THE CONGRESS OF VIENNA WALTZ as printed in "The Tenor of Terpsichore" Dance by John Hertz [comments by Alan Winston] [Don't try to do this to any tune but its own.] Formation: Couples in a circle facing normal LOD. Inner hands joined. Measure Action Strain 1 1 - 4 Open waltz [joined hands are a hinge; taking one step per beat, face away-two-three, toward-two-three, away-two-three, toward-two-three. In general the extreme points are 45-60 degrees away from straight forward.] 5 - 14 Closed waltz, traveling around the circle in LOD. (No passing!) 15 - 28 As above. Strain 2 1 - 8 Open waltz 9 - 16 Closed waltz Allemande [which everyone calls "Windows"] Strain 1 1 - 4 The gentleman takes the lady's left hand in his right hand, retaining her right hand in his left hand. Raising his right hand, he turns her anticlockwise under his right arm, holding her hands lightly so they can turn in his. She must step away from him as she turns; he must draw his right elbow to his own right, and follow the turn by facing about a quarter clockwise. At the end of this motion she is at his left side, left shoulder to his left shoulder, his right elbow bent and level with his right shoulder, his left arm straight, and his left hand holding her right at the small of her back. [I say, "Face partner, take hold of both hands, and don't let go until I say so. Raise the man's right hand, and the woman goes under the arch made by the joined hands and turns 3/4 to the left while the man turns 1/4 to the right, so you end up shoulder to shoulder."] 5 - 8 In this position the couple rotate anticlockwise. [I sometimes mention that it's not only permissible but encouraged to look at your partner while you're turning - great flirting possibilities.] 9 - 10 The gentleman raises his right hand and turns the lady clockwise. As the lady turns she steps away from the gentleman, he draws his left hand toward him, and he turns toward the lady, continuing the turn until they are face to face. [I say "Unwrap." Then I usually have to say "I didn't say 'let go.'"] 11 - 12 As in Measures 1-4 of this part but in the opposite direction. The gentlemen raises his left hand ad turns the lady clockwise under his left arm until they stand right shoulder to right shoulder, the gentleman's left elbow bent and level with his right shoulder, his right arm straight, and his right hand holding her left hand at the small of her back. [I say "wrap up the other way."] 13 - 16 In this position the couple rotate clockwise. 17 As in measure 9-10 of this part, but in the opposite direction. The gentleman raises his left hand and turns the lady anticlockwise, turning toward her, until they are face to face. [Note that the timing of the second half differs from the timing of the first half. There were two measures to unwrap before; now there's only one, which is almost the same as no time. This is not a transcription error.] Strain 2 1 - 4 The gentleman releases the lady's right hand with his left hand, leaving his left hand higher than his left elbow. Retaining the lady's left hand in his right hand, he begins to guide her behind him in an anticlockwise circular path (Measure 1). As she nears his left side he transfers her left hand to his left hand, leaving his right hand high and beginning to move it to his right; drawing his left hand to his left, he continues to guide her, making sure that her path remains curved and that she does not pass too close (Measure 2). As the lady passes behind him, the gentleman brings his left hand, holding her left hand, to the small of his back, the hands held lightly and free to turn; he extends his right hand to his right, his elbow bent and the hand higher than the elbow (Measure 3). As the lady nears the gentleman's right side, her left shoulder to his right shoulder, he offers his right hand to her, and she takes it in her right hand, her right elbow level with her right shoulder, the gentleman straightening his right arm. The lady should turn in slightly so that she may see the gentleman's face (Measure 4). [Have somebody show this to you. I say "woman goes behind the man, changing hands, so that she ends up on his right, holding right hand in right and left hand in left." It's much easier than this description.] 5 - 8 In this position, which is somewhat the reverse of the first position of part A, the couple rotate anticlockwise. [The man goes slightly backward, acting more as a gatepost.] 9 They dance one measure in place, flexing the knees slightly on the first count. [This is almost never taught, and people usually start moving early.] 10 - 13 The gentleman, lightly retaining both the lady's hands, guides her behind him in a curved clockwise path, extending his left hand to his left and bringing his right hand to the small of his back, until the lady is at his left side in a position opposite to that which she assumed at his right, her left elbow level with her left shoulder. Care must be taken that the lady does not change places too quickly and the the entire four measures of music are employed. [I say "keeping hold of both hands, woman goes to the man's other side, in the longest four measures of music known to man."] 14 - 17 In this position the couple rotate clockwise. [Again, the man goes slightly backward.] 18 The gentleman releases his right hand; guides the lady clockwise to his right with his left hand, turning to face her; transfers her left hand to his right hand; and takes her right hand in his left hand. They stand face to face. Strain 1 (reprise) 1 - 8 Repeat 1-8 of strain 1, above. 9 The gentleman releases his left hand and turns the lady clockwise with his right hand, himself turning slightly anticlockwise, so that they assume open waltz position facing anticlockwise around the circle of couples. [I say, "Unwrap into open waltz."]