Fort Worth Shuffle

[Spitfire]

What is the Fort Worth Shuffle?

I saw it listed on another site, but with no description. I've never heard of it.

[Larinda McRaven]

here is a description I found on the web

FWS is a regional C&W dance that origionated about ten years ago in Fort Worth, Texas. It started, according to one account I have heard, when a lady showed a drunk man the ladies footwork from Dallas Progressive Double Two Step (a variation of Triple Two Step). When the man sobered up, he did the ladies footwork from PD2 - not realising what had happened, and a new dance was born.

The count of the dance is 123,4&5,6&. The dance is progressive and generally orbits in a continious left hand turn. Many of the spins and wraps were taken from WCS. The basic position is closed, and the man begins with his right foot on a 'down' beat. From the count, the first 'triple step' begins on an 'up' beat. This makes the dance different from ECS, ploka, and T2S which begin the 'triple steps' on the 'down' beat. The dance is growing slowly in popularity, and is currently offered for UCWDC competiton as a regional dance. The 1995 UCWDC rules contain a dance description for Southwest Shuffle (aka. Ft. Worth Shuffle).

I posted a very detailed description of the footwork several months ago. But here is the gist of it again: The footwork is three sliding steps forward (123). A step directly to the side (4), slide the other foot to close (&). Step forward on foot that took 4 (5). A step to the other side (6), and slide the feet closed (&). You should now be ready to step forward on 1 again. The man begins with his left foot, and alternates on every step (left, right, left, right, etc). On the side steps there is ideally no forward progression. The ladies footwork mirrors the mans. You don't pick your feet up. This gives the dance a very smooth appearance on the floor, dancers who are good at it look like they are ice skating.

[Sagitta]

I believe that it is a fast C&W dance. Any C&W dancers know this one?

[Spitfire]

Triple two step - never heard of that one either.

Must be due to being out of C&W dancing for so long. :?

[Sagitta]

I like the sound of this dance....smooth... :)

[mycajah]

Howdy everyone! I'm new to this forum.

This is an old thread and maybe no one cars anymore, but from personal experience I know that the Fort Worth Shuffle is older than 10 years. I grew up in Arlington when there were still pastures in town. I learned to dance in 1975 in dance halls out on the County Line east of town. Then danced at the Chip Inn after Friday night buck, at Nine Acres, at the Silver Zephyr in Fort
Worth and at various clubs on the North Side. The shuffle dance was a very popular dance way back then. It's a smooth step perfect for spinning. I do it with my shoulders and left hand relatively still. The left hand is for leading not keeping the beat.

[etp777]

Welcome to DF, mycajah. And thanks for sharing, even though it's an old thread, always us dance addicts here willing to learn more. :)

[TheHallMonitor]

This is my first time on this forum. Just ran across this discussion on the Fort Worth Shuffle and thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. It's a great dance step. Very smooth. I learned it 35 years ago at the old Rustlers Rest dance hall in Fort Worth. Like mycajah I've danced it at Chip Inn, Nine Acres, Texas Silver Zephyr, the dance halls on the County Line Strip, as well as others. It's still popular. In fact, I'm taking a date out to the Stagecoach Ballroom in Fort Worth tonight for some dancin'. I'm sure that we will be doing the suffle most of the time. Y'all keep on dancin'.

[RickRS]

HallMonitor, welcome to the forum. Hope you enjoy it here.

Do you do other dance styles beside CW?

[TheHallMonitor]

Yeah, I go Square Dancing frequently.

[Terpsichorean Clod]

Thank you for sharing and welcome to Dance Forums, TheHallMonitor! :)

[RichE]

This is my first time on this forum. Just ran across this discussion on the Fort Worth Shuffle and thought I'd throw in my 2 cents. It's a great dance step. Very smooth. I learned it 35 years ago at the old Rustlers Rest dance hall in Fort Worth. Like mycajah I've danced it at Chip Inn, Nine Acres, Texas Silver Zephyr, the dance halls on the County Line Strip, as well as others. It's still popular. In fact, I'm taking a date out to the Stagecoach Ballroom in Fort Worth tonight for some dancin'. I'm sure that we will be doing the suffle most of the time. Y'all keep on dancin'.

I've been doing the FWS for several years and would like to know it's history. Would also like to advance the dance. It's currently being taught in Fort Worth at Rodeo Exchange and Electric Cowboy.

