How does the cross-step facilitate creativity? In most waltzes, dancers face each other squarely and dance directly toward their partners on the downbeat, or back away from them, whether rotating or not.
In cross-step waltz, the dancers essentially travel side-by-side at the musical downbeat, count 1, because their rear foot crosses through toward the direction of travel, placing them briefly in promenade position.  This parallel traveling allows an infinite array of variations that easily travel past and around one's partner. • Both dancers can travel laterally together, as in promenades or grapevines. • The Follow role can pass in front of the Lead role or turn independently, as in swing. • Similarly the Lead can pass in front of the Follow or turn independently. • Or the dancers can face each other and rotate as in traditional waltz. And these variations can be done right at the count-1 downbeat of the musical phrase, without a delayed maneuver to "break out of the frame."  This enhances spontaneity and musicality.
The flexible frame of cross-step waltz also allows dancers to travel laterally in the opposite direction (counter-promenade position) on the secondary cross-step, count 4, doubling the directional possibilities in every turn of the waltz.  Every Basic Step offers an easy opportunity to travel "out the front door" (in the direction of the primary cross-step) or "out the back door" (toward the secondary cross-step). Because of this multidirectional flexibility, cross-step waltz combines… • the rotation of waltz • the lateral travel of tango and foxtrot/quickstep (dancers travel together) • underarm turns and figures of swing and salsa (dancers travel independently) • the pivots of polka and hambo Exiting a figure An important part of innovating a variation is getting out of it, returning back to the basic step.  Returning to the frame of both box and rotary waltzes is a bit tricky, since someone must step into their partner at the same instant that their partner is also stepping back on the opposite foot.  If either the placement or timing is a bit off, someone can get stepped on.  Therefore exiting a figure is especially difficult if you're trying out new figures on-the-fly.  But in cross-step waltz you return to your partner's side, without intertwined footwork, which is significantly easier and safer.

The dual mode of cross-step waltz

During cross-step waltz, dancers alternate between basic turning, as in the first eight bars of the video above, and creative figures.

Some social dances are comprised of one basic step repeated, like the rotary waltz, traveling around the room.  Enthusiasts call this "trance-like."  Other social dances like swing, salsa and tango are comprised of constantly changing figures.  But cross-step waltz can be done in either mode, as the Lead chooses (or as the Lead senses that the Follow prefers).  Doing no variations other than the Turning Basic for three minutes can be sublimely satisfying.  Or a highly active succession of figures can be fun.  And shifting from one paradigm to the other offers variety and contrast.

This dual mode also allows the Lead to relax and coast with a Turning Basic if he wants to, without fear of boring his partner, unlike dances like the Hustle where he must come up with a new figure every second-and-a-half without a break.  This takes a lot of pressure off the Lead.  Follows also enjoy the break of serene traveling, instead of constantly being challenged to respond to a new figure every few seconds.


The advantage of beginning on the opposite foot  (Lead's right, Follow's left)

Traditional slow ballroom waltz, based on the box step, has a similar "Twinkle" cross-step, but the significant difference is that slow ballroom waltz must begin on the Lead's left (Follow's right) foot, resulting in the Twinkle cross-step opposing the musical downbeat.   i.e., the strong primary cross-step forward occurs during the weak second bar of music, count 4, while the weaker secondary cross-step inward has the strong musical downbeat, count 1.  This feels musically unsatisfying, so after only one or two cross-steps, dancers return to their basic box step.

The secret of cross-step waltz is that it begins on the opposite foot (Lead's right, Follow's left), allowing the primary cross-step to occur on the primary musical downbeat.  This feels musically satisfying, letting dancers play with cross-step waltz variations for the entire duration of the music.


Tempo

The slow tempo of cross-step waltz allows a relaxed pace of creativity, offering a balanced contrast to the fast-paced creativity of swing and hustle.  This pace is also forgiving of mistakes, letting both Lead and Follow easily track each other through unintended variations.

The flexible frame of cross-step waltz enables spontaneous creativity but it's only comfortable at slower tempos.  If cross-step waltz is danced to fast waltz music, the twisting frame may become uncomfortable for the Follow.


