Cross-Step Waltz for beginners

Perfect for solo practice at home

Patrick Harrigan loves contra dancing. Don't worry — it's perfectly safe!
Patrick Harrigan loves contra dancing and waltz

Wouldn’t it be great if you could practice your waltz steps at home to the music of your choice?

That is just the beginning. But look out! Waltz could start to take over your life. Take Patrick as an example, literally.

Doors Open at 6 pm

  • Come up to an hour before event time and this magnificent Dancing Fish dance floor is ours to dance upon.
  • Bring your own playlist or waltz to one of our waltz playlists.
  • Until sound check time, the floor is ours to use.

Cross-Step Waltz for neophytes

Ever wondered how to do the figure skating-like cross-step waltz that is remarkably different from ballroom waltz? Patrick is ready and willing to show you, whether individually or as a small class. Instruction is free — just come early!

  1. What is Cross-Step Waltz? What makes it so different as an alternative waltz platform?
  2. Mirroring warm-up steps — the open secret of cross-step waltz
  3. Learn as Follow to take every step forward, solo at first. It is not as simple as it sounds!
  4. Drill the Follow’s part to waltz music (ideally 115-120 bpm).
  5. Ready to cross-step waltz with experienced lead.

Guys, learn to lead cross-step the safe & easy way!

Ever want to learn to lead cross-step waltz? It’s not as easy as the Follow’s part, but Patrick will be happy to coach you on request, individually or as couples. Just come at 6 pm if you can!

Notice how at center the lead dances backwards, drawing his/her partner to dance in a 'slinky' forwards fractal motion. Not for the faint of heart! The Dancing Fish of Lake Santa Fe — interior
Notice how at center the lead (in cap) dances backwards, drawing his/her partner to waltz in a repeating fractal curve, like a ‘slinky’. Not for the faint of heart!

Notice above how at center the lead dances backwards, drawing his/her partner to dance forwards and around him/her.

Below, Patrick at first practices solo cross-step follow’s part until joined by cross-step partner Jere. This tempo is almost too fast to do cross-step waltz, which is best suited to 100-120 beats per minute.

Reelplay iwithDave Marcus on concertina and Robbin L Marcus on piano 2022-07-03 at The Dancing Fish of Lake Santa Fe in Melrose, FL.
Care to Waltz?
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Patrick Harrigan

An avid contra dancer, Patrick Harrigan is also a photographer, editor, and website publisher.