GOLDEN WALTZ

The Golden Waltz is a complex dance incorporating many new positions not previously used in pattern dances e.g. “spread eagle” etc.

It is danced with long edges, interspersed with three-turns and twizzles, and dancers require extra control because of the intricate nature of the steps, positions and changes of hold. The pattern of the dance, while optional, must be skated with well-rounded lobes. It is necessary to maintain consistent flow and a lilting waltz character throughout.

The dance starts in closed hold for the opening three-turns. On Steps 1 to 7, the man begins by traveling backwards starting on his RBO on beat one for the “walk-around” threes with the feet of the partners offset. The feet are placed on the ice between the feet of the partner. The couple remains in closed hold until Step 7, which is executed in reverse tango hold in which the lady, after the cross roll, executes a twizzle of one rotation skated to one beat of music and on the swing roll they pass through Reversed Kilian hold to hand-in-hand hold.

Steps 8 to 14 are the same for both partners. Step 8 is a RBO cross roll with the free legs in a front coupée position. At Step 9, the couple changes to Kilian hold where the lady’s left hand is placed on the man’s left shoulder with their free arms extended to skate side by side touch down threes-turns for Steps 9 to 12. On Step 13 there is a change of hold at an optional point to a “wrapped” Kilian in which the man’s left and the lady’s right hands are clasped in front of them while the lady’s left hand is placed across the front of her body to hold his right hand to her right hip. His right arm crosses behind her back to hold her left hand. The free legs are raised behind, over the ice, at an angle of 40-50 degrees, while skating side-by-side double three-turns on a nine-beat long edge. On the second beat of Step 14, which begins from a cross roll, the knee of the skating leg is straightened.

Step 15 begins as a cross behind for both partners followed by a bracket for the lady and an open mohawk for the man (his Steps 15a and b). The partners remain in Kilian hold, but the left hand of the lady holds (or briefly touches) the man’s right hand, and the lady’s right hand holds the man’s left hand over her head to skate these opposite turns for both partners. On Step 16, the partners assume standard Kilian hold, and the man skates a wide Step 17. On Step 18, the free legs are extended, and Step 19 is a left forward outside.

On Step 20, the partners are in Kilian hold while the lady’s left hand rests behind the man’s left shoulder (optional) and the lady’s right hand and the man’s left hand are freely open. On the fifth beat of her double three there is a change of hold to Reversed Kilian with the left foot in passé.

On Step 21, the free legs of both partners swing forward for three beats while the man lowers the lady into a semi-sitting position (where her free leg is extended forward, and her oustretched body is nearly parallel to the ice). The partner completes the movement by lifting the lady so they both can skate side-by-side threes ending with front coupées.

Step 22, which is a 12-beat series of three-turns on one foot, starts in Reversed Kilian hold. The lady performs her frst two threes by wrapping around the man while both of their free legs are in attitude position with the lady’s frst three turned under the man’s right hand. On beat seven, the hold is changed so that the lady takes the place of the man in Reversed Kilian hold. During their joint three-turns, performed on beat nine, the free legs are moved to back coupée. After these three-turns, on the last three beats, the free legs are extended and raised behind, and simultaneously the knee of the skating leg is straightened. Step 23 begins in Kilian hold with their left arm and free legs stretched out in front. On Step 24, the lady passes under the man’s left arm with their right arms stretched in front.

On Step 26, the partners start in open hold. For the first three beats the man holds the extended position described above, and then on beat four he bends his skating knee and free leg into a pivot position while the lady skates her Steps 26(a), 26(b) and 26c. On Step 26c, the man skates a spread eagle into a rocker and then into a LBIO. The lady turns the first RFI3 on count two and a second RFO3 on count six, followed by a fast touch down on the left foot on the “and” between beats six and one to enable her to initiate the RFO3, which is turned on count three of the new measure. After the lady’s first three-turn on Step 26c, there is a change of hold to “closed” with the lady’s free leg stretched to the front and the man’s free leg stretched behind. At the end of Step 27, the lady performs a one-beat clockwise twizzle of one rotation. On beat three of Step 28, the couple changes hold to Kilian. The lady makes a very quick XB-LBO to change feet before Step 29.

On Step 30, the left hands are raised, and on beat four the man makes a shallow drag (his Step 30a), while the lady skates Step 30(a). During her Step 30(b), which is very difficult as she must skate a 15-count step all on one foot, there is a change of hold. The lady performs an inside three-turn on beat one and holds the back outside exit edge from the three-turn for two beats and, afterward, completes a back outside twizzle of two rotations taking three beats. During her twizzle, the man performs a RFI3 with a strongly bent knee (his Step30c). The lady continues Step 30b and, after the twizzle, remains on her right skating leg, assuming a position with the free leg stretched in front and the body nearly parallel to