Note how when they danced they crossed one foot over the other. This was when Srila Prabhupada’s instructions on how to dance authentically were still being followed, not like today when any half hearted shuffle passes for the dancing mentioned in the “chanting, dancing, and feasting” of bhakti yoga.
It may be dancing but it isn’t bhakti yoga dancing unless one foot crosses over the other.
View From a New Vrindaban Ridge 
October 9, 2011 at 12:47 am
Hare Krsna. please accept my obeinscaes. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I was just wondering if there was a quote from Srila Prabhupada saying “It may be dancing but it isn’t bhakti yoga dancing unless one foot crosses over the other.” I undertand he did give us the Swami step, as a unified coreographed step, but also Srila Prabhupada jumped up and down during a Ratha Yatra. So my question is focus on such externals. True if devotees got to rowdy, he told them to stop. So the question is what is bhakti yoga dancing?
But as far as I ahve read I have never heard this statement, so please I ask to please clear this doubt from my mind with some nectar from our Acaraya. Thank you for your help.
your servant,
Partha-sarathi Dasa
October 10, 2011 at 8:49 am
I know I talked to a devotee who had just come from I believe Detroit where Prabhupada had been attending a kirtan with the devotees and had stopped it because they were shuffling and dancing with their arms not above their heads and said something to that effect.
He then demonstrated by holding his hands over his head and crossing one foot over the other.
This video shows devotees following that method, which was the common method when SP’s instructions were still fresh.
Lord Chaitanya also twirled, so Swami step with occasional twirling and jumping.
Yoga has asanas. Asanas are positions that give results. The Swami step is a dynamic asana.
Pumping arms like pistons below shoulder height and shuffling feet forward and backwards isn’t an asana.