180o clockwise (with weight on her right leg) so that she ends stepped back on her right foot — by swapping the lady's right hand from his left hand into his right hand.
- 4: ()
The lady faces north close to on the right side of the man, who faces north.
The man holds the lady's right hand in his right hand — the man holds the lady's left shoulder with his left hand — the man's right hand is near to the lady's right shoulder.
The man leads the lady to move forwards-left and rotate slightly anticlockwise (with weight on her left leg) — by bending his right arm towards himself, so that the lady is wrapped in — with his right arm across the lady's back. — as he optionally takes her left shoulder with his left hand.
- 5: ()
The lady faces northwest close to in front of and slightly on the right of the man, who faces north.
The man holds the lady's right hand in his right hand — the man holds the lady's right shoulder with his right hand.
The man leads the lady to move forwards and turn 540+o clockwise (with weight on her right leg) under his right hand (and the lady's right hand) — by raising his right hand (and the lady's right hand) from waist height to above the lady's head (and releasing her left shoulder after pushing it slightly with his left hand if taken).
- 6: (Step back)
The lady faces south directly in front of the man, who faces north.
The man holds the lady's right hand in his right hand.
The man leads the lady to move backwards — by pushing her right hand slightly with his right hand — as he moves backwards.
- 7: (Finish)
The lady faces south stepped away directly in front of the man, who faces north.
The man holds the lady's right hand in his right hand.
Notes
Variations
Both can walk forwards and backwards when in the Neckbreak position, c.f. a neckbreak waltz.
Links
- Neckbreak at Bath Leroc. Hosted at The Internet Archive.
- Neckbreaker at Cardiff Le Roc and Dance. Hosted at The Internet Archive.
- Neckbreak at leroc.net. 2001. Hosted at The Internet Archive.
- Neck Break at Robert Pepper's Website. Hosted at The Internet Archive.
- Neckbreak at Elmgrove LeRoc.
- Neck Break at The Third Row.
Books
- Neckbreak in The Dance Manual. Andy Galloway. Lyndenhurst Ltd, 38 Ashley Road, London, N19 3AF, UK, 1988.
Videos
- Neckbreak in How To Jive With Jive Bunny. Christine Keeble. Castle Music Pictures, How To Jive, Ravenbridge House, Camp End Road, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0NR, UK, 1990.
- Neckbreak in How To Jive — Featuring Music By The Firebirds.
- Neckbreak in Le Jive, Le Video — The Complete Instruction Video. Robert Austin and Claire Hilliard. DD Video, DD Video, 5 Churchill Court, 58 Station Road, North Harrow, Middlesex, HA2 7SA, UK, 1995.