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In early 2001 I was asked by a participant in my 'Dancing though the Ages' course at the Australian National University, if I could teach the dance which featured in the 1965 movie The Sound of Music (directed and produced by Robert Wise, songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and staring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer). After scrutiny of the video I reconstructed and taught a version of the dance. In July 2003, and again in July 2004, I revisited and improved on the reconstruction in order to teach it (and as a result of teaching it) to our Sunday afternoon, YMCA Sailing Club 'Dancing on the Lake' group. In the movie Maria calls the dance 'the Ländler, an Austrian folk dance'. There is, of course, not one landler, but a plethora of different possible sequences - all characterised by different knotty figures. The movie's choreography is an elegant mixture of some of these landler figures, together with some mid-19th century ballroom mazurka and waltz figures. The resulting sequence has less repetition, more changes of hand and more changes of weight than would be expected in either a folk landler or a ballroom social dance, but is non the less very beautiful and accessible. To make it even more accessible still I've:
Here then is the resulting dance. If you want to have the whole sequence repeat with the same partner I suggest you abandon the repeat of A1 in A2 so that you have 8 bars of music left at the end to turn out of the final window, bow and take inside hands ready to start travelling forward with A1. If you want the whole sequence to repeat with a new partner I suggest you have the music start again not with A1 but with the 16 bar Introduction and have the dancers use the first few bars of their solo different directions promenading music to unwind from their old partner. Start M l.f., W r.f. Introductory mixing figure (as seen in ballroom behind the couple - 16 bars and hold for bow): With 8 waltz steps M travels along l.o.d. around outside of circle while W travel alone against l.o.d. on inside circle, finishing taking skaters hold (l.hs over r.hs) with 8th new opposite / then with 4 waltz steps wheel as a couple 1 1/2 acw and travel together along l.o.d., M on inside, and with another 4 waltz steps M turns W acw over her l.sh. under raised hands, finishing opening out to face each other across the l.o.d., taking 2 hs in open hold and bow. Body of dance (as danced by Maria and Capt. Von Trapp - 64 bars ): A1 Holding inside hands promenade along l.o.d. with 3 waltz steps forward (M with l.h. behind back, W holding skirt), then 2 steps and pause to face each other and take 2 hands (l.h. in r.h., r.h. in l.h.) / In open hold take 2 glide, cut, hop mazurka steps back against l.o.d. and 1 waltz step and 2 steps and a pause turn back-to-back under both arms A2 Repeat above B1 Switch to r.h. in r.h. (l.h. free) and travelling along l.o.d. W turn 5 times over r.sh. under M's raised l.h, on the 5th turn the W letting her l.h. rise and be collected by the M's l.h. and looped up over her head so that the couple can finishing in skater's promenade hold, l.hs over r.hs / promenade further along l.o.d. with 3 steps then with 4th waltz step, without letting go of joined hands, W turns out over l.sh. to face partner across l.o.d. B2 With r.hs joined over l.hs, balance to own left, own right, then W turns over r.sh. under M's raised r.h.while changing sides with partner (presumably with just less than 2 full waltz steps - 5 not 6 steps - to change weight) / with l.hs joined over r.hs balance right and left, then W turns over l.sh. while change side back to face, and W quickly turn back over r.sh under both hands raised and slight-of-hand switch overhead to holding 2 hands raised l in r, r in l, with partner (this also possibly with 5 steps to change weight back to first foot). C1 With 4 waltz steps turn as a couple, on the first 2 steps hands tracing wide open arcs down from on high and on the second 2 steps M putting W's hands behind her back - finishing with M letting go with his l.h. and quickly turning W out under his raised r.h. over her r.sh. / Travelling forward along l.o.d. swinging inside hand forward and back, then, with next 2 waltz steps, W turn over r.sh. twice, finishing facing each other again across the l.o.d. (M on inside, W on outside) C2 While M claps his hands W, holding skirt, goes solo acw 3/4 around M with 3 glide-cut-hop mazurka steps starting l.f. and finishing with 2 stompsfacing M along l.o.d. / While clapping M goes solo cw around W with 4 waltzes steps cw finishing back in place. D1 With 2 waltz steps M goes solo forward along l.o.d. followed by W then with next 2 waltz steps he offers r.h. over his l.sh. to take her r.h. and lead her around his l.h. side to face (she now facing against, he still along l.o.d.) / W backs M against the l.o.d. touching and brushing away in a wide arc l.hs over r.hs then taking l.hs below r.hs, touch and brush away r.hs over l.hs, finishing taking r.hs below l.hs, then with 1 waltz steps M turns W acw over her l.h., joined r.hs going up as joined l.hs come down, till couple can look at each other under raised r.hs., and with another waltz steps M, keeping his l.h. down, turns W back over her r.sh. till the W is wrapped up on M's l.arm, l.hips are touching and couple can look at each other under raised r.hs, D2 In r.h. window with 2 waltz step wheel acw, then lowering r.shs and raising l.hs, M turns acw 1/2 about and W turns acw 1 1/2 over l.sh. till wrapped up on M's r.arm, r.hips touching, looking at each other over own r.sh. under arch made by raised l.hs / in l.h. window wheel cw with 2 waltz steps then with next 2 waltz steps either stop and stare at each other or unwind and switch hands to starting hold.
Emma's Song to Silent Worship midi A dance for 4 couple in a longways duple improper minor set. Start sequence with either foot and prepare for walking. Finish sequence all back in place, having inverted the set, danced the centre piece, then turned the set back to original order. Dance sequence to any 32 bar polka, reel, galop or march as many times as will. (Please note that this dance is a recent creation and was not danced in the movie "Emma" but the words were sung by Emma at the Cole's party. Emma also dances "Mr Beveridge's Maggot" with Mr Knightly.)
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