What are the basic folk dance steps?

A. Locomotor Movements 1. Walking – moving at moderate pace of the feet, lifting one foot only after the other
 Movements that move foot touched the floor or ground
the body on space in 2. Running – movement of the feet with springing steps at rapid pace such that at an
any direction with the instant both feet are off-ground during each step
feet as the moving 3. Jumping – springing with one foot or both feet and landing of both feet
base. 4. Hopping – springing on one foot and landing on the same foot
5. Leaping – springing of one foot and landing of the other foot
6. Skipping – same procedure as in hopping, but bouncing lightly with alternate steps
and hops.
B. Hands and Arm Positions 1. Amplified- more open positions on 1st or 5th positions.
2. Lateral- both arms raised at one side parallel to each other.
3. “T” position- both arms at sides and bent at the elbows so that the upper arms re
at shoulder level.
4. Reverse “T” position- both arms at sides and bent at the elbows so that the
forearms are parallel to the head, palms facing inwards.
5. Abresete- Girl at the right side holds R arm of partner with her L hand, free hands
sown at sides. This term is Spanish in origin and is used in rigodon and in other
dances.
6. Arms in lateral position– both arms at one side, either right or left; at shoulder,
chest, or waist level.
7. Crossed arms- partners facing each other or standing side by side join their L
hands together and the R hands together; either R over L or L over R.
8. Free hand- the hand not placed anywhere, or not doing anything.
9. Hands on waist- place hands at the waist line, knuckles in, fingers pointing rear.
10. Hapay- to flourish or offer a handkerchief, hat, glass of wine to somebody as a sign
of invitation.
11. Hayon-hayon- to place one forearm in front and the other at the back of the waist.
12. Kumintang- moving the hand from the wrist either in a clockwise or counter
clockwise direction.
13. Masiwak-to turn the hand from the wrist halfway clockwise, then raise and lower
wrist once or twice.
14. Outside hand- the hand away from one’s partner, when partner’s stand side by
side.
15. Salok- swinging the arm downward-upward passing in front of the body as if
scooping; the trunk is bant forward following the movement of the arm doing the
salok.
16. Sarok- cross the R (or L) foot infront of the L (or R) bent the body slightly forward
and cross hands down in front with the R (or L) hand over the L (or R)
C. Five Arm Positions
Fundamental/Standard 1st position
Positions of Arms and -Both arms are raised forward in a circle in front of the chest with the fingertips about an
Feet inch apart.
2nd position
-Both arms are raised sideward with graceful curve at shoulder level.
3rd position
-Left arm is raised sideward as in 2nd position; right arm raise upward.
4th position
-Left arm is raised in front as in first position; right arm raised overhead.
5th position
-Both arms are raised overhead.
Feet Positions
1st position
-Heels close together; toes apart within an angle of around 45 degrees.
2nd position
-Point the right toe sideward; bring down the heel of the right foot.
3rd position
-Heel of one foot is close to in step of other foot.
4th position
-Point the right toe forward; bring down the heel of the right foot.
5th position
-Close the right foot to the left by circling and return to the first position.
Basic Dance Steps
In 3 Time Signature
4
A. ct. 1-2, 3 = 1 M Dance Steps Step Pattern
(measure) 1. Touch step Touch, close, step
2. Bleking step Heel, place, close
3. Close step Step, close
4. Hop step Step, hop
5. Slide step Slide, close
6. Cross step Step, cross or Cross, step
7. Step swing Step, swing
8. Step-swing hop Step-swing, hop
9. Step-brush-swing-hoP Step, brush-swing, hop
10. Parallel Tortillier Pivot on heels (and turn toes both),
Pivot on toes (and turn heels both)
B. ct. 1, 2, 3 = 1M 1. Native waltz Step, close, step
(measure) 2. Cross waltz Cross-step, close, step
3. Waltz Balance Step, close raise both heels, heels down
4. Mazurka Slide, cut, hop
5. Redoba Slide, cut, cut
6. Point step Step, point
7. Step swing Step, swing
8. Opposite Tortillier Toes together, heels together (moving sideward right and left)
C. ct. 1-2, 3 /1, 2-3 1. Sway Balance with a Step, cross-step/ step, point
= 2M (measure) point
2. Sway Balance with a Step, cross-step/ step, raise
raise
3. Sway Balance with a Step, cross-step/ step, brush
brush
4. Sway Balance with a hop Step, cross-step/ step, hop
5. Sway Balance with a Step, cross-step/ step, close
close
6. Engaño step with a close Step, cross-step/ step, close
7. Engaño step with a waltz Step, cross-step/ step, close, step
D. ct 1, 2, 3 / 1, 2, 1. Espunti Pivot L ®, Pivot R (L)/
3=2M Pivot R (L), Pivot L ®
2. Grapevine Step, cross-step/ cross-step, step cross
3. Slide step Slide close/ slide close
4. Sagamantica Step, close, step/ close, step, close raise R heel place
E. ct. 1,2,3/ 1,2,3/ 5. Bacui Cross-point step/ Cross –step (rear) step/ Cross-step (front) step/ Close
1,2,3/ 1,2,3 = 4 (pause)
M 6. Papuri Step, cross-step/ cross-point/ step, cross-step/ cross-step

