How to Dance the Galliard, 
a Historically Accurate Cartoon Princess Dance for Snow White
Did you watch Snow White when you were growing up? The Disney Snow white is set in Germany between 1500-1530AD. Some believe that Snow white is based off the tail of Margarete Von Waldeck a countess born to Phillip IV 1533 and lived in the Bad Wildungen area of Hesse, Germany. Margarete’s father owned several copper mines that employed 
children as quasi-slaves. The poor conditions caused severely stunted growth and deformed limbs from malnutrition and the hard physical labor. As a result, they were often referred to as the ‘poor dwarfs’. Margarete at the age of 16 was forced by her stepmother, Katharina of Hatzfeld to move away to Wildungen in Brussels. While there, Margarete fell in love with Prince Phillip II of Spain. Margarete’s stepmother and Phillips parents disapproved of the relationship because it was ‘politically inconvenient’. Margarete mysteriously died at the age of 21, apparently having been poisoned.
In the Disney movie Snow White dances a kind of jig with the Dwarves in the film. It is very likely the original Snow white, Margarete Von Waldeck, danced the Galliard with her lover Prince Phillip of Spain while they were residing in Brussels. The galliard was originally known 
as ‘Cing-Pas’ (five steps – describes the basic steps) and characterized by leaps, jumps, hops and other similar figures. A Romanesque dance (romantic), popular in Spain, France, England and Italy from the 1500’s to 1650. Queen Elizabeth I is said to have practiced the athletic galliard as her morning exercises. Read below for a full description of how to dance the Galliard.
Galliard breakdown
Galliard basic step:
Kick, kick, kick, kick hold stomp.( 6/8 )
Galliard court dance:
Curtsey and bow lady on gentleman’s right (4 measures)
Basic in side by side position traveling counter clockwise ( 8 measures) end facing partner
Gentleman:
basic facing (2 measures)
Cantor: Side, close , side; Side, close , side;
Ladies:
Basic facing (2 measures)
Cantor Side, close, side; Side, close, side;
Basic in side by side position traveling counter clockwise (8 measures) end facing partner
Gentleman:
Basic facing (2 measures)
Basic Turning to right (2 measures)
Ladies:
Basic facing (2 measures) 
Basic Turning to right (2 measures)
Basic in side by side position traveling counter clockwise (8 measures) end facing partner
Gentleman:
Basic facing (2 measures)
Basic passing around partner from Right side to left (4 measures)
basic facing (2 measures)
Ladies:
Basic facing (2 measures)
Basic passing around partner from Right side to left (4 measures)
Basic facing (2 measures)
A Special thank you to Boettcher Mansion for letting us film on location. Thank you to Richie Kotiqua for filming and editing and Roger Cunningham for extra photos and footage. Thank you to our core team William Hooker, Robyn Collins, Craig Tomazin and Holly Collins.
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