Nutcracker Victorian Galop Dance How To
Nutcracker and the Four Victorian Dances
for Historically Accurate Princess Dances
Don’t you love the Nutcracker? In America the Nutcracker is synonymous with Christmas celebrations. A popular dance in the first act of the Nutcracker is the Children’s Galop. But how did this social Victorian dance get featured in the Nutcracker ballet? Take a dance adventure with me as I travel back in time to discover the origins of the galop danced in the Nutcracker ballet.
Ballet as a social dance
Ballets were theatrical demonstrations of the popular dances of the day. From the first dance competitions sponsored Catherine de medici to the founding of the beautiful dance school by Loui the 8. Ballet has celebrated the social dances the day. So, it is no surprise that the music for the Nutcracker Ballet was inspired by the popular dances of the Victorian era.
Origins of the Gallop/Gallopade
There are several stories around the origins of the Galopade. In 1794 There is a journal note by David Friedrich Grater describing a German galop. By 1815 the Galop was being danced socially. By 1822 the Duchess de Berri (1798-1870) was introducing the Galop in balls around France and England. Then Galopade was formally introduced in 1829 on at His Majesty’s ball at St James Palace.
Threat of the Gallop
Dancing masters were threatened by the simplicity of the gallop. From 1810-1815 the regency era dance boom of quadrilles and waltzes demanded a dancing master to teach them. Dancing masters were not necessary to learn the light and happy galopade of 1829. This would remain the dancing master’s complaint of the offshoot of the galop, the polka.
About the Galop/Galopade
The Gallop or Galopade is named after the gait of a horse. It is danced with a glissade or Chasse action to music in 4/4 or common time music. Many Victorian composers including Tchaikovsky, Strauss, and Schubert wrote galops. These pieces were popular closes to the evening’s festivities.
How to dance the Nutcracker Gallop or Galopade
The Gentleman begin facing the outside of the room and the lady faces center of the room. Commence in closed position with the gentleman’s right hand on the ladies left shoulder blade, ladies left hand on the gentleman’s right shoulder blade. The couple will then gently clasp the remaining left and right hand at eye level.
8 count Galopade
- Gentleman commence with his left foot, ladies with the right foot down line of dance counter clockwise around the room.
- The pattern is a chasse, or side close for 7 counts (1&2&3&4&5&6&7&).
- On 8 the couple will do a polka hop on the gentleman’s left foot, ladies right foot rotating 180 degrees to the right.
- The figure will repeat in counter promenade position beginning with the gentleman’s right foot and the ladies left foot for 7 counts (1&2&3&4&5&6&7&).
- On 8 the couple will do a polka hop on the gentleman’s right foot, ladies left foot rotating 180 degrees to the right.
- Repeat from the beginning
4 count Gallop
- Gentleman commence with his left foot, ladies with the right foot down line of dance counter clockwise around the room.
- The pattern is a chasse, or side close for 3 counts (1&2&3&).
- On 4 the couple will do a polka hop on the gentleman’s left foot, ladies right foot rotating 180 degrees to the right.
- The figure will repeat in counter promenade position beginning with the gentleman’s right foot and the ladies left foot for 3 counts (1&2&3&).
- On 4 the couple will do a polka hop on the gentleman’s right foot, ladies left foot rotating 180 degrees to the right.
- Repeat from the beginning
2 count Gallop (polka)
- Gentleman commence with his left foot, ladies with the right foot down line of dance counter clockwise around the room.
- The pattern is a chasse, or side close for 1 count (1&).
- On 2 the couple will do a polka hop on the gentleman’s left foot, ladies right foot rotating 180 degrees to the right.
- The figure will repeat in counter promenade position beginning with the gentleman’s right foot and the ladies left foot for 3 counts (1&).
- On 2 the couple will do a polka hop on the gentleman’s right foot, ladies left foot rotating 180 degrees to the right.
- Repeat from the beginning
Filming details
The song we danced to in the video is the Children’s Galop from the Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky. We chose characters from the opening Nutcracker scene to feature in out Nutcracker Gallop. In the Children’s Galop we featured the Stahlbaum family. Herr Stahlbaum, Mrs. Stahlbaum, Clara and her brother Fritz. Our setting is the Stahlbaum living room, set up at Adventures in Dance, located in the Woodlawn shopping center in what was once the Fox movie theatre.
Cast:
- Clara- Robyn Collins
- Fritz- William Hooker
- Herr Stahlbaum- Craig Tomazin
- Stahlbaum- Holly Collins-Tomazin
Holly Collins
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