California Bus Stop/California Hustle

Still working my way through my collection of 1970s line dances, here's another one from The Complete Book on Disco and Ballroom Dancing (1979).  The California Bus Stop, a.k.a. the California Hustle, is an easy thirty-six-beat dance.  It's most notable characteristic is that it features claps and stamps on every fourth beat throughout the first two parts of the dance.

California Bus Stop (California Hustle) (36 beats)

Part one: backward & forward
1-2-3-4
Back up and stamp/clap (back R, back L, back R, stamp L next to R and clap hands)

5-6-7-8
Forward and stamp/clap (fwd L, fwd R, fwd L, stamp R next to L and clap hands)

9-10-11-12
Back up and stamp/clap (back R, back L, back R, stamp L next to R and clap hands)

Part two: grapevines & side steps
1-2-3-4
Grapevine left and stamp/clap (step side L, cross R behind, side L, stamp R next to L and clap hands)

5-6-7-8
Grapevine right and stamp/clap (step side R, cross L behind, side R, stamp L next to R and clap hands)

9-10-11-12
Step side L, stamp R next to L and clap; step side R, stamp L next to R and clap

Part three: swivels & toe-taps
1-2
Swivel heels apart & together twice.  The rhythm is more accurately "&1 &2" with the heels coming together on the strong beats; most people will do this automatically.  Swivels are easier if you rise up on the ball of the foot slightly.

3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12
Tap the right foot nine times as follows: fwd, fwd, back, back, fwd, back, fwd, back, side. Then on the final beat, kick the right foot gently forward making a quarter turn to the left on the left foot.  The right foot remains free to restart the sequence in the new direction.

Repeat as many times as needed for the music, making a quarter turn at the end of each repetition.

Comments

[Lady Bean]

This seems, by reading the steps anyway, to be most like the version of the Bus Stop performed on stage during one of the Fatback Band's live performances of the song, "Bus Stop (Are You Ready?) on Youtube (love that song). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeeOPR8bxac
However easy they make it look to do this dance so well and so effortlessly, I've been practicing around the house and can't seem to make it look as good.