GYPSY DANCE
This dance is arranged for four or more couples, a solo dancer and her partner. To be effective it must be staged with the proper Gypsy atmosphere and the larger the group the better. Have the Gypsies seated and lying around the stage in a rough circle. When the curtain rises they are talking, laughing and humming songs. Almost instantly a Gypsy man enters, dragging after him a Gypsy maid, whom he throws into the center of the circle. The captive gradually raises her head and, seeing the curious gaze of the group around her, decides to win them by her dancing. As the music starts and she begins to dance, some of the Gypsies in the group take up tambourines and play them in time to the music; others sway back and forth or hum snatches of the tune.
Music. Danse de la Gipsy, by C. Saint-Saëns, from the Opera “Henry VIII.”
| Introduction. Rise to standing position with hands on hips. | 2 measures. |
Steps.
| Figure 1—16 measures. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (a) | Starting with R foot, run 5 steps toward one group of Gypsies. | 1 measure. | ||||
| Step forward on L foot, step backward on R foot and drag L foot back to R toe. | 1 measure. | |||||
| Turn and repeat whole toward another group of Gypsies. | 2 measures. | |||||
| (b) | Step with R foot and make half-turn toward R, count 1. | |||||
| Step with L foot and make half-turn toward R, count 2. | ||||||
| Step with R foot and make half-turn toward R, count 3. | ||||||
| Step with L foot and make half-turn toward R, count 4. | ||||||
| Hold position, standing on L foot with R foot extended at side and head flung back, looking over R shoulder, counts 5 and 6. | 1 measure. | |||||
| Repeat (b) twice. | 2 measures. | |||||
| Hold final position and swing R arm in arch in front of body and out to R at shoulder height. | 1 measure. | |||||
| Repeat (a) and (b), bringing feet together at end of final measure. | ||||||
| Figure 2—18 measures. | ||||||
| Progress around circle, keeping back to center, with following step, hands on hips. | ||||||
| (a) | Step L foot diagonally across R, bending both knees. | |||||
| Step R foot back and to the side, step L foot behind R, step R to the side. | ||||||
| Repeat 8 times. | 3 measures. | |||||
| (b) Step to R and pirouette with arms circling overhead. | 1 measure. | |||||
| (c) Repeat (a). | 3 measures. | |||||
| (d) | Run 5 steps, starting L, toward one of the groups of Gypsies. Step forward on R foot and hold R hand out as though in supplication. | 1 measure. | ||||
| Repeat 3 times, advancing toward a different group each time. | 3 measures. | |||||
| Repeat (a) for one measure. | 1 measure. | |||||
| (e) | Step L foot across R, bend L knee and extend R foot at side, then sweeping R arm across body in circle, raise body to standing position with feet together. | 1 measure. | ||||
| Repeat (e). | 1 measure. | |||||
| Repeat (a) in double time. | 3 measures. | |||||
| Pirouette in center of stage with arms circling overhead and pose with feet together, arms stretched out overhead and head flung back. | 1 measure. | |||||
| Figure 3—34 measures. | ||||||
| (a) | Step R foot to side, bring L foot to R heel, change weight to L foot, change weight to R foot. (This should be done on the toes with a slight bend in the knees.) | 1 measure. | ||||
| Repeat to L. | 1 measure. | |||||
| (b) | 4 mazurkas, starting R. | 2 measures. | ||||
Mazurka: Slide R foot diagonally forward R;
bring L foot up to R heel and step on it, raising
R knee high with R foot pointing down at L knee.
| ||||||
| Step forward R and hold with L foot at R heel, counts 1 and 2. | ||||||
| Step back on L foot, count 3. Drag L foot back to position in front of R toe and then place weight on L foot, counts 4, 5, 6. | 1 measure. | |||||
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| (c) | Pirouette L, hands circling over head, and hold pose, standing with weight on L foot, L hand on hip and R arm extended over head. | 1 measure. | ||||
| (An experienced dancer may substitute a leap-turn for the pirouette.) | ||||||
| Pirouette R and pose. | 1 measure. | |||||
| Pirouette L and pose, swinging R arm across body and back to position over head. | 2 measures. | |||||
| Repeat (b) through (c) three times. | 24 measures. | |||||
| Figure 4—12 measures. | ||||||
| (a) | Hold final position of Figure 3 for 2 counts, then drop on R knee, with body and head turned toward R and bent over R knee and L leg extended straight out behind. L arm swung back following line of L leg, count 3. Rise to standing position through 3 counts of music, swinging R arm forward and over head. | 1 measure. | ||||
| Repeat to L. | 1 measure. | |||||
| (b) | Hold 2 counts in standing position, replacing hand on hip. | |||||
| With 5 two-steps forward, starting R, progress in a small circle around stage. | ||||||
Note: The two-steps should be done with the knees
slightly bent and a swaying motion from side to side. |
2 measures. | |||||
| Repeat (a) and (b). | 4 measures. | |||||
| (c) | Step R and pirouette, 2 counts. | |||||
| With 20 large steps, starting R, run around circle, keeping back to center. | ||||||
| Step R in center of stage and pirouette, ending with arms stretched out over head, and head flung back, | 4 measures. | |||||
| Figure 5—22 measures. | ||||||
| Four couples jump up from the group and take places in four corners of a square around the solo dancer. Man joins solo dancer as her partner for this step. This action must be spontaneous, as though the solo dancer had excited the rest so that they could no longer keep still. | ||||||
| The girls stand with their backs to the center of the circle. The weight is on the L foot and the R foot is extended toward partner. The R hand clasps partner’s R hand, the L arm is flung straight up over head. | ||||||
| The men stand facing the center of the circle in the same position as the girls. | ||||||
| The solo dancer and her partner take the same position as the rest of the group, standing in the center of the stage. | ||||||
| Hold position for 2 counts, then, swinging L arm down at side and keeping R hands joined, exchange places with partner with 4 running steps, starting R. | 1 measure. | |||||
| Repeat back to place. | 1 measure. | |||||
| Hold original position for 2 counts, then, placing hands on hips, with 5 two-steps, starting R, each girl advances toward the man in the couple on her L, each man advances toward girl in the couple on his L, while the central dancers dance around each other. | 2 measures. | |||||
| Take both hands of new partner and with feet together and bodies stretched away from partner, heads flung back, swing partner around in place. | 4 measures. | |||||
| Repeat whole, using two-steps to return to original partner. | 8 measures. | |||||
| Men stand in place facing center of stage, with arms folded and held high, watching the girls dancing around them. | ||||||
| Girls with hands on hips dance around partners with 11 waltz steps, starting R, and a pirouette L in front of partner. | 4 measures. | |||||
| Girl pirouettes R in front of man, who holds position, then man takes girl’s L hand in his L hand and lets her fall back over his R arm, while she supports herself with her R foot on the ground, her R knee bent and her L leg extended in the air. | 2 measures. | |||||
| As music ends, all exeunt laughing, singing and striking tambourines. | ||||||
COSTUMES
Girls: Short, bright-colored skirts and blouses; bare legs; scarfs tied over the head; beads, earrings, bracelets, etc.
Men: Long dark trousers, bright-colored shirts, and scarfs tied around the hips.