Lead/Follow Roles

Some dancers enjoy cross-step waltz because the steps and roles of Lead and Follow are more equal than in most social dances.
• The steps of the Lead and Follow roles are more equal because they're mirror-image.  This makes it easy to quickly adapt to your partner's footwork.
• The roles are a little more equal because the Lead is constantly tracking (some say following) his partner, while the Follow role is more actively a co-pilot than in other couple dances.
• Role reversal is also easier than in most other dances because both roles have the same basic step, both crossing forward on the downbeat.  The Follow can take over the Lead while dancing, continuing the flow of movement without missing a beat or having to re-start.

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The other waltzes are also wonderful.

"Cross-step waltz, my personal favorite, is the best partner dance in the world."
                                      — Zachariah Cassady, director of Waltz Etcetera in Seattle.


Yes, many dancers love cross-step waltz, as their favorite dance.  But in describing its advantages, this page does not wish to imply that cross-step waltz is superior to the other forms of waltz.  There are many wonderful and euphoric attributes of Viennese waltz, rotary waltz, vintage waltzes (including redowa, valse à deux temps, hesitation waltz), exhibition and International ballroom waltz, tango vals cruzado, valse musette, cajun/zydeco waltz, waltz swing and the many kinds of country and folk waltz.

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The story behind cross-step waltz

The development of today's cross-step waltz has a curious timeline.  When I begin teaching at Stanford University in 1992, most of my classes were contemporary social dance, but I occasionally taught weekend workshops in historical dances, for anyone who was interested.  These were dances like the mazurka waltz, Bohemian National Polka, and the Jazz Age dances of 1920s Paris.  Then once a month, I ran a student dance party called Jammix (and still do).

I noticed an unusual dance step at Jammix in 1995.  I was playing You Make Me Feel So Young, a foxtrot by Frank Sinatra, and two of my students, James Mendoza and George Yang, were traveling with their partners around the room while rotating, and distinctively, were crossing over in front every third step.  I could immediately see how easily creative this dance was.

I began experimenting with this idea.  Since every third step crossed over, I turned it into a waltz—simply dancing that step to slow waltz music—and it worked even better.  I also found that it was more musical when the Lead begins with the right foot, Follow's left, because the step with the greatest emphasis then falls on the musical downbeat.  I loved the effortless flow of this new waltz, the ease of spontaneous creativity, the more equal Lead/Follow dynamic, and its gentle tempo.  I decided to call it "cross-step waltz."

You Make Me Feel So Young was a bit too fast at 124 bpm, but International Standard Waltz was far too slow for this dance, at 84 to 90 bpm.  I found that waltz music at 112-118 bpm was an ideal range, because it's a natural walking tempo, and I started collecting waltz music in that tempo range.

I developed a set of cross-step waltz variations, working with my teaching partner Angela Amarillas, and began teaching cross-step waltz in 1996.  But that isn't the end of the story.

Field research Jean-François and Andrée in 1997 The following year, while I was teaching at a vintage dance week in Prague, I was surprised to see a French couple, Jean-François Lafitte and Andrée Gamelin, dancing cross-step waltz exactly as I had been doing it, including the Lead beginning with the right foot, and at the same tempo.  I asked them where they learned it, and they said they had been dancing this "valse Boston" for a long time.  Sylvie and Jean-Pierre Orgeret from Lyon were also dancing this cross-step style of valse Boston at that same time. Josette Courtade was raised in the bals musettes in the 1930s and danced since childhood.  She first danced this cross-step valse Boston in the 1940s, and I danced it with her in Parisian bals musettes several times between 1998 and 2012, when she was in her 80s.  Once I knew that this dance predated James Mendoza by generations, I could search through my dance manuals and periodicals for clues.

Josette Courtade in 2009

Historical cross-step waltz

Cross-steps in general appeared in the first three decades of the 20th century.  In 1914, the "Cross Walk Boston" waltz created by Frank H. Norman foreshadowed the cross-step waltz, but most of the early crossed-step variations were in duple 4/4 time, in the One Step, Tango, and Foxtrot.  In particular, the March 1920 issue of the Dancing Times of London reported that in the Foxtrot, "The crossing of the feet is popular and effective." A three-step version of the foxtrot was popular immediately after World War I and through the 1920s.  It was a repeating pattern of three steps danced quick-quick-slow, called Straight Jazz and Jazz-Roll in London. In 1919, "Monsieur Pierre" described the Jazz Valse thusly: "A new form of valsing, derived from the Jazz, is rapidly gaining popularity. It is danced especially to slow and accentuated music. The steps are the same as the Straight Jazz and Jazz-Roll, with a step to every beat."  This means dancing the three foxtrot steps evenly in slow waltz time.  The English dance master Geoffrey D'Egville suggested the same thing in 1919.  Dancing the Jazz Valse using crossed foxtrot steps results in cross-step waltz in the manner that has been revived today.

