Cheviot Waltz Dance Steps
The Cheviot Waltz dance script was composed by Debbie Long and Renee Turner in 2002. It is a 16 bar dance (see paragraph numbers) in the usual 3/4 waltz time and should be danced with the usual 1-2-3, 1-2-3 rhythm to music at a tempo of 30 beats per minute. We commence the dance in normal ballroom hold with the man facing and the lady backing diagonal to wall. We describe only the man’s steps here on the assumption that the lady will follow as a counterpart, unless otherwise stated.
The man lowers (bends his legs) slightly and uses “heel leads” to step forward; backward steps are drawn with his toe (again, lowering himself) and whenever he brings his feet together both man and lady should rise up onto their toes.
Cheviot Waltz – 1st Movement – Traveling Contra-Check – Hover to Natural Fallaway – Slip Pivot – Curving Feather
1. The man moves his left foot forward in a Contra Body Movement Position (CBMP), facing diagonal to wall (1) then his right foot comes forward, still facing diagonal to wall (2) and his left foot goes to the side, facing diagonal to wall but now in Promenade Position (3)
2. Now the mans’ right foot goes forward and across in another CBMP and in Promenade Position, facing diagonal to wall and commencing to turn to the right (1). His left foot then moves diagonally forward in Promenade Position, now with his back to the centre and still turning to the right (2) then his right foot comes back, now with his back diagonal to centre and into a fallaway (3)
3. The man brings his left foot back, backing diagonal to centre in another CBMP and into a fallaway position, turning the lady to the left and square to himself at the end of step (1). Then his right foot comes back, backing diagonal to centre and still turning to the left (2) and his left foot to the side, his foot pointing diagonal to wall (3).
4. Now the man’s right foot moves forward in a diagonal to wall direction with another CBMP and commences to curve to the right, outside his partner (1) then his left foot goes to the side, still curving to the right, between the wall and in a diagonal to wall direction against the line of dance (2) followed by his right foot moving forward in another CBMP outside his partner and facing against the line of dance, into a Check (3).
Cheviot Waltz – 2nd Movement – Chasse to Contra Check – Hover – Back Lock
5. The man brings his left foot back in another CBMP down the line of dance, with his partner on the outside (1) then his right foot moves to the side to commence a chasse. At this point he is now facing the centre (2). His left foot closes to his right foot while still facing the centre (&) and his right foot continues to the side, the man still facing the centre (3).
6. Having completed the chasse, the man’s left foot moves forward in another CBMP, still facing toward the centre, into a Contra Check (1). His right foot then comes back in a ‘backing to wall’ direction as he turns to the left (2) and his left foot goes to the side, at which point he is now facing against the line of dance (3).
7. He now moves his right foot forward in another CBMP, still facing against the line of dance with his partner on his outside (1) then his left foot comes forward, still facing against the line of dance (2). He replaces his weight onto his right foot, still backing the line of dance, into a Hover Action on the last two steps (3).
8. From the ‘hover’ we now proceed into a back lock. The man moves his left foot back in a CBMP down the line of dance with his partner on the outside (1) then his right foot comes back down the line of dance (2) and he crosses his left foot in front of his right foot, down the line of dance (&) then brings his right foot back down the line of dance (3).
Cheviot Waltz – 3rd Movement – Open Impetus Turn – 1 to 4 Syncopated Zig Zag – Chair – Slip Pivot – 1 to 3 Open Reverse Turn (Lady Outside) Overturned
9. The man now brings his left foot back in another CBMP with his partner on his outside, down the line of dance (1) and closes his right foot to his left foot, at this point backing line of dance. He now turns strongly to the right with a Heel Turn, to end facing the line of dance (2). Still turning to the right, he brings his left foot to the side and into Promenade Position, and pointing diagonal to wall (3).
10. The man now moves his right foot forward and across in another CBMP and in Promenade Position, down the line of dance, his toe pointing diagonal to wall and turning to the right (The Lady will be turning to the left) (1). His left foot goes to the side and backing diagonal to centre (2) then his right foot comes back in another CBMP and into a counter fallaway, backing diagonal to centre while turning to the left (The Lady will be turning to the right) (&) and his left foot goes to the side, so that he is now facing diagonal to wall in Promenade Position (3).
11. The man moves his right foot forward in a CBMP and in Promenade Position, down the line of dance while slightly flexing his left knee, into a Chair position (1). We now come to the slip pivot. The man brings his left foot back in another CBMP and into a fallaway. It’s a small step against line of dance. (The Lady also does a Slip Pivot) (2). Now he brings his right foot back, with his back against line of dance (3).
12. The man moves his left foot forward down the line of dance and commences to turn to the left (1) then brings his right foot to the side while still turning to the left (2) and brings his left foot back in a CBMP with his partner on the outside, to end backing the line of dance (3).
Cheviot Waltz – Final Movement – Left Whisk – Twist Turn – Turning Hover – 4 to 6 Reverse Turn Underturned
13. The man now brings his right foot back down the line of dance and commences to turn to the left (1). He brings his left foot to the side, still turning to the left (2) and his right foot crosses behind his left foot in a ‘whisk’ as he is now backing digonal to centre against the line of dance (The Lady crosses her left foot behind her right and is now facing diagonal to centre against the line of dance) (3).
14. The partners untwist to the right, allowing their feet to uncross and end backing diagonal to wall against the line of dance. Their feet should be almost closed and the man’s weight on his right foot with the lady slightly to his right side (1,2&3).
15. To end the dance sequence, the man brings his left foot back in a CBMP in a diagonal to wall direction against the line of dance and commences to turn to the right with his partner on his outside (1). He then brings his right foot to the side and slightly forward, with his toe pointing diagonal to wall against the line of dance (2) and replaces his weight back onto his left foot. He his now backing diagonal to centre with his partner square to himself (3).
16. The man brings his right foot back, backing diagonal to centre while turning to the left (1). His left foot comes to the side, pointing diagonal to wall (2) and his right foot closes to his left foot so that he ends facing diagonal to wall (3)
Ready to begin again . . .
Enjoy this Video of the Cheviot Waltz
