Kickline

The Rockettes in a kickline

A kickline is a show dance figure consisting of a series of dancers who throw their legs synchronised up to eye level in the air, forming a straight line.[1] The challenge in performing a kickline is not only the process of lifting the leg in a coordinated manner in order to create a uniform impression, but also lowering it again quickly enough to switch between the standing and throwing leg in quick succession.[2]

Well-known kicklines are formed by the New York Rockettes[3] and the ensemble of Berlin's Friedrichstadt-Palast.[4] Kicklines are also often performed in cheerleading and drill teams.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Funkenstein, Susan (2020). Marking Modern Movement – Dance and Gender in the Visual Imagery of the Weimar Republic. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. p. 96. ISBN 9780472054619. kickline dancers kicked in unison to precisely the same height, performed detailed footwork in strictly the same sequence, and peeled off from the line with exact timing.
  2. ^ Rockettes: Summer Series, Ep. 7 - Kickline! on YouTube
  3. ^ Rockettes Dance Moves: Eye-High Kicks on YouTube
  4. ^ Friedrichstadtpalast Ballett-Weltrekord Girlreihe on YouTube
  5. ^ Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders kick line on Thanksgiving Day 2013 on YouTube