Emmerdale Waltz Dance Steps
The Emmerdale Waltz is another favourite modern sequence dance. It has some lovely graceful moves but requires good co-ordination between the male and female partner, to look good on the dance floor.
It is a 16 bar dance (see paragraph numbers) and each bar comprises a 1-2-3 movement.
It is done to a 3/4 time at 30 bars per minute.
The dance was first choreographed by W.J. Crook in 1979. It begins with the man on the outside, facing “diagonal to centre” down the line of dance. The man and woman are in ‘closed hold‘.
If You Prefer to Just Watch a Video of the Emmerdale Waltz, Scroll to the Bottom
Emmerdale Waltz – 1st Movement – Reverse Square
| 1 | The man begins by moving his left foot forward, diagonal-to-centre (Lady RF back DC) |
1 |
| Then the man’s right foot goes to the side (Lady LF to side) | 2 | |
| And his left foot closes to his right foot to face the centre (Lady RF closes to LF to facing wall) | 3 | |
| 2 | Then the man brings his right foot back down the line of dance (LF fwd down LOD) | 1 |
| Then brings his left foot to the side (Lady RF to side) | 2 | |
| And his right foot closes to his left foot, to end facing against the line of dance (Lady LF closes to RF to end backing against LOD) | 3 | |
| 3 | The man then moves his left foot forward, in a diagonal-to-wall direction, against the line of dance (Lady RF back DW against LOD) | 1 |
| Followed by his right foot to the side (Lady LF to side) | 2 | |
| And his left foot closes to his right foot, to face the wall (Lady RF closes to LF to face centre) | 3 | |
| 4 | Now the man brings his right foot back against the line of dance (Lady LF fwd against LOD) | 1 |
| His left foot then goes to the side (Lady RF to side) | 2 | |
| And his right foot closes to his left foot, to be facing the line of dance (Lady LF closes to RF backing LOD) | 3 | |
Emmerdale Waltz 2nd Movement – step and point in line – step and point in promenade position – solo turn – promenade hover
| 5 | The man moves his left foot forward and down the line of dance (Lady RF back down LOD) | 1 |
| Then he points his right foot forward in line with his partner (Lady point LF back in line with partner) | 2 3 | |
| 6 | Then the man moves his right foot forward in a diagonal-to-wall direction and begins to turn to Promenade Position (Lady LF back DW com to turn to PP) | 1 |
| He then points his left foot to the side, along the line of dance while still in Promenade Position (Lady point RF to side along LOD in PP) | 2 3 | |
| 7 | Next, the man moves his left foot forward in a diagonal-to-centre direction, along the line of dance while turning to the left, to face the centre (Lady RF fwd DW along LOD turning to R to face wall) | 1 |
| He then moves his right foot to the side in a diagonal-to-centre direction while he turns to the right, to be facing wall and in Promenade Position without hold (Lady LF to side cont turning to L to facing centre to PP position without hold) | 2 | |
| The man then m brings his left foot to the side, in a diagonal-to-wall direction (Lady RF to side DC) | 3 | |
| 8 | Now the man brings his right foot forward and across in a Contra Body Movement Position (CBMP), down the line of dance, in Promenade Position and taking up Double Hold with the lady, his left hand to her right hand, his right hand to her left hand (Lady LF fwd and across in CBMP down LOD in PP taking Double Hold) | 1 |
| He next brings his left foot to the side, down the line of dance (Lady RF to side down LOD) | 2 | |
| And replaces his right foot slightly to the centre, taking his weight with a hover action while turning to face the wall and his partner (Lady replace LF slightly to wall taking weight with hover action turning to face centre and partner) | 3 | |
Emmerdale Waltz 3rd Movement – Fallaway Whisk, Wing, Open Telemark and Promenade Hover
| 9 | Now the man moves his left foot forward and across in another CBMP against the line of dance, in counter promenade position while turning slightly to the right (Lady RF fwd and across in CBMP against LOD in CPP turning slightly L) | 1 |
| Next, the man brings his right foot to the side against the line of dance while turning slightly left to face the wall (Lady LF to side against LOD turning slightly R to face centre) | 2 | |
| The man’s left foot then crosses behind his right foot (into a whisk) to end facing diagonal-to-wall and in promenade position (Lady RF crosses behind RF (whisk) to end facing DC in PP) | 3 | |
| 10 | He then moves his right foot forward, diagonal-to-wall, to take up Ballroom Hold while the Lady, beginning with her left foot forward, circles her partner in 3 steps to the left (a wing) | 1 |
| The man then closes his left foot to his right foot without taking its weight, to end facing the line of dance (Lady two fwd steps in PP circling partner, close to facing position on beat 3) | 2 3 | |
| 11 | The man continues to move his left foot forward, diagonal-to-centre, with a strong turn to the left (the Open Telemark) (Lady RF back, heel turn) | 1 |
| Now he brings his right foot to the side, against the line of dance and continues turning left, swivelling on the ball of his left foot (Lady LF closes to RF taking weight) | 2 | |
| The man then moves his left foot forward and slightly back in promenade position, moving along the line of dance (Lady RF fwd in PP moving LOD) | 3 | |
| 12 | Now he brings his right foot forward and across in a CBMP, diagonal-to-wall and along LOD the line of dance while in promenade position (Lady LF fwd and across in CBMP DC along LOD in PP) | 1 |
| His left foot then goes to the side, along the line of dance – a hover action (Lady RF to side along LOD, hover action) | 2 | |
| The man then replaces his weight to his right foot, turning his partner square to himself (Lady replace weight to LF turning square to partner) | 3 | |
Emmerdale Waltz Final Movement – Contra-check – Half Natural Turn – Natural Spin Turn
| 13 | LF fwd square to partner facing DW against LOD (Lady RF back DW against LOD) | 1 |
| Replace weight to RF DC (Lady replace weight to LF DC) | 2 | |
| LF to side along LOD (Lady RF to side along LOD) | 3 | |
| 14 | RF fwd DW OP on lady’s R, turning R (Lady LF back DW PO) | 1 |
| LF to side DW cont turning R (Lady RF to side DW cont turning R) | 2 | |
| Close RF to LF backing LOD (Lady close LF to RF facing LOD) | 3 | |
| 15 | LF back along LOD in CBMP turning R to face LOD (Lady RF fwd along LOD in CBMP turning R to backing LOD) | 1 |
| RF fwd down LOD turning R to face DW (Lady LF back down LOD turning R to backing DW, brush RF to LF ww) | 2 | |
| LF back DC against LOD (Lady RF fwd DC against LOD) | 3 | |
| 16 | RF back DC against LOD (Lady LF fwd DC against LOD) | 1 |
| LF to side to centre turning L to face LOD (Lady RF to side to centre turning L to backing LOD) | 2 | |
| Close RF to LF (Lady close LF to RF) | 3 | |
Then start again . . . . . for as long as the music lasts.
If you’re more of a “visual learner” then this video gives should help:
Enjoy These Demonstrations of the Emmerdale Waltz