A second and more likely evolution of cross-step waltz happened in Paris.  Americans brought their dances—one-steps, foxtrots and blues—to Paris during the 1920s, and several French authors of dance manuals described each American dance and variation in detail, although the French liked to begin on the Lead's right foot, Follow's left.  Through these dance manuals, we can see a blues step that the French called Fox-Blues evolve through that decade, year-by-year.  The cross-step appeared in the mid-20s, in the "pas titube" (staggering step), and evolved into a cross-step Fox-Blues by the end of the decade.  Apparently this same step was then easily danced as a waltz, when slow waltz music became popular around 1930.

We can't know whether the version danced by Josette, Jean-François, and the other French dancers evolved from the 1919 Jazz Valse, or if it came from the 1920s Fox-Blues.  Either way, we know that it existed in France at around that time.

In a nutshell, the cross-step valse Boston was a vernacular dance, passed on in bals musettes, and occasionally mentioned in magazine articles, but it was never adopted by professional dance masters or authors of dance manuals.  Fortunately, some French dancers have continued dancing this cross-step valse Boston to today.

Years later, I asked James Mendoza where he first learned that dance.  He replied, "I learned it from you.  Remember that workshop that you taught on the Jazz Age dances of 1920s Paris?  I especially liked the cross-step Fox Blues."  He had only learned the basic step in that workshop, then he found it very easy to innovate variations, as did I.  And I found it natural to dance it as a waltz.  It came together quite effortlessly, as if it were meant to be.

That 1920s Fox Blues step apparently evolved into cross-step waltz twice—once around 1930, and again in 1995.

The revival of cross-step waltz

Since I started teaching Cross-Step Waltz in 1996, my graduating Stanford students have carried cross-step waltz to many countries, and I've been teaching it nationally and internationally for decades.  Like the Balboa, the revival is now larger than the original generation, with over a thousand videos of cross-step waltz on YouTube, from around the world.  It is rapidly spreading throughout Russia, with several cross-step waltz dance weeks and festivals each year.  What kind of waltzing is done in China?  Many kinds, but if one searches for "Chinese waltzing" on YouTube, the top hit is a video of cross-step waltz at an outdoor evening dance in Beijing.

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Waltz Groups

More than thirty "mostly waltz" groups have sprung up across the U.S. in the past decade.  A typical evening of dancing focuses on waltz but usually alternates waltz with swing, salsa and other couple dances.

The addition of cross-step waltz to the repertoire has helped make mostly-waltz dances popular by providing a second significantly different waltz form to play with, offering a more robust waltz mix than if a single form of waltz is the only one danced all night.


Waltz groups in the U.S. and Canada

Roll your mouse over the red dots to identify the waltz groups.
Click on the red dots to view their Web pages.

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The basic step and ten variations are described below
followed by the listing of another 220 variations.


Cross-step waltz tempos are within the 104-124 bpm range, with 112-118 bpm being ideal.

Music suggestions for cross-step waltz can be found here.

Watch the video at the top of the page to see most of these variations.

Frame (Waltz Position):  The Lead's R arm and Follow's L arm are somewhat raised but not stiff, with the top of his R arm lightly in contact with the bottom of her L arm.  His R palm rests gently on her L shoulder blade, giving a bit more space between partners than other waltz forms.  He should be careful not to poke the fingertips of his R hand into her back.  She braces back with her R arm, but both dancers hold each other with soft comfortable hands.

This is a flexible frame dance.  Both upper bodies are slightly aimed toward the held hands on count 1, the Primary Cross-Step, and slightly aimed toward the rear elbows on count 4, the Secondary Cross-Step.

• Basic Cross-Step Waltz:  1) He crosses R foot over his L with weight;  2) he steps side L with weight;  3) he replaces weight onto his R while also pulling his R back slightly.  Repeat opposite, crossing L over R.  She dances opposite, mirroring his steps, beginning by crossing L over R.