In 4 Time Signature
4
1. Schottiche Step, close, step, hop (raise foot in front)
A. 1, 2, 3, 4 =1M 2. Escotis Step, close, step, hop (raise foot in rear)
3. Grapevine Step, cross-step, step, cross-step
B. 1, 2, 3, 4/ 1, 2, 1. Chotis Brush, raise, brush, raise/ step, step, step (turning)
3, 4= 2M Close or pause
In 2 Time Signature
4
A. ct. 1, 2 = 1M 1. Touch step Touch, close
(measure) 2. Bleking step Spring heel-place, close
3. Close step Step, close
4. Hop step Step, hop
5. Slide step Slide, close
6. Cross step Step, cross or cross, step
7. Point step Step point
8. Step Swing Step, swing
9. Parallel Tortillier Pivot on heels (and turn toes both),
Pivot on toes (and turn heels both)
10. Opposite Tortillier Toes together R-L, heels together R-L
B. ct. 1and, 2 = 1M 1. Change step Step close, step
(measure) 2. Cross change step Cross-step close, step
3. Contra-ganza Leap, cross-step, step
C. ct. 1, 2and =1M Step, close-step
(measure) 1. Habanera Step

D. ct. 1and, 1. Plain polka Raise-step, close, step

2and=1M 2. Hop polka Hop-step, close, step
(measure) 3. Galop step Step cut, step cut (there are 2 galop steps in 1 measure)
4. Skip Step hop, step hop
E. ct. 1, 2 / 1and, 1. Heel and toe polka Heel-place toe-point/ raise-step, close, step, pause
2and = 2M 2. Heel and toe change Heel-place, toe-point/ step, close, step
(measure) step
F. ct. 1 and 2 (do 1. Mincing step With heels raise, take as many steps as desired
as many times 2. Shuffling step With both feet flat on the floor, take tiny slide steps
as desired) 3. Chasing steps With one foot leading, take successive close steps to any direction
G. ct. 1, 2/ 1, Step, cross-step/ Step, cross-step
1. Grapevine
2=2M
H. ct. 1and, 2and/ Slide close, slide close/ slide close, step pause
2. Slide polka
1and, 2and= 2M

Turns
Time
Turn Step Signat Step Pattern Counting
ure
1. Brush step turn 3 Step, brush, step 1, 2, 3
4 (turning in place)
2. Change step turn 2 Step, close, step 1 and 2
4
3. Cross Turn 3 Cross turn heels down 1, 2, 3
4
4. Cross step turn 3 Step cross heels down 1, 2, 3
4
5. Pivot turn 2 Step step on the ball and turn 1and
4 Step step on the ball and turn 2and
6. Pivot turn with a 3 Turn L and point R
point 4 Point close R (L)n (turning in place) 1, 2, 3
7. Pivot turn with 3 Sarok/ point-close point and turn 1, 2, 3/ 1, 2, 3
Sarok 4 Point-close/ point and turn point-close 1, 2, 3/ 1, 2, 3
8. Slide turn 3 Step turn and cross slide step 1, 2, 3
4
9. Three step turn 3 Step turn, step turn, step 1, 2, 3
4
10. Four step turn 3 Step turn/ step turn, step close 1, 2/ 1,2
4
11. Waltz turn 3 Step R(L), close L(R), step R (L) (do the 1, 2, 3
4 movements while turning R or L)
2 Step…step…step (R-L alternately) 1ah & ah
4 Turning in place while moving 2ah & ah
12. Whirl Turn 3 Step…step…step (R-L alternately) 1ah & ah
4 Turning in place while moving 2ah & ah
3an & ah