How do I do the Mashed Potato?
Nada. I found a reference to the Mashed Potato being a “free style” dance (opposed to the line dances of the ’50s… the hand jive for example), a reference to “the Mashed Potato backstep” as part of another dance, and I found a video for sale (Everybody Dance!) that purports to teach you the Mashed Potato, but that’s it. Wait! I found a better description: Right knee bends, right foot lifts off the floor, weight shifts to left foot, and pivot on left foot an eighth of a turn clockwise. Left foot pivots a quarter turn counterclockwise,. Right foot steps close to left foot, then right foot pivots a quarter turn clockwise, left knee bends and left foot lifts off the floor. Right foot pivots a quarter turn clockwise. Left foot steps close to right foot, then left foot pivots quarter turn clockwise, right knee bends and right knee lifts off the floor. Left foot pivots quarter turn counterclockwise. Right foo
here’s another description: In the mashed potatoe you “ground” your foot (as if grindiing a cigarette butt to put it out) while pulling it backwards then stepping on to the opposite foot to do the same thing … simulataneously walking in place while swivelling foot.
