A 16 bar Waltz
FORMATION: Circle, all facing in, each "man" should have a partner on the right.

  bars
 description

  1 - 2
 All step to left (counts 1 & 2) and close right foot to left (count 3); repeat.

  3
 All step to left (counts 1 & 2) and bring right foot to left foot with a small stamp (count 3).

  4
 All stamp on left foot (count 1) and pause (counts 2 & 3).

  5
 All step to right (counts 1 & 2) and close left foot to right (count 3).

  6
 All step to right (counts 1 & 2) and bring left foot to right without chnaging weight (count 3).

 7
 Keeping nearer hands joined with partner, all step back on left foot away from the centre (counts 1, 2 & 3)

 8
 Men, turning one quarter to the right, close right foot to left foot; women, turning one quarter to the left, bring right foot to left foot without changing weight (counts 1, 2 & 3). Finish facing partner with both hands joined.

  9 - 10
 Dance one waltz side-step towards the centre, and one waltz side-step away from the centre.

  11 - 12
 Dance one waltz side-step towards the centre, and then cast, man to the left, woman to the right, to face new partner.

  13 - 14
 Joining right hand in right with new partner, balance forward and back.

  15 - 16
 Change places, women turning under men's right arms, and then join hands in a circle to repeat the dance.

It is not necessarily the case that single people will waltz with other single people particularly if the class, group, or function, contains an excess of one of the genders!

This dance was composed as a way to allow everyone to waltz at the end of a social dance programme. It is based on the movements of the St. Bernard's Waltz.

The dance should be danced no more than 8 x 16.

 

Music: The Avalon Waltz (© 1996, Bruce Shawyer)

 

Recorded Music: When I first devised the dance, I used The St. Bernard's Waltz recorded by Bobby Brown and The Scottish Accent on "Grandfather Mountain Gala". In Australia, July 2002, I used The Hibiscus Waltz recorded by Andrew Imbrie, Susan Worland Bentley, and M. Bentley on "The March Hare" - however, with this recording the dance should be stopped after no more than 8 repetitions. Otherwise, any good 16 or 32 bar waltz should do.

 

© 1995, Martin E. Mulligan

 Web edition first posted 23 August 2002