Cross-Step Waltz

For complete descriptions of over 250 variations of Cross-Step Waltz,
buy our new book, Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide,
co-authored with Richard Powers at Stanford.


Description

As Richard Powers writes, "Cross-Step Waltz is the newest social dance form, spreading quickly because it's easy to learn yet endlessly innovative, satisfying for both beginners and the most experienced dancers. It travels and rotates like traditional waltz but the addition of the cross-step opens up a wide range of playful yet gracefully flowing variations."

Cross-Step Waltz originally evolved as a variation of Blues in Paris in the 1920s, and was revived in the 1990s at Stanford University.

Today, it is danced around the world, for example, in China, in Russia, and by many waltz groups across the United States.


Variations

Here is an abbreviated sampling of popular Cross-Step Waltz variations.

Basics
» Basic
» Slightly Turning Basic
» Turning Basic
» Turning Basic (Waterfall)
» Orbits
» Co-Waterfall (from "La La Land")

Zig Zag
» Zig Zag
» Lead's Back Ochos
» Toss Across (Half Closed)
» Toss Across (Hand to Hand)
» Pas Titubé

Waltz Walk
» Waltz Walk

» Waltz Walk, Outside Turn

Follow's Solo
» Follow's Solo
     » Touches Styling
     » Kicks Styling
     » Sweeps Styling
     » Feather Stitch Styling
» Follow's Solo to Direction Change

He Goes
» He Goes (Lead's Underarm Turn)
» He Goes, She Goes
» He Goes, Free Spin (Frisbee)
» He Goes, Rollaway
» He Goes, She Goes, She Goes, She Goes
» He Goes, Double Inside Turn, Triple Outside Turn
» He Goes, Double Inside Turn, Double Outside Turn and Free Spin
» He Goes, Double Inside Turn, Double Outside Turn
» He Goes, Double Inside Turn, Outside Turn and Free Spin
» Lead's Underarm Turn to Follow's Free Spin and Co-Waterfall

Short Grapevine
» Grapevine Underarm Turn
» Grapevine Free Spin
» Grapevine Free Spin (Two Hands)
» Chained Grapevine Turns
» Grapevine Dishrag, Grapevine Free Spin
» Grapevine Underarm Turn Sandwich
» Eighteen Count Pivoting Grapevine
» Grapevine Outside Turn to Inside Turn and Outside Turn
» Grapevine Outside Turn to Inside Turn and Free Spin
» Short Grapevine Matador Wheel
» Grapevine Underarm Turn to He Goes, Pivaloop

Long Grapevine
» Long Grapevine, Double Outside Turn
» Long Grapevine, Outside Turn and Free Spin
» Long Grapevine, Inside Turn, Tuck Outside Turn
» Long Grapevine, Inside Turn, Free Spin
» Long Grapevine, Outside Turn, Inside Turn, Outside Turn
» Long Grapevine, Double Inside Turn, Double Outside Turn and Free Spin
» Long Grapevine Matador Wheel
» Six Count Grapevine, Co-Waterfall

Swingout
» Swingout
» Traveling Swingout
» Free Spin to Pivots, Outside Turn

Inside Turn (on 2)
» Inside Turn, Grapevine Recovery
» Inside Free Spin, Grapevine Recovery
» Inside Rollaway, Grapevine Recovery
» Inside Barrel Roll, Grapevine Recovery
» Inside Turn, Reverse Pivot
» Chained Inside and Outside Turns
» Magic Wand
» Double Inside Turn, Double Outside Turn
» Double Inside Turn, Outside Turn and Free Spin
» Halo Frisbee
» Halo Frisbee (Swingout Hands)
» Halo Rollaway
» Halo Parallel Free Spins
» Double Inside Turn to Grapevine Pivot

Cradle
» Cradle, Outside Turn
» Cradle, Double Outside Turn
» Cradle, Double Unwind
» Cradle, Deney Terrio Double Unwind
» Cradle, Deney Terrio Double Unwind, Grapevine Free Spin
» Cradle, Outside Turn and Free Spin
» Cradle Lunge

Cross-Body Lead
» Molinete
» Corkscrew Molinete
» Cross-Body Inside Turn, Pivaloop Free Spin
» Cross-Body Inside Turn, Sextuple Outside Turn

Pivots
» Pivot, Outside Turn
» Pivot, Free Spin
» Pivot, Rollaway
» Chained Pivot Rollaways
» Pivot Variation Combination
» Tripled Single Pivots
» Brake Step (Block and Pivot)
» Pivot Catch

Reverse Pivots
» Reverse Pivot to Hesitating Lunge and Pivot
» Reverse Pivot to Follow's Lunge

