How to Read Cue Sheets - Southern California Clogging Association

The goal in cue sheet writing should always be to enable the reader to grasp the idea of the step being done with a minimum of effort. The more complicated the dance, the step, and the timing, the more information we must give (foot designators, number of heel beats in a line, count designators for where each beat falls.)

The use of abbreviations is intended as a shorthand method of getting a routine on paper in the least amount of space, but never use an abbreviation if your intent is not clear. It is better to write out a complete step name rather than use abbreviations if someone may misunderstand what you mean to say. If you use something other than a standard abbreviation, an explanation should be written at the bottom of the page (example: SDGC = Stop Dancing and Get a Coke!) The rule is WHEN IN DOUBT, WRITE IT OUT!

Traditional	1 Letter	2 Letter	3 letter

Brush	B	BR
Double Toe	D	DT
Drag	G	DR
Heel	H	HL
Rock	R	RK
Slide	E	SL
Step	S	ST
Toe	T	TO

Supplemental

Click	C	CK	CLK
Lift		LF	LFT
Hop	P	HP	HOP
Kick	K	KK
Pivot		PV	PVT
Pull		PL	PUL
Replace		RP	RPL
Shuffle	F	SH
Slur		SR	SLR
Stamp			STA
Stomp			STO
Swivel		SW	SWL
Touch			TCH

Buck Dance	1 Letter	2 Letter	3 Letter

Ball		BA
Bounce		BO
Break		BK	BRK
Dig		DG	DIG
Flange		FL	FLG
Heel Step		HS	HLS
Skuff		SK	SKF
Slip		SP	SLP
Snap		SN
Toe Touch		TT	TCH

Foot Designators (written under movement)
L - Left Foot		R - Right Foot


Timing Designators (written beneath the foot)

e	marks a 1/4 count designators
&	marks a 1/2 count (the upbeat)
a	marks a 3/4 count
1 - 8	numbers a full count (the base beat)

Separation designators

- separates one basic movement from next
* used to separate full beats of music
/ indicates that movements on each side of the "/" are done simultaneously

Directional designators

(written in small letters in parentheses following basic movements)
b	back (leg is moving toward the rear)
bs	next to weight bearing foot
f	directly in front of the normal "in place" position for that foot
ib	in back
if	in front
in	toward the weight bearing leg
ins	inside [beside the instep of weight bearing foot normally use "bs"]
o	leg is swinging away from body
o&b	out and back (as a brush starting from the "xif" position
oba	out, back & around makes a horizontal semi-circle from "f" to "b"
ots	out to side (foot is extended directly to the side) knee almost straight side (usually a step to the side)
s	step (usually a step to the side)
up	implies raising the foot by bending the knee up to the front of the body
wt	takes weight
x	uncross (following "xif" or "xib")
xba	across in back and around (foot makes a vertical circle behind body) Often cued as a "windmill"
xib	across in back
xif	across in front

Examples

Recently a new style of horizontal format has been developed by Jeff Driggs which places all movements done by the left foot above a horizontal line, and all movements done by the right foot, below a horizontal line. The beat counts appear below that.

KICK

In preparing a cue sheet, the horizontal notation of cues is the most widely used style with steps on one line, foot designators below, and timing designators below that.

DS KICK SL DS RS SH/SH SH/SH RS KICK SL

L R L R LR L & R L & R LR L R

&1 & 2 &3 &4 & 5 & 6 &7 & 8

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