How to Dance the Cotton-Eyed Joe

There are many different variations to the popular dance the Cotton Eyed Joe. The following is the classic Texas version and you dance it with lots of passion and vigor.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Get into "cape position:" the man and woman should clasp their right hands together, and then their left hands together. Their right hands should be positioned just outside of her right shoulder and the left hands should be positioned in front of his left shoulder. The man stands on the inside and the woman stands on the outside as couples follow around the room counter-clockwise.

2. Place both feet together and wait 8 counts during the introductory music.

3. Put your weight on your left foot. Cross the right foot over the left, keeping the left knee bent and your right foot inches above your left foot. Kick forward with the right foot. Do polka steps going backward, again starting right, then left and then right. Hold the forth count.

4. Put your weight on your right foot and cross the left foot over the right. Keep your right knee bent and your left foot inches above your right. Kick forward with your left foot. Do polka steps backwards, starting left, then right, and then left again. Hold the forth count.

5. Repeat Steps 2 and 3.

6. Do the two-step forward. Start with the right foot, then left, and then right again. Do this step forward for eight steps.

7. Repeat the dance moves from the beginning.

Tips & Warnings

• There are a lot of different ways to dance the Cotton-Eyed Joe. You also can dance with a group of people in a line-dance format.