Hint: He can assist her cross-steps by lightly pulling back out of her way, never pushing into her.


• Zig-Zag:  He advances slightly with Basic Step as his partner over-crosses, without any rotation, to create a zig-zag path with the follow backing against LOD (Line Of Direction).


• Slightly Turning:  The Basic Step slightly rotating CW (clockwise) as a couple.  This meanders.

Hint:  Pull your R shoulder and R foot back out of your partner's way on a count 3.  He does this during the first count 3 then she does it during the next count 3 (i.e., count 6).


• Tossacross:  The leader dances Zig-Zag as he casts her gently from his R side to his L side, catching her in alternating arms.


• Orbits (Rolling Tossacross):  A Lead's CW Tossacross followed by a Follow's CW Tossacross.  Face LOD, Follow at the Lead's right side, in half-open waltz position, letting go of hands in front.  Both cross-step forward toward LOD, count 1, then he tosses himself across over to her right side, counts 2 and 3.  Both cross-step forward toward LOD, count 4, then he lets her toss herself across over to his right side in the same manner, counts 5 and 6.

Hint 1: Leads, don't toss her across too vigorously.  She's a dancer, not a puppet, so let her dance across without hauling her.  Conversely, follows be active in getting across, so he doesn't need to haul you across.

Hint 2: Track your partner's travel and flow with them, instead of focusing on your own footwork.


• The Turning Basic keeps the same footwork as Orbits but you hold your partner in closed waltz position throughout, turning 360° every 6 steps, traveling in a straight line toward LOD.  This is the fundamental step in Cross-Step Waltz.  The Turning Basic takes a little while to perfect, but once you have it, it flows easily.

Hint:  Leads, look toward your right just before count 4, to help direct her travel in that direction.  This is a visual lead, which is more comfortable than a physical lead pulling her in that direction.  In other words, he lets her dance by on count 4 instead of making her dance.


• Waterfall:  Turning Basic where the lead crosses behind instead of in front on each count 4 while the follow crosses in front.  On count 4, the Lead has passed in front of the Follow and is now in the "outside lane" where he steps back L, with his partner at his right side, by his right pocket.


• Follow's Solo (Ochos):  He completely stops on count 1 and stays in his crossed step as he leads her into a Basic Step in place.  This variation comes from tango Argentino.


• He-Goes-She-Goes:  A) He raises his L arm and travels straight forward under it, passing in front of her, then lowers his arm (cts. 1-2-3). Lead's hint: look forward LOD as you duck under instead of looking back at her, which would misdirect the intended direction of travel.   B) Walk forward with her at his L side (4-5-6).   C) He raises his L hand and loops it toward the left in front of her head to lead her into a CCW Follow's Underarm Turn (7-8-9).  Follow's hint: travel with him as you turn, as opposed to stopping and turning in place.   D) He lowers his L hand and sweeps her by in front of him back to his R side and catches her (10-11-12).  Follow's hint: complete a full 360° turn on part C so that you're facing forward LOD at the beginning of D, crossing forward instead of backing up into waltz position.

Optional ornamentation:  Either the Lead or Follow may do a grapevine step on Part B, instead of simply walking forward.  Count 4: Slightly face toward partner and cross in front.  5: Step side toward LOD.  6: Cross behind.  This is shown in the video as the Grapevine Rollaway.


• Frisbee:  The same as He-Goes-She-Goes except he leads her into a Follow's Free Spin (CCW) on part C.


• Lead's Underarm Turn:  Simply Parts A and D of He-Goes-She-Goes.


• The Cross-Step Waltz Mixer is described here.

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220 Cross-Step Waltz Variations
as reminders of variations you may have learned in classes or workshops.


Many ballroom figures are memorized patterns that wouldn't be possible if both dancers hadn't previously learned their part.  However all of the figures on this page are lead-follow for freestyle improvised social dancing.  Previous exposure is not required for Follows to dance these figures.

