The Stroll

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This article is about a line dance popular in the 1950s. For a line dance popular with swing dancers, see Jitterbug Stroll.

The Stroll was a popular line dance in the 1950s. It was first performed to "C. C. Rider" by Chuck Willis on American Bandstand. Link Wray's "Rumble" and "The Stroll" by The Diamonds were also popular tunes for doing the Stroll. All these songs are slow 12-bar blues.

In the dance, two lines of dancers, men on one side and women on the other, face each other, moving in place to the music. Each paired couple then steps out and does a more elabarate dance up and down between the rows of dancers.

Music: "Stroll" Diamonds, "C.C. Rider" Chuck Willis, "Walking to New Orleans" Fats Domino, "Midnight Stroll," Revels
Type: Contra lines
Level: Beginner
Choreographer: Unknown
Counts: Basic: 12, center walk: 6
BPM: 120

A hip update of the old Virginia Reel, the Stroll features dancers forming tight contra lines, creating a lane down the middle wide enough to allow two to stroll down the aisle. Popularized through exposure on the daily American Bandstand program in late 1957, the Stroll stands as one of the few nationally-popular line dances of the 50s and 60s, rivaled in prominence only by the earlier Bunny Hop and the subsequent Hully Gully. Grab your partner--c’mon, baby, let’s Stroll!

[edit] Counts/Description

BASIC PATTERN - RIGHT SIDE TOWARD FRONT OF LINE

  • 1-2 Touch LEFT in front of right; touch LEFT back to previous position
  • 3-4 Touch LEFT in front of right; step LEFT to left side
  • 5-6 Cross RIGHT behind left; step out left w/LEFT
  • 7-8 Touch RIGHT in front of left; touch RIGHT back to previous position
  • 9-10 Touch RIGHT in front of left; step RIGHT to right side
  • 11-12 Cross LEFT behind right; step out right w/RIGHT

To coincide with the song’s beat, start dance with a timing step out with right foot. Execute this step only once at the beginning of the song. Repeat basic continuously until you perform aisle walk.

AISLE WALK - RIGHT SIDE TOWARD FRONT OF LINE

  • 1-2 Turning 90 CCW (facing open lane), step into lane with LEFT foot; slide RIGHT behind left
  • 3-4 Walk forward w/LEFT; walk forward w/RIGHT
  • 5-6 Slide LEFT behind right; step forward w/RIGHT

Count 1 on aisle walk replaces count 4 on basic pattern. Complete basic pattern steps 1,2, and 3, then head down the aisle! When you reach the end of the line traveling down the middle, fold into contra lines and pick up basic pattern when comfortable.