The Little Mermaid Sailor’s Jig – a Historically Accurate princess dance how to

The Little Mermaid Sailor’s Jig – a Historically Accurate princess dance how to

My daughter and I like to watch movies together, and one day we saw a buzz feed on the historically accurate princess dresses for the period in which each princess movie was set. We looked at each other and said, “what about their dances?” So I looked up Disney Wiki to see what the creators had said about the period for each of the princesses. Then I went to town researching the most common dances being done for each period.

The Little Mermaid was written originally by Hans Christian Anderson in 1836, and the recent cartoon movie was set in a late 1890’s Danish coastal town.  In the cartoon, ship captain Prince Eric takes Ariel on a trip into town, where they dance a few bars of a Viennese Waltz. Although this would have been accurate, because Eric is a sailor, it would have been far more likely that he would have danced a sailor’s jig.  Therefore I chose to research and demonstrate a Victorian jig for this seafaring pair. Sailors were notorious for dancing jigs on board when there was nothing else to do.

Here are the directions on how to do my Victorian Sailor’s jig:

 

1. 4 sets of Jig danced forward in closed facing position, 1&2, 3&4, 5&6, 7&8
   Man’s part: Triple steps or skipping steps forward, started with the Left foot. Jig Left foot forward, right closes to left,  Left foot forward, repeat with the right foot, Right foot forward, Left closes to Right, Right foot forward. Count, 1&2, 3&4. Repeat for a total of 8. On the 8^th measure
   Ladies Part: Triple steps or skipping steps backward, started with the Right foot. Jig Right foot back, Left foot closes to right foot, Right foot back, Left foot back, right foot closes to left foot, , Left foot back.

2. 4 sets of Jig danced turning to right and ending with and in an outside under arm turn to her right to end side by side. 1&2, 3&4, 5&6,- underarm turn 7&8
   Man’s part: Left foot triple steps diagonally forward across the ladies path a you rotate to the right on 1&2, then a
   

   Ariel sailor and Ursula dance

   smaller triple step to right allowing the lady to cross your path. On the 4^th measure lift the joined Left and right hand and roll the lady under your hand to end side by side on your right side.
   Ladies Part: Right foot triple steps diagonally back allowing the man to cross your path, then left foot triple steps rotating to the right across the man’s path. On the 4^th measure back into an outside underarm turn to the Right to end side by side.

3. 2 sets of Jig danced forward. 1&2, 3&4
   Man’s part:  Left foot triple steps forward, Right foot triple step forward.
   Ladies Part: Right foot triple steps forward, left foot triple steps forward.
4. 2 sets of Jig danced backward. 5&6, 7&8
   Man’s part: Left foot triple steps backward, Right foot triple step backward.
   Ladies Part: Right foot triple steps backward, left foot triple steps backward.
5. 2 sets of Jig danced forward. – At the end of this the outside pair will switch places 1&2, 3&4
   Man’s part: Left foot triple steps forward, Right foot triple step forward.
   Ladies Part: Right foot triple steps forward, left foot triple steps forward.
6. 2 sets of Jig danced backward. 5&6, 7&8
   Man’s part: Left foot triple steps backward, Right foot triple step backward.
   Ladies Part: Right foot triple steps backward, left foot triple steps backward.
7. 2 sets of Jig danced forward. 1&2, 3&4
   Man’s part: Left foot triple steps forward, Right foot triple step forward.
   Ladies Part: Right foot triple steps forward, left foot triple steps forward.
8. Jig danced circular with hand on partner’s waist 5&6, 7&8, 1&2, 3&4, 5&6, 7&8
   Man’s part: Left foot triple steps forward, catching your partner’s waist and dancing around each other, Right foot triple step forward. Continue in the position.
   Ladies Part: Right foot triple steps forward catching your partner’s waist and dancing around each other, left foot triple steps forward. Continue in the position.
9. Jig danced circular with hand on partner’s waist – change partners on first measure 1&2, 3&4, 5&6, 7&8
   Man’s part: Left foot triple steps forward, catching your partner’s waist and dancing around each other, Right foot triple step forward. End in closed pacing position.
   Ladies Part: Right foot triple steps forward catching your partner’s waist and dancing around each other, left foot triple steps forward. End in closed facing position.
10. Repeat from the top with step #1!

You can follow along with the video below. We dressed in costume as Ariel, Eric, Sailor, Ursula in land form. Dance with happy feet and leave a comment below!

Like what you saw, check out my how to make a swimming mermaid tail.
Or my how to make a swimming Ursula.

For swimmingly great dance tips, dance coaching, dance lessons, and dance class in Denver and Littleton, join my email or contact:

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