LESSON 4: FOREIGN FOLK DANCE STEPS

At the end of the lesson, the student will be able to:

a. Understand the dance steps used in some foreign folk dance;

b. Identify the different dance terms used in a foreign folk dance step;

c. Recognize the importance of these terminologies in executing dance steps.

Dance steps (more complex dance moves are called dance patterns, dance figures, dance movements, or dance variations) are usually isolated, defined, and organized so that beginning dancers can learn and use them independently of each other. However, more complex movements are influenced by musicality and lyrical relevance to express emotions or refer to a message. Dance moves tend to emphasize the concepts of lead and follow and connection.

In most cases, dance moves by themselves are independent of musicality, which is the appropriateness of a move to the music. Generally, they are memorized in sets of eight counts. Also there are two different movements: concrete and abstract. These two movements’ show time, space, relationship, quality and focus. For example, relationship could describe the movement of two

or more different dancers. The names of moves may be somewhat arbitrary and vary from person to person and city to city. 

SOME COMMON INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCE STEPS (Dance Step-Time Signature- Step pattern & Counting-Measure)

ACCENTED RUNNING STEP: 3/4 - Stamp (ct 1), Step (ct 2), Step (ct 3) - 1M

BALLROOM WALTZ: 3/4 - Step R (ct 1), Slide L (ct 2), Close R (ct 3) - 1M

BLEKING: 2/4 - Spring on L & Heel-place R (ct 1), reverse (ct 2) - 1M

2/4 - Heel-Place R (ct 1) Close R to L (ct 2) - 1M

3/4 - Heel-Place R (cts 1,2) Close R to L (ct 3) - 1M

BOX SQUARE WALTZ: 3/4 - Step L forward (ct 1) Step R sideward (ct 2) Close L to R (ct 3); Step R backward (ct 1), Step L sideward (ct 2), Close R to L (ct3) - 2M

BREAK LEGS: 2/4 - Jump to feet apart sideward (ct. 1), spring to face right and kneel on L (ct. 2) - 1M

CHASSE: 2/4 - Slide R sideward (ct. 1), step L close to R (ct. and), step R sideward (ct. 2). Two chasse’ steps in one measure - 1M

CROSS POLKA: 2/4 - With an inward foot circle in the air of the R foot, hop on L (ct. and of previous M) and execute the polka step forward crossing the R foot over the L first (cts 1 and 2) - 1M

CROSS WALTZ: 3/4 - Cross-step (ct 1), close (ct 2), step (ct 3) - 1M

DUTCH STEP: 3/4 - Step R sideward (ct. 1), brush L heel forward with toes pointing upward (ct. 2), hop on the R in place (ct. 3) - 1M

GRAPEVINE: 2/4 - Step (ct 1), Cross-step in rear (ct 2); Step(ct 1), Cross-step in front (ct 2) - 2M

3/4 - Step (cts 1,2), Cross-step in rear (ct 3); Step (cts 1, 2), Cross-step in front (ct 3) - 2M

HOPSA: 2/4 - Leap sideward R (ct. 1), step L across R (ct. and), close R to L (ct. 2), pause (ct. and) - 1M

HEEL AND TOE POLKA: 2/4 - Place the R heel in front (cts. 1 and), touch the R toe in rear (cts. 2 and), and execute plain polka forward (cts. 1 and 2 and). This is usually done for- ward. The polka may be preceded by a hop - 2M

HUNGARIAN TURN: 2/4 - Partners place right arms around each other’s waist arm encircled overhead. Hop on R (ct. 1), small step on L (ct. and), small step on R (cts. 2 and), and continue to complete the turn, usually four measures - 1M

JUMPING JACK: 2/4 - Full-knees bend with knees apart, cross hands down in front (ct. 1), jump to standing position, with feet apart sideward, toes pointed upward and fling arms obliquely upward, palms facing front (ct. 2) - 1M

MAZURKA: 3/4 - Slide R (ct 1) Cut R with L (ct 2) Hop on L (ct 3) - 1M

MINCING: 2/4 - Step (ct 1), Step (ct and), Step (ct 2) Step (ct and) (tiny step heels slightly raised) 1M

MINUET: 3/4 - Three small steps forward on the balls of the feet (cts. 1 2 3), point L in front and bring heel of the R down (cts. 1 2 3) - 2M

OPPOSITE TORTILLIER (Pigeon Toes) : 2/4 - Toes together (ct 1), Heels together (ct 2) - 1M

3/4 - Toes together (ct 1,2) Heels together (ct 3) - 1M

PARALLEL TORTILLIER: 2/4 - Pivot on heels and turn both toes both (ct 1), Pivot on toes and turn heels both (ct 2) - 1M

3/4 - Pivot on heels and turn both toes both (ct 1,2), Pivot on toes and turn heels both (ct 3) - 1M

PAS DE BASQUE: 3/4 - Half-foot circle in the air with the L foot and leap side- ward (ct. 1), slide R, slide R to fourth position (ct. 2), cut R forward with the L foot (ct. 3) - 1M

POLKA (Old Hop Polka): 2/4 - Hop R (ct and), Step L (ct 1), Close R (ct and), Step L (ct 2) - 1M

RUSSIAN POLKA: 2/4 - Heel-brush R (ct and), Heel- step R (ct 1), Close L (ct and) Step R foot (ct 2) - 1M

PRYSIADKA: 2/4 - Full-knee bend on R and stretch L leg forward (ct. 1), with a spring reverse the position of the feet (ct. 2) - 1M

ROCKING STEP: 2/4 - Fall on Right forward and Raise Left in rear (ct 1) Fall Left backward and Raise Right in front (ct 2) - 1M

RUBBER LEGS: 2/4 - Step L across R in front, and twist R foot so that the sole is off the floor facing outward (ct. 1), transfer weight to R foot and twist the left foot so that the sole is off the floor facing outward (ct. 2) - 1M

SCHOTTISCHE (Rheinlander Step): 4/4 Step R sideward (ct. 1), close L to R (ct. 2) step R sideward (ct. 3), hop on R, swing the L foot in front (ct. 4) - 1M

SHUFFLING: 2/4 - Slide (ct 1), Slide (ct and), Slide (ct 2), Slide (ct and) Tiny slides on the ball of feet - 1M

3/4 - Slide (ct 1), Slide (ct and), Slide (ct 2), Slide (ct and), Slide (ct 3), Slide (ct and) Tiny slides on the ball of feet - 1M

VARSOUVIENNE: 3/4 - Slide R foot diagonally forward R (ct. 1), step L close R in third position (ct. 2), step R sideward (ct. 3), point L foot in front (cts. 1 2 3) - 2M

WALTZ BALANCE: 3/4 - Step R forward (ct 1), Close L to R Both heels down (ct 2), and raise both heels (ct 3) 1M