• Reverse Turning Basic • Reverse Waterfall • The Square • Zig-Zag Evasive Maneuver • Lead's "A" Stance in Follow's Solo • Sweeps • Counter-Crossing • Direction Change from Follow's Solo • Follow's Solo in Waterfall • The same into Swingout • Lead's Back Ochos • Traveling Back Ochos • Follow's Swingout • Traveling Swingout • Hoo-Wah! • Traveling Swingout Tuck-Turn • Traveling Swingout Tuck-Free Spin • Traveling Swingout Tuck Into Shadow Position • Traveling Swingout Dishrag Tuck-Turn • Side-Passes • Open Two-Handed Tossacross • Side Sways • Swan Dive • Leads Back Ochos into a Flip Pivot • Alternating Flip Pivots • 2-Hand Bounced Ochos • Bounced Ochos in Closed Waltz Position • Cloud Hands Zig Zag • Cloud Hands Lead's Back Ochos • Waltz Walk • The Eddy • Rueda • Splits • Waltz Walk Underarm Turn • Waltz Walk Free Spin • Double Outside Underarm Turn • Follow's Initiated Double Underarm Turn • Underarm Turn Free Spin • Lindy Outside Turn • Lindy Outside Turn Triple Free Spin • Repeated Lead's Underarm Turn • Surprise Outside Turn at end of He-Goes-She-Goes • Lead's Underarm Turn, Pivaloop, Long Grapevine • Pomander Turn • He-Goes-Rollaway • Hovercraft • Single Pivot • Tripled Single Pivots • Pivot Underarm Turn • Pivot with Follow's Free Spin • Pivot Rollaway • Chained Rollaways • Doubled Pivots • Easygoing Extended Pivots • Texas Tommy Pivot • Whipped Turning Basic • Lazy Cast-Away • Gypsy • Jedi Waltzing (Innovation) • Grapevine • Grapevine Rueda • Long Grapevine Rueda • Long Grapevine, Tuck-Double Outside Turn • Long Grapevine, Outside Turn, Free Spin • Long Grapevine, Parallel Free Spin, Double Outside Turn • Long Grapevine, Inside And Outside Turns • Long Grapevine, Inside Turn, Free Spin • Follow's Backing Ocho (Zig-Zags) • Exit from Follow's Backing Ochos • Grapevine Exit from Follow's Backing Ochos • Grapevine Underarm (Outside) Turn • Grapevine Underarm Turn Sandwich • Grapevine Free Spin • Open 2-Hand Grapevine Free Spin • Closed Grapevine Rollaway • Grapevine Underarm Turn into Counter-Crossing

• Inside Turn, Grapevine • Inside Free Spin, Grapevine • Tandem Inside Free Spin, Grapevine • Inside Rollaway, Grapevine • Turns And Grapevine Sandwich • Meandering Grapevine With Inside And Outside Turns • Chained Inside And Outside Turns • Open 2-Hand Chained Inside And Outside Turns • Magic Wand • Single-Hand Chained Inside And Outside Turns • Pancake (Chained Free Spins) • Inside Turn To Cradle Walk • Cradle Promenade Changing Sides • Double Unwind Exit From Cradle • Deney Terrio Unwind Exit From Cradle • Tornado Quintuple Unwrap From Cradle • Exit From Wrap To Grapevine Free Spin • Inside Turn Cradle Lunge • Inside Double Turn To Outside Double Turn And Free Spin • Inside Double Turn To Outside Triple Turn • Open Grapevine • Open Grapevine Rollaway • Open Grapevine Underarm Turn • Open Grapevine Free Spin • Open Grapevine Combinations • Inside and Outside Grapevine Combinations • Open 2-Hand Tossacrosses To Grapevine Free Spin • Inside Free Spin • Pivot to Inside Turn • Follow's Solo To Grapevine Inside Turn • Waterfall Grapevine Inside Turn • Waterfall Grapevine Tuck-Turn • Matador • Pivaloop • He-Goes-She-Goes Entrance to Pivaloop • Dishrag Pivaloop • Free Spin Exit from Pivaloop • Double Pivaloop • Pivaloop Extra Underarm Turn • Lead's Wrap into Pivaloop • Waterfall Grapevine Inside Turn into Pivaloop • Reverse Pivaloop • Cross-Body Inside Turn • Cross-Body Lead into Chained Inside and Outside Turns • Cross-Body Inside Turn Into Pivaloop Free Spin • Orbit Inside Turn Into Reverse Pivaloop • Walk-Around Drape • Cross-Body Ochos • Tsunami • Underarm Tsunami • Shadow Figures (Sweetheart Variations) • Shadow Walk • Follow's Side Slips • Shadow Wheel • Reverse Shadow Wheel • Follow's Underarm Turn • Follow's Multiple Underarm Turns • Lead's Side Slip • Mixmaster • Shadow Sweeps • He-Goes-She-Goes Entrance into Shadow • Quicker Entrance into Shadow • Grapevine Underarm Turn Entrance into Shadow • Traveling Swingout Entrance into Shadow • Free Spin into R/R Hand Underarm Turn into Shadow • Foot-Fudge into Shadow • Illusion Turn (Shadow Flip) • Shadow Windmill (Chained Follow's Underarm Turns in Shadow) • Windmill • Parallel Windmill • Shadow Zig-Zag

