Summarize the following:
You should have a strong core and light legs while you’re doing the jitterbug. Bend up and down at the knees, keeping your body aligned. Keep your back straight but tilt it forward from the hips, at about a 60-degree angle. This will be your general body position when you’re doing the jitterbug. It should feel easy, loose, and natural for your body. To get comfortable in the position, gently bounce up and down on your knees, like you’re bouncing to music. Keep your weight in the balls of your feet, but don’t rise up onto your toes; let your heels remain on the ground. You can lift one heel off the ground, then the other, to make sure that you’re fully balanced on the balls of your feet. Take a small step with one foot, then bend your knees and drop your weight slightly. Repeat with your other foot. If you’re practicing the leader’s steps, you’ll move your left leg first; if you’re practicing the follower’s, start with your right.  To give yourself a slight rhythm to rock to, you can say “1 and 2 and,” stepping when you say a number and rocking when you say “and.” This is one of your basic movements in the jitterbug, often called the “slow” movement because you’re moving right in time with the beat. Remember to maintain your balance and center. To take a step, simply lift your heel up gently and set it down. When you shift your weight, you should be moving your knees from a bent position to an even deeper bend. To move into the second basic step, move one foot slightly behind you. If you’re dancing as the leader, step your left foot back. If you’re the follower, step your right foot back. When you’re dancing, you’ll move the same foot back every time. Lift your front foot, springing lightly off the ball of the foot, then lift your back foot. You can lift your knee just slightly as well. Keep your chest and top half still and relaxed. Although this is called the “rock-step,” you won’t actually being rocking your weight back and forth--when you’re dancing to music, you won’t have time! Instead, stay centered and balanced. Pop your knees up a bit, letting your body feel the rhythm. Shift back and forth once, moving naturally. Put the rock-step together with your pulse by stepping back with one foot. Lightly lift the front foot, then move the back foot forward again. If you’re leading, move your left foot back; if you’re following, step back with your right. You should move faster through your rock-step than in your pulse. If you’re using the “1 and 2 and” count for your pulse, you can use “1, 2, 1,” for your rock-step to pick up the pace. Step backwards on 1, lift your front foot on 2, and move your back foot forward on 1. You should end your rock-step back in your beginning position, with both feet spread about shoulder-width apart. Go back into your pulse, doing one count on each side, then try the rock-step again. The more you move through these beginning 2 steps, the better you’ll get at feeling the jitterbug rhythm. The more advanced steps play off of these, so make sure you feel comfortable with them before moving on! Most moves in the jitterbug are easy to do by holding just one hand in the “open” position. Stand facing your partner and join hands, with the leader holding with their left and the follower with their right. Stand close enough together that you can join hands with your arms bent.  If you’re the leader, curl your hand over your partner’s so that it’s almost sideways. Lay your thumb on top of your partner’s hand. The hold should be light and relaxed. If you’re the follower, lay your hand palm-down in your partner’s. Try the steps a few times while facing each other. Let your hand move towards your partner while you’re moving backwards in the rock-step, staying relaxed and not pulling on your partner’s arm. The leader’s right hand will go around the follower’s upper back, while the follower’s left hand goes on the outside of the leader’s shoulder. You’ll still be holding your other hands together, joining the leader’s left and the follower’s right hand. When you do your rock-step, step your front foot back at an angle and rotate your body to open your chest up. Don’t step straight back, as this would separate you from your partner.
Bend your knees and tilt forward. Pulse slightly at your knees with your weight in the balls of your feet. Shift your weight from one foot to the other, pulsing in time. Practice the rock-step by stepping one foot backwards. Lift your front foot, then your back foot. Go back to your pulse step and shift once to either side. Step 1 foot back and do 1 rock-step. Count out loud to get the timing down. Return to your beginning pulse position and repeat. Hold one hand with your partner if you’re dancing as a couple. Try the step in closed position to dance closer together.