The Watkins Waltz is a modern sequence dance. The dance script was composed by Graham and Avril Watkins in 2010. It is a 16 bar dance (see paragraph numbers) in the usual 3/4 waltz time and should be danced to a 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-centre. Only the man’s steps are described here, with the Lady dancing as a counterpart, unless otherwise stated – in which case, the lady’s steps are in italics.
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. If you find yourself confused with all the technical terms, you can skip to a video presentation of the dance below.
Watkins Waltz Dance Steps
If You Prefer to Just Watch the Watkins Waltz, Scroll to the Video at the Bottom
Watkins Waltz – 1st Movement – Travelling Contra Check – Chasse in Promenade Position – Weave from Promenade Position
| 1 | LF fwd in CBMP DC, slightly flexing L knee (Lady RF back) | HT | 1 |
| RF fwd DC, turning lady to R to end in PP | T | 2 | |
| LF to side in PP, pointing DC | TH | 3 | |
| 2 | RF fwd and across in CBMP and PP moving DC | HT | 1 |
| LF to side in PP DC | T | 2 | |
| Close RF to LF, slightly back in PP | T | & | |
| LF to side in PP DC | TH | 3 | |
| 3 | RF fwd and across in CBMP and PP, pointing LOD, facing DC, turning to L | HT | 1 |
| LF fwd DC, cont to turn to L | T | 2 | |
| RF to side and slightly back DW | TH | 3 | |
| 4 | LF back in CBMP down LOD | TH | 1 |
| RF back down LOD, cont to turn to L | TH | 2 | |
| LF to side and slightly fwd, pointing DW | TH | 3 | |
| WATKINS WALTZ – 1 TO 3 NATURAL TURN – OPEN IMPETUS TURN – CHAIR – SAME FOOT LUNGE | |||
| 5 | RF fwd in CBMP OP, facing DW, com to turn to R | HT | 1 |
| LF to side, cont to turn to R, backing DC | T | 2 | |
| Close RF to LF, backing LOD | TH | 3 | |
| 6 | LF back down LOD, cont to turn to R | TH | 1 |
| Close RF to LF, Heel Turn, end facing DC | HT | 2 | |
| LF to side and slightly fwd in PP, pointing DC | TH | 3 | |
| 7 | RF fwd and across in CBMP and PP, moving DC, slightly flexing R knee, Check | TH | 1 |
| LF back, small step in CBMP and fallaway, moving DW against LOD | T | 2 | |
| Close RF to LF ww (Lady close LF to RF with weight change, TH) | T | 3 | |
| 8 | RF to side DW against LOD, slightly flexing R knee (Lady RF back DW against LOD) | TH | 1 |
| Transfer weight to LF to side, pointing LOD | TH | 2 | |
| Close RF to LF ww, facing LOD (Lady close RF to LF with weight change, TH) | T | 3 | |
| WATKINS WALTZ – HAIRPIN RUN – 1 TO 3 NATURAL TURN – BACK WHISK – WING | |||
| 9 | RF fwd down LOD in CBMP OP, com to curve slightly to R | HT | 1 |
| LF fwd, cont to curve to R | T | 2 | |
| RF fwd in CBMP OP | T | & | |
| LF fwd DW | TH | 3 | |
| 10 | RF fwd in CBMP DW OP, turning to R | HT | 1 |
| LF to side, backing DC, cont to turn to R | T | 2 | |
| Close RF to LF, backing LOD | TH | 3 | |
| 11 | LF back down LOD, turning to R | TH | 1 |
| RF to side and slightly back along LOD | TH | 2 | |
| Cross LF behind RF, facing DC against LOD in fallaway | TH | 3 | |
| 12 | RF fwd in CBMP and PP against LOD, leading lady to curve to L around man towards his L side | H | 1 |
| Close LF towards RF, turning to L (Lady RF fwd, curving to L around man, T) | IET | 2 | |
| Close LF to RF ww, facing against LOD (Lady LF fwd down LOD OP on L side, TH) | IET | 3 | |
| WATKINS WALTZ – TURNING HOVER TO PP – NATURAL ZIG ZAG – NATURAL HESITATION CHANGE | |||
| 13 | LF fwd in CBMP against LOD OP on L side, turning to L | HT | 1 |
| RF to side against LOD, facing wall, then brush LF to RF, cont to turn to L, Hover Action | T | 2 | |
| LF to side and slightly fwd, pointing DW in PP, Hover Action | TH | 3 | |
| 14 | RF fwd and across in CBMP and PP, facing DW, turning to R (Lady no turn) | HT | 1 |
| LF to side along LOD, square to partner, cont to turn to R to end backing DC | T | 2 | |
| RF back DC in CBMP PO on L side, turning to L | T | & | |
| LF to side and slightly fwd, pointing DW, partner towards R side | TH | 3 | |
| 15 | RF fwd DW in CBMP OP on R side, com to turn to R | HT | 1 |
| LF to side, backing DC, cont to turn to R | T | 2 | |
| Close RF to LF, backing LOD | TH | 3 | |
| 16 | LF back down LOD | TH | 1 |
| RF to side, small step, Heel Pull, facing DC | HIEF WF | 2 | |
| Close LF to RF ww, facing DC | |||
Enjoy this Video of the Watkins Waltz