[Terpsichorean Clod]

I'm sorry I don't know anything about the Fort Worth Shuffle, but I hope someone will chime in with what you're looking for. Welcome to Dance Forums! :)

[RichE]

I'm sorry I don't know anything about the Fort Worth Shuffle, but I hope someone will chime in with what you're looking for. Welcome to Dance Forums! :)

It's a nice dance. IMO the Fort Worth Shuffle is to Country Western like West Coast Swing is to East Coast Swing. Because of the smoothness I can add in sensual styling. To maintain the continuous flow (like ice skating) many of the moves are prepped at the end of one move and finished in the beginning of the next move making the dance hard to learn for a beginner, but I’m in love with the dance and I guess in the end that's all that matters.

[bjp22tango]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJYqx0kMIVw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HPaGIYvTLA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxPEVJyUFSY

found these through the miracle of YouTube

looks dizzying, but I'll trust the opinions of the dancers who like it

[RIdancer82]

Years ago, at a studio in Rhode Island, I used to watch one of the instructors dance this with a student, while the rest of us were dancing quickstep, at every studio party... I always wondered what dance they were doing with all that spinning... interesting to now know what it was :)

[jennyisdancing]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJYqx0kMIVw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HPaGIYvTLA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxPEVJyUFSY

found these through the miracle of YouTube

looks dizzying, but I'll trust the opinions of the dancers who like it


I've never seen this dance in person, but from the videos it looks fun. I'm not a big fan of regular country 2-step, and FWS seems so much more flowing and "dancey" to me.

ETA: this is an instructional video - they also call the dance "double two step"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmJ69KMKafI

[RichE]

I've never seen this dance in person, but from the videos it looks fun. I'm not a big fan of regular country 2-step, and FWS seems so much more flowing and "dancey" to me.

ETA: this is an instructional video - they also call the dance "double two step"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmJ69KMKafI

It’s called many things, but in Fort Worth we emphasize the shuffle aspect, each step is more of a glide. It is very flowing, that’s the challenge, to keep it flowing. It keeps me on my toes.

Thanks guys for finding this stuff.

[RichE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJYqx0kMIVw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HPaGIYvTLA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxPEVJyUFSY

found these through the miracle of YouTube

looks dizzying, but I'll trust the opinions of the dancers who like it

Yes, it can be dizzying, but the moves consist of both left and right turns so mixing it up keeps the dizzy down unless I’m with Dee and she only wants to do left turns. We try to see who dizzies out first. Lately she’s been winning.

Thanks for finding the U-Tubes. I'll create an album.

[Ray Sison]

Living here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I get to see this wonderful dance firsthand quite a lot! And actually dance it once in a blue moon! (I used to dance it a lot more.)

[Ray Sison]

Living here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I get to see this wonderful dance firsthand quite a lot! And actually dance it once in a blue moon! (I used to dance it a lot more.)

One signature of this dance is that the man often goes backwards. A quintessential Fort Worth Shuffle song is "Neon Moon", by Brooks & Dunn--which has the right syncopated rhythm to dance Fort Worth Shuffle to...

[RichE]

Living here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I get to see this wonderful dance firsthand quite a lot! And actually dance it once in a blue moon! (I used to dance it a lot more.)

Hi Ray,

Thanks for your comment. Yes, it is a nice dance, my favorite.

RichE

[Ray Sison]

Hi Ray,

Thanks for your comment. Yes, it is a nice dance, my favorite.

RichE


I love how the Fort Worth Shuffle glides. Sometimes I still count it out, to keep things straight--adding to my fun with it...

[RichE]

I love how the Fort Worth Shuffle glides. Sometimes I still count it out, to keep things straight--adding to my fun with it...

It's a nice dance, no restrictions. I was talking with Ted Myers last night saying we should come up with a, “Four Leaf Clover” move for St. Patty’s Day.

[Ray Sison]

It's a nice dance, no restrictions. I was talking with Ted Myers last night saying we should come up with a, “Four Leaf Clover” move for St. Patty’s Day.

RichE: What are your favorite Fort Worth Shuffle songs? (I don't recall if George Strait's "Stars on the Water" was 2-Step or Fort Worth Shuffle...)

[RichE]

RichE: What are your favorite Fort Worth Shuffle songs? (I don't recall if George Strait's "Stars on the Water" was 2-Step or Fort Worth Shuffle...)

I don't have a list. Blue Moon is good but lacks something and is almost too slow. Stars is good, almost too faster, but has a nice pop. I used to think Blue Angle was too fast.

[Ray Sison]

I don't have a list. Blue Moon is good but lacks something and is almost too slow. Stars is good, almost too faster, but has a nice pop. I used to think Blue Angle was too fast.

George Straits' "Stars on the Water" brings back so many fond memories of places like the Horseman Club on Fort Worth nights--with so many good country dancers.

Our visitors from the UK and other European countries over the years were fascinated by the place--and would go again and again, if only to drink beer and watch. It didn't hurt that so many Fort Worth girls and other assorted Southern belles are so easy on the eye...

[RichE]

George Straits' "Stars on the Water" brings back so many fond memories of places like the Horseman Club on Fort Worth nights--with so many good country dancers.

Our visitors from the UK and other European countries over the years were fascinated by the place--and would go again and again, if only to drink beer and watch. It didn't hurt that so many Fort Worth girls and other assorted Southern belles are so easy on the eye...

The Horseman was good. I’ve spend many a Wednesday and Saturday night there. Too bad it closed, nice large floor.

Another song: Chris Ledoux - Tougher Than The Rest

Sounds like you need get back to dancing or watching. Last Thursday for WCS it was two to one ladies at Rodeo Exchange.

Tuesdays is FWS and Thursdays is WCS, at Rodeo Exchange both free. Wednesdays is open WCS if you need a place to practice WCS.

[Ray Sison]

The Horseman was good. I’ve spend many a Wednesday and Saturday night there. Too bad it closed, nice large floor.

Another song: Chris Ledoux - Tougher Than The Rest

Sounds like you need get back to dancing or watching. Last Thursday for WCS it was two to one ladies at Rodeo Exchange.

Tuesdays is FWS and Thursdays is WCS, at Rodeo Exchange both free. Wednesdays is open WCS if you need a place to practice WCS.

Thanks for all the tips, Rich E!

[Snoop1953]

The "shuffle" is smooooooth and women just love it, especially spinners. I've been shuffling for about 10 years and I'm always disappointed when I get away from the Fort Worth area because there are no shuffle partners....the Dallas women who shuffle love it when men come over who can shuffle. I'm in Wichita, Kansas now and will either have to teach the dance or import some dancers. The count is 6 and 1/2, exactly as described. However, it's impossible to goof up the Dallas double two and come up with the Fort Worth Shuffle (more on the that Dallas dance some other time).

One thing the teachers mentioned that holds true - the dance is not intuitive and must be practiced. When you ask a women if she does the shuffle and she says "no, but she can follow anything," she's wrong. She will ask you just what the heck you are trying to do when you step all over her.

But with practice, practice, practice it is the greatest C&W dance you'll ever see or do. So start with a triple and have fun...

[Ron AKA]

I've never seen this dance in person, but from the videos it looks fun. I'm not a big fan of regular country 2-step, and FWS seems so much more flowing and "dancey" to me.

ETA: this is an instructional video - they also call the dance "double two step"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmJ69KMKafI

Kind of an old thread that has been resurrected. I'm quite familiar with that Joe Baker video of the Triple Two Step. We took a class, and I used the video to help out some. However, if I read the description of the FWS correctly it is a bit different in foot placement, but the count is basically the same.

As always there are different ways of starting, but one way for the Triple Two is 1, 2, 3&4, 5&6. Compared to the regular two step (which some call Texas Two Step), this is like quick, quick, slow, slow. The triples replace the slows. But in the Triple Two (as we were taught by a couple of different instructors), the triples are straight ahead chasse's. One instructor, who was a Latin specialist, liked to use a lock step. The other, who was more country, does a slight passing step, but still essentially straight ahead.

The difference with the FWS is the footwork on the triples. They are step, close, step, with the same footwork as the progressive waltz counts 2, 3, 1 (or side step, close, forward step. In fact as I think about it, what you really have is a step, step, progressive waltz, progressive waltz, repeat... The similarity to the waltz is in the step pattern, not the timing of course, as the triples in two step are three steps in two beats.

As an earlier poster stated, it probably does look a lot like ice skating. I think I will have to give it a try.

[TheHallMonitor]

It's been a while since I've been on this site and I noticed the discussion about the Fort Worth Shuffle has lagged a bit. I thought I would bring it up again and see if anyone is still dancing it? I still dance it a lot and it is still my favorite. In fact, my girlfriend, Leslie, and I are going out to National Hall in Fort Worth this Sunday to do a little shufflin'. Dance starts at 3:00 pm if anyone is interested. Better bring a partner though as it is usually mostly couples and is an older crowd. Leslie and I will probably be the only couple doing the Fort Worth Shuffle as most people there do the two-step.

[pygmalion]

Hi HallMonitor! Thanks for checking in and thanks for the invite. :-D