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The Common Waltz is a choreographed waltz sequence dance, commissioned by Scott Gamble and choreographed by Nick Enge and Melissa Carvell.
It was designed to demonstrate and practice a variety of common waltz steps, include right and left waltzes, underarm turns, wheels, shadow, and cradle.
"The Wild Waltz" by Cécile Corbel from The Secret World of Arrietty, available on iTunes.
The dance starts on the 17th bar, after the 16 bar intro. For efficiency, Nick has edited the song so that there are only 8 bars of intro.
The Wild Waltz isn't allowed on YouTube, so the video above shows it being danced to a waltz hack of Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites.
4 Bars: Vis à Vis and Rollaway: Run six steps forward, bringing the hands forward on the first three ("back to back"), and back on second three ("face to face"). Then Rollaway, the Follow waltzing six steps clockwise, and the Lead waltzing six steps counterclockwise. It's a slow waltz, forward on the first half and back on the second half, not quick pivots.
4 Bars: Waltz and Turn: The Lead catches the Follow in closed position for three clockwise waltzes, then leads a Follow's underarm turn on the fourth bar: she pivots under his arm, back, forward, back, as he runs by on the inside lane.
4 Bars: Waltz and Transition: The Lead catches the Follow in closed position for three clockwise waltzes, then leads her to walk straight backward as he walks straight forward.
4 Bars: Reverse Waltz and Transition: Three reverse (counterclockwise) waltzes, starting with the Lead stepping diagonally forward to the left as the Follow steps diagonally back to the right. Then the Lead backs up on the fourth bar, as the Follow goes straight forward.
4 Bars: Waltz and Swingout: Starting with the Lead stepping diagonally back to the left and the Follow diagonally forward to the right, three waltzes, then the Lead sends the Follow out diagonally along LOD toward the wall (at about a 45° angle). This is more comfortable if he tucks his hand into swingout hold, his hand horizontal, and hers hooked vertically over it.
4 Bars: Cinderella Wheel to Shadow: The Lead places the Follow's right hand in his right hand, palm-to-palm, and they both walk forward for three bars, wheeling around each other one full rotation. On the fourth bar, the Lead turns the Follow clockwise with his right hand so that she is facing forward, then takes her left hand in his left to end up in Shadow position.
4 Bars: Shadow to Cradle: Walk three bars forward in Shadow position, the Lead to the left side of the Follow. On the fourth bar, transition to Cradle: the Lead turns the Follow clockwise with the right hands again, bringing the right hands between their bodies and passing it into his left hand. Then he takes her left hand in his right at her right side, in Cradle position. As she's turning, the Follow passes her left hand under her right hand, in front of her torso, to make it easier for the Lead to find.
4 Bars: Cradle to Yo Yo: Walk two bars forward in Cradle position. Then wheel clockwise, with the Lead passing around in front of the Follow, and letting go of his left and her right to let her roll out on his right arm to the outside lane on the fourth bar, keeping inside hands.
Repeat from the beginning, a total of 4 times.
If you or your community is interested in learning the Common 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.
For full-length teaching videos, visit: University of Dance.
For help crafting a life you love, visit: Project Quartz.
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