An Easy Competence
A waltz with figures by John Hertz
Instructions from Tenor of Terpsichore [comments by Alan Winston]
Couples in a circle facing LOD.

Measure    Action
 1 - 4     Each couple faces anticlocwise around the circle, the 
           gentleman on the inside, the lady resting her left hand on 
           his outstretched right hand.  Beginning with the outside foot,
           they advance four slow and rather grand steps, one on the first
           beat of each measure.

           [It's okay to point the toe, and sometimes helps with balance.
           When cueing, this is "walk."]

 5 - 8     Open waltz.  (See "Congress of Vienna.")

 9 -10     [Cease your forward progress.]  The gentleman turns the lady
           clockwise under his right arm.  [His arm comes forward as though
           he were continuing the open waltz; the woman turns forward and
           under it; another way of thinking about this is that the hand
           comes up and across her face.  Many people find this very 
           counterintuitive.]

11-12      As she comes to face him, they take hands as for a two-hand turn;
           they advance slightly toward each other (Measure 11) and 
           retire the same distance (Measure 12).  [Cue: "Advance and retire"
           or "In-2-3 Out-2-3" depending on the crowd."]

13-16      They turn two hands clockwise.

17-18      Advance and retire.

19-20      The gentleman turns the lady anticlockwise under his right arm,
           changing places with her.  [Cue "Change under man's right."]

21-22      Advance and retire.

23-24      The gentleman turns the lady clockwise under his left arm, 
           changing places with her [and ending in ballroom position.]

25-32      Closed waltz, traveling anticlockwise while rotating clockwise.
           [Which is perfectly normal in our circles.]

Note: This is an easy and very pleasant dance.