Waterfall Grapevine
» Waterfall Grapevine, Outside Turn
» Waterfall Grapevine, Inside Turn
» Waterfall Grapevine, Double Double
» Waterfall Grapevine, Halo Frisbee
» Waterfall Grapevine, Halo Rollaway
» Waterfall Grapevine, Triple Outside Turn
» Waterfall Grapevine Dip

Waterfall Follow's Solo
» Waterfall Follow's Solo
» Waterfall Follow's Solo, Swingout
» Tsunami
» Tsunami (with Sweeps)

Crossover Inside Turn
» Crossover Inside Turn to Grapevine Inside Turn
» Crossover Inside Turn to Grapevine Rollaway

Waterfall Arm Catch
» Arm Catch Free Spin

Outside Turn (on 2)
» Triple Waltz Swing Moves

» Single Windmill
» Single Windmill, Grapevine Free Spin
» Double Outside Turn (on 2)

Outside Turn (on 3)
» Outside Turn (on 3)

Lead's Inside Turn
» Lead's Inside Turn, Follow's Outside Turn

Pomander Turn
» Pomander Turn

Cross-Cha-Cha
» Full Cross-Cha-Cha
» Cross-Cha-Cha (to Shift the Downbeat)

Left Half Turn
» Left Half Turn to Three Count Swing
» Left Half Turn to Tango Close

Chained Cradle
» Inside Turn to Cradle, Chained Cradle
» He Goes to Chained Cradle
» He Goes to Chained Cradle (Short Version)
» Inside Turn and Outside Turn out of Chained Cradle
» Triple Inside Turn and Grapevine out of Chained Cradle

Waist Slide
» Waist Slide
» Shoulder Slide
» Lead's Do-Si-Do
» Waist Slide to Grapevine Free Spin
» Waist Slide to Grapevine Rollaway

Shadow Position
» Flip into Shadow Position
» Shoulder Slide into Shadow Position
» Waist Slide into Shadow Position
» He Goes into Shadow Position
» Shadow at His Right to Hammerlock at His Left
» Hammerlock at His Left to Skater's at His Left
» Skater's at His Left to Hammerlock at His Right
» Hammerlock at His Right to Skater's at His Right
» Face Loop out of Skater's Position
» Shadow Mixmaster
» Shadow Mixmaster (Super Speed Version)
» Windmill
» Free Spin out of Shadow Position
» Face Loop out of Shadow Position

Sways and Dips
» Hesitating Side Sway
» Hesitating Dip
» Face Loop Dip
» Surprise Cradle Lunge
» Promenade Double Hesitation

Role Reversal
» Orbits to Role Reversal
» Stop and Go to Role Reversal

Jedi Waltzing
» Jedi Waltzing (previously called Gypsy)
» Mini-Gypsy

Reverse Cross-Step Waltz
» Reverse Cross-Step Waltz

Transitions
» Transition to and from Box Waltz


Many more Cross-Step Waltz variations can be found at the Waltz Lab.


Music

Here are a few of our favorite Cross-Step Waltz tunes, arranged by tempo.


Cross-Step Foxtrot

Description

Cross-Step Foxtrot is Cross-Step Waltz in slow-quick-quick timing to music in 4/4 time.


Variations

Basics
» Turning Basic

Variations
» Tripled Single Pivots




All Cross-Step Waltz variations also work in Cross-Step Foxtrot.


Music

Cross-Step Foxtrot works to many different kinds of music, including Foxtrot, Tango, and Schottische.

Here are a few songs that are particularly good for Cross-Step Foxtrot.


Cross-Step One Step

(Cross-Step Bugg)

Description

Cross-Step One Step is Cross-Step Waltz danced in evening timing across music in 4/4 time (1-2-3, 4-5-6, 7-8-1, 2-3-4, etc).


Variations

Basics
» Turning Basic




All Cross-Step Waltz variations also work in Cross-Step One Step.


Music

Cross-Step One Step works to many different kinds of music, including One Step, Four Count Swing, and Hustle.

Here are a few songs that are particularly good for Cross-Step One Step.


Related Dances

Box Waltz

All variations in Cross-Step Waltz can be adapted into Cross-Step Waltz, and vice versa, using the transitions above.


Bluesy Waltz

When the music is bluesy, you can dance Bluesy Waltz, which includes Cross-Step Waltz as a variation.


If you or your community is interested in learning Cross-Step Waltz, .

For more dance descriptions, see our three books on dancing:
The Book of Mixers: 100 Easy-Teach Dances for Getting Acquainted (2022) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge,
Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide (2019) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge, and
Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living (2013) by Richard Powers and Nick Enge.

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