Hi Donna,
Very interesting topic this. Personally I would call them collectively the Shadows Walks, however individually when trying to practice them its not uncommon to refer to them as the dance 'steps'. Not sure the Shads would wish the choreography to be be seen as a 'dance' though. I must confess a direct interest here as I am currently trying to master many of the Walks in my current role as bassist for Dave Tempest & The Ghostriders. As for doing it, Im with Ecca above, play the tune, yep, do the walk, yep, now do both at the same time!!!!!!!!!!! Respect to the Shads for making it seem so easy! There is a lot to think about and to get right and we have regular debates about who in the band has the 'walks' easiest. We have come to the conclusion that its the rhythm guitarist who has it easiest as it seems easier to strum in time and move rather than playing a melody or countermelody like lead and bass do especially when the emphasis is on the off beat whilst the walk is on the main beat. I would say getting round the crossover step is proving hardest, and what they do in Footapper could do with an instruction book! Forwards and backwards movements in Dance On, Frightened City, Shadoogie are improving and once you get the timing for the start right the rest follows logically, but miss that and you've blown it
Its not easy and let me be the last to judge. Sometimes you can just make a right muck up of the side to side 'shuffle' as we call it, for example check 'me' out in the middle on our band video during the clip of 'Atlantis'. All starts well for the first verse then just at the start of verse two I catch my foot in a load of wires on stage and completely wrong foot myself, thereafter its pure damage limitation and concentration just to get the music right whilst the others carry on, whilst looking at me and thinking 'What is this pillock doing?'
Check out the Video on our Facebook page;-
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ghost-Riders/374176749375339?ref=hlI'd better get this right before Scarborough!!
Cheers all,
Mark.