• Basic Exit from Shadow • Face-Loop Exit from Shadow • Sombrero Exit from Shadow • From Shadow Position, W On R Side, Transition To Lead's Hammerlock • Tandem Turns • Traveling Tandem Turns • Transition To Skater's at his Left Side • Transition To Skater's With Extra Inside Turn • Side Pass To Skater's At His Right Side • Inside Turn Transition From Skater's At His Left Side To Skater's at his Right Side • Flip Turn • Chained Flip Turns • Crossed-Hand Waltz • Right Forearm Grasp • Runs Forward and Backing • Runs Forward and Backing with Free Spin • Open 2 Hand Fallback • Two-Hand Mixmaster • One-Hand Pivaloop Mixmaster • Crossed-Hand Salsa Mixmaster • Around the World • Around the World Free Spin • Loop-de-Loops • Traveling Loop-de-Loops • Sombrero • The Wrap • Waist Slide into Wrap • Walk-Around Wrap • Exit from Wrap to Shadow Position • Exit from Wrap to Grapevine Free Spin • Pivot To Salsa Parallel Breaks • Pivot To Straight Salsa Breaks • Cross-Swivels (Swivel Walk) • Tango hesitation • Molinete • Corkscrew Molinete • Left Turn Pivots • Left Turn Pivots into Grapevine • Forward Cross-Lunge, Side Step Recovery • Tango Hesitating Dip • Closing Tango Dip • Hesitating Dip Into Pivots Into Follow's Double Underarm Turn • Closing Underarm Turn • Closing Underarm Turn with Genuflections • Concluding Inside Turn Cradle Dip • Lateral Dip (Cradle Dip) • Traveling Roll-Off-The-Arm • Free Spin Dip • Traveling Free Spin • Valentino Dip • Sombrero Dip • Improvise on the Spot (Make Up Stuff) • Transition to Cross-Step from Box Step Waltz • Transition Back to Box Step Waltz • Cross-Through Traveling Box Step Waltz • Transition from Rotary Waltz • Transition to Rotary Waltz • Cross-Step Redowa (to faster music) • Tripling (Cutting In) • Cross-Step Troika • Slow Cross-Step Foxtrot • Fast Cross-Step Foxtrot (Cross-Step One-Step) • Role Reversal • Use Orbits to get into Role Reversal • Stealing the Lead (Messing with the Lead) • Stealing the Lead with Free Spins • Surprise Ochos • Stealing the Lead with Surprise Side-Pass • Stop-And-Go to phase-shift musical downbeat • CrossChaCha • Stop-And-Go Transition from Rotary Waltz • Stop-And-Go Transition to Rotary Waltz

Creators of these variations include (alphabetically) Angela Amarillas, Bill Boling & Beata Csanadi, Lilli Ann & Claire Carey, Zachariah Cassady, Susan de Guardiola, Walter Dill, Nick & Melissa Enge, Donald Harvey, Michael & Kourtny Hicks, Sven Jensen, Ryan & Monica Shen Knotts, Pavel Kozlov, Peggy Leiby & Ret Turner, Ari Levitt, Mirage Marrou, James Mendoza, Campbell Miller, Alexey Nelyubov, Woodley Packard, Richard Powers, Issac Roth, Maren Shemshourenko, Georgiy ("Rold") Shulpin, Graham Waldon, Timmie Wong, George Yang, Mark Zavislak & Chen Zheng, plus over a hundred more innovators in the Waltz Lab and on YouTube.


Send any comments, corrections or additions to Richard Powers.
                       

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Copyright © 1996, 2019 Richard Powers


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