NameofActivity:BasicWaltzsteps PurposeofActivity:Studentswilllearn5basicwaltzsteps,thehistoryofthewaltz,geographyand climateofthecountriesofGermanyandAustria. SuggestedGradeLevel:612 MaterialsNeeded:CDplayerandappropriatewaltzmusic Music:Thefollowingaresuggestionsfromseveraldifferentgenresofmusic:CouldIHaveThisDance (FortheRestofMyLife)byAnneMurray;YouLookSoGoodinLovebyGeorgeStrait;YouLightUpMy LifebyLeAnnRimesorWhitneyHouston;PianoManbyBillyJoel;TrytoRememberfromthe Fantasticks;EdelweissfromTheSoundofMusic.IfyouarefromMissouriorTennesseeyouhaveyour ownstatewaltzTheMissouriWaltzorTheTennesseeWaltz! ClassroomOrganization:Theclasswillbeinonelargecircle.Alloftheleads(usuallymen)shouldstand withtheRshouldertowardthecenterofthecircle.Thefollows,theirpartners,shouldfacetheleads withtheLshouldertowardthecenterofthecircle.Dancersmaypracticethestepsfacingoneanother withoutactuallytouching.Afterthestepsarelearnedthedancersshouldperformthestepsinballroom danceposition.

(Seedescriptionbelow) AnticipatorySet:Thewaltzisaromanticdancedoneintripletime.Itisconsideredthemotherof presentdaydancesandbeganinsouthernGermanyinthe17thcentury.TheballroomsofVienna popularizedafasterversionofthewaltzthatbecameknownastheVienneseWaltz.Thefastwhirlingof partnersthatappearedtobeinanembraceshockedpolitesociety.Religiousleadersofthetimes vieweditasvulgarandsinful.Morerecentstudieshaveshownthatwaltzingcanbebeneficialforcardio respiratoryfunction.(Moreinformationcanbefoundatthewebsiteslistedbelow.) http://www.castleschoolofdancing.com/standard.htm http://www.centralhome.com/ballroomcountry/waltz.htm ClimateandGeographyofGermanandAustria:GermanyisacountryinCentralEurope.ItisEuropes mostpopulatednation.In1949twoGermanstateswereformed,GermanyandEastGermany.The BerlinWall,whichdividedthecountry,camedownin1989,anddemocracycametoallGermans. AustrialiestothesouthofGermany.Itistotallylandlockedandisverymountainous.Themountain rangesareknownastheAustrianAlps.Themusical,TheSoundofMusic,tookplaceinthecountryof Austria.Today,AustriaisknownasthewalkingandhikingcapitalofEurope.Theclimateofboth countriesismuchlikesomepartsoftheUS.ThewinterlowsareinJanuaryandFebruarywhenthe temperaturemaybeaslowas0.InJulyandAugust,whenitisveryhot,thetemperaturemayreach100 degrees.

 http://www.findcroatia.com/mapscroatia/maps/centraleuropecroatia1.gif GermanistheofficiallanguageofbothGermanyandAustria. WanttolearnsomeGermanword? HelloinGermanisHallo;GoodmorningisGutenMorgen;GoodbyeisAufWiedersehen(wsounds likeaV);PleaseisBitte;Bittealsomeansyourewelcome! TrycountingthewaltzstepsinGerman: 1. Eins 2. Zwei 3. Drei 4. Veir 5. Funf 6. Sechs DescriptionofBallroomDancePosition Partnersshouldbeaboutsixinchesapart.Theyshouldstanduprightwiththeheadupandshoulders relaxed.

LeadsPosition:TheleadsRarmshouldbeplacedfirmly,withfingersandthumbheldtogether,slightly belowthefollowsLshoulderblade.Gentlepressureonthebackofthefollowcanbeusedtoleadthe partnerinvariousstepsofthedance.TheleadsRarmshouldbekeptfirmandliftedata90degree angletohisbodymakingfullcontactwiththewomansleftarm. ThefollowsLarmshouldrestgentlyontheleadsupperarmwithfingersontheleadsRshoulder.The followsRhandshouldrestinthepalmoftheleadsLhand.Thesejoinedhandsshouldberaisedtoeye leveloftheshorterperson. Eachdancerseyesshouldbefocusedoverhis/herpartnersRshoulder.Partnersshouldnotdancetoe totoe.StudentsshouldbeinstructedtomoveslighttotheirownL,thusputtingtheRfootbetweenthe partnersfeet. 5BasicWaltzSteps: 1. BoxStep:Thispatternresemblesabox.Thepartnersperformoppositemovements.Whenthe leadmovesforwardthefollowmovesbackward.

Count Lead's Part Lead Follow's Part 1 Left foot forward Closed Position Right foot back 2 3 4 5 6 Right foot side Closed Position Left foot side Left foot close Closed Position Right foot close Right foot back Closed Position Left foot forward Left foot side Closed Position Right foot side Right foot close Closed Position Left foot close

http://www.dancetv.com/tutorial/waltz/waltz1.html 2. UnderArmTurn:Toinitiatethisturn,theleadraiseshislefthandintheair,whichisacuefor thefollowtoturnunderneath.Thefollowwilltakesixwalkingstepsforwardinasmallcircle, returningtoheroriginalplacebythesixthstep. 3. WaltzLeftBoxorRightBoxStep:OneboxstepisdonewithaturntotheleadsL.Thepivotis doneastheleadstepsforwardandthesidestepcloseisdonefacingthewalltotheLofthe lead.OnthenextsteptheleadstepsbackRandthefollowstepsforwardLagaincompletinga turn.Thissequenceisrepeated2xandthedancersendupintheoriginalposition.TheRight BoxStepisalsodonewiththeleadsteppingforwardasfollowstepsbackandpivotsturnto theR.Anicevideoofthiscanbeseenatthewebsitelistedbelow. http://www.ballroomdancers.com/Dances/media.asp?Dance=AWA&StepNum=107 4. HesitationStepLeadstepsforwardLandtogetherinplaceRL.Followperformstheopposite movement.Thedancerscanreversethemovementonthe2ndhesitationstepwithlead steppingbackRand,togetherLRandfollowperformingtheoppositemovement.

5. ProgressiveWaltzStepTheleadgoesforwardoncounts1and4performingtheboxstepin placeaftereachforwardstep.Thecuefortheleadis:forwardL(1)sideR(2)closeL(3)forwardR (4)sideL(5)closeR(6).Thefollowperformstheoppositemovement.