The ankle knee step is a type of high step used by marching band

Marching band

Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...

s. It is named such because when executed properly, the ankle

Ankle

The ankle joint is formed where the foot and the leg meet. The ankle, or talocrural joint, is a synovial hinge joint that connects the distal ends of the tibia and fibula in the lower limb with the proximal end of the talus bone in the foot...

 of one leg should be at the height of the knee

Knee

The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...

 of the other leg. This step is chiefly used by marching bands which consider themselves traditional or show style bands, although drum corps

Drum and bugle corps (modern)

A drum and bugle corps, also known as a drum corps, is a musical marching unit consisting of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and color guard. Typically operating as independent non-profit organizations, drum corps perform in competitions, parades, festivals, and other civic functions...

 and corps-style marching bands may use this step sparingly for effect.

When performed, the toe should be the last part of the foot to leave the ground and the first part to hit it again. Although the step is a dynamic movement, care should be taken to step smoothly so as not to interrupt the air flow of wind instrumentalists. As the glide step

Glide step

Glide step is a form of movement used by marching bands to minimize upper body movement, enabling musicians to play their instruments and march without air-stream interruptions. Standardizing the style of marching also serves to add to the visual effect of a marching band. Sometimes special shoes...

 rolls the foot from the heel

Heel

In human anatomy, the heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg.- Human anatomy :...

 to the toe

Toe

Toes are the digits of the foot of a tetrapod. Animal species such as cats that walk on their toes are described as being digitigrade. Humans, and other animals that walk on the soles of their feet, are described as being plantigrade; unguligrade animals are those that walk on hooves at the tips of...

, marchers executing the ankle knee step roll the foot from the toe to the heel.

The entire step is a fluid motion; execution should be in time such that the "up" position is reached on the "and" counts and the "down" position is on the "down" counts. The foot comes forward in a scooping action rather than a bicycle step, which is to be avoided.

Notable Bands that use Ankle-Knee Step

• Marching 100
  Marching 100
  The Marching 100 is the official name of the marching band at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee, Florida.-History:The first band at FAMU was organized in 1892, under P.A. Van Weller...
  
   (Florida A&M University)
• The Pride (Bethune-Cookman University)
• The Human Jukebox (Southern University)
• Tiger Marching Band (Grambling State University)
• The Aristocrat of Bands (Tennessee State University)
• Marching Illini
  Marching Illini
  The Marching Illini is the marching band of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Marching Illini is a close-knit organization which annually includes approximately 350 students enrolled in the University of Illinois...
  
  (University of Illinois)
• The Pride of The Peninsula (Eastern Michigan University)