The Top 10 Dance Tricks On A Longboard – Enhance Your Longboard Dancing Experience 

 August 24, 2022

By Nick

Longboard Dance

So, after you bought your longboard and got used to cruising, you are now ready to learn some tricks.

Whether you’re looking for inspiration on a new dancing trick to learn, or you just want to start with your first easy longboard dancing trick – you’ve come to the right place! 

This list includes beginner-advanced longboard dancing tricks and how to execute them.


Cross-Step

  1. Put the back foot on the bolts and the front foot should be in the center or closer to the nose - whatever feels more natural.

  2. The front foot should touch the rear foot at around a 45 to 60-degree angle. After that, transfer your weight onto your front foot.

  3. Your rear foot then goes around the front foot and ends up behind it. Transfer your weight onto it.

  4. The foot that is now in the back should go around the front foot and plant down near the bolts.

  5. Now return the back foot to its original position close to the rear bolts. Rinse and repeat!


Peter Pan

  1. Begin cross‑stepping with your leading leg.
  2. Then step with your rear leg, going around your leading leg, and place it on the other side of the longboard. 
  3. At this point, your legs should be crossed.
  4. Try to keep the soles of your feet parallel to the movement and also use your arms to balance yourself.
  5. To complete this movement, wait until your legs are crossed and your rear leg is in the front, and then make another step with your leading leg, but you should place it on the middle of the deck and return to your original stance.

Ghostride

  1. Put your feet between the bolts, at shoulder width.

  2. Place your front foot in the center of the longboard and perpendicular to your rear foot.

  3. The back foot should go around the front leg and off the longboard.

  4. Use your front leg to jump off the board while pushing it forward, so that the board continues riding alongside you.

  5. Your back foot should end up on the ground, while your front leg goes around it and back onto the board.


180 Pirouette

This one is done by performing a half spin around your own axis on one foot only while moving forward.


Ghostride Nose Manual

  1. Start off by executing the Ghostride trick.

  2. Jump onto the board’s nose with your front foot.

  3. Follow with the rear foot and catch your balance. Because of the front foot’s position, you'll need to bring more weight onto the front truck.


Ghostride Shove-it

  1. Again, begin executing the Ghostride.

  2. Jump onto the front bolts with your front foot, with part of your foot resting on the nose.

  3. Bring your rear foot onto the longboard and spin a shove‑it from manual.


Ghostride Kickflip

  1. Place your legs in the middle of the board and between the bolts, at shoulder width.

  2. Jump off the board and onto your front leg. Your back leg should be slightly bent and up in the air. Your jump should be directed a bit forward so that your rear leg ends up in the middle of the longboard.

  3. Drag the board with the toe of your rear leg, bending your hip and knee to around 90 degrees, at the same time jumping off the longboard and allowing it to fully flip. 

  4. Catch the board with your legs and land.


Lookback

  1. Step with the front foot off the board, kick the board back with the back and catch it with the heel. 

  2. Pull the board back fast and step on in the switch position.


Chop the wood

During a carve front foot stands stable on the board as you kick your back foot out, sometimes kicking off obstacles, and jump back on both feet.


Shanker

  1. Move to the nose of the longboard while riding and jump up while spinning to 180 degrees. 
  2. After that, move back to your starting stance as the board keeps moving forward.

And here's this old school gem to show you how to do it.


Conclusion

Feel free to put together your own mix of freestyle and dance moves to create your signature longboard dancing style. Ultimately, longboarding is a freedom of expression so be sure to let your creativity run wild.

About the author

James Mason here. Surfing, skateboarding, and longboarding enthusiast currently living in Rio, Brazil. Started boarding since I was old enough to wear a helmet, except I often didn't. Think that explains a lot :)