16 Count Tsamikos

Greece

Formation: Men (originally, now may be done mixed) in a W handhold. Meter 3/4. Each Slow gets 2 beats and each Quick one!

When learning Step Four try it with the "slow-quick table" first (orange, white and yellow- or yellow and white in 16 color display) The beat lengths will be stay consistent with the other figures if you can learn it that way. If you are like me, however, you will find the second table (blue and beige) much easier.
variations one through three*****step four in the S Q table*****Step Four counted with 24 even beats.

Step One (basic)

Face center throughout.

Slow	Quick	Slow	Quick
Moving R	.	.	in place
Step R	Step L across in frt.	Touch R to R	Step R back in place
1	2	3	4
.........................	...........................	.............................	...........................
.	Moving R	.	in place
Touch L to L	Step L across in frt.	Step R to R	Hop on R bringing L foot up behind R knee
5	6	7	8
...........................	.............................	.............................	.................................
moving L	.	.	in place
Step L to L	Step R across in frt.	Step L to L	Hop L swinging R leg across in front
9	10	11	12
................................	...............................	................................	................................
moving R	.	in place	.
Step R to R	Step L across in frt	Touch R to R	Touch R to ctr.
13	14	15	16
.	.	.	.

VARIATIONS

One: "Polka-step"
Any time you have a step followed by step cross, you may substitute polka-step for the first step.
You may do this either in place, traveling (e.g. to R if you start R foot), or turning (e.g. CCW if you start L foot). (You could also add turns without adding the polka-step.)

Two: "Hop-Leap"
Add a hop on & of ct. 6, then change ct.7 to a leap onto the R foot.

Three: "Squat"
Use ct. 6 to take off in a small leap landing in a squat on ct.7 with both feet together.
Ct. 7 is just like it is in the basic.

Four: the "secret step"

The same step with 24 even length beats: much easier to follow! back to step one

Four: the 'Secret' Step with Uneven Length Beats
Slow		Quick	Slow		Quick
Moving R		.	in place		.
Polka Step		Step L across in front	Rock R	Rock L	Lift R
1		2	3	&	4
.		.	.		.
moving R		.	in place		.
Polka-step		Step L across in front	Brush R fwd.	Hop L	Step back on R
5		6	7	&	8
.		.	.		.
.		.	.		.
Step back onto ball of L ft. (partial weight)	Step R in place	Small step fwd. on L	Hop L bringing R leg around in frt w. bent knee	Hop L	Step R in place
9	&	10	11	&	12
.		.	.		.
.		.	.		.
Place L heel in frt.	Step onto L pivoting 180 degrees	Step R pivoting 180 degrees CW	Step back onto L		Swing R across in frt.
13	&	14	15		16
.		.	.		.

The "secret" Tsamikos step with even length beats.

1 &	2	3
R L	R	Cross L in front
4	5	6
Rock R	Rock L	Lift R
7 &	8	9
R L	R	Cross L in front
10	11	12
Brush fwd. with R	Hop L in place	Step R in place
13	14	15
Step backward onto ball of L	Step R in place	small step fwd. on L
16	17	18
Hop L bringing R ft. around to lift in front (knee bent)	Hop L	Step R in place
19	20	21
Place L heel forward	Step-pivot L 180 deg. CW	Step-pivot R 180 deg. CW
22	23	24
Step back onto L	[nothing]	Swing R leg across in frt.

back to step one***** variations one through three***** step four in the S Q table*****

Notes by Andy Pollock April 12, 1998 Rev. 4/21/98 Steps taken from a videotape of Steve Denas dancing, produced by TFFD e-mail andypo@atlantic.net to inquire about obtaining a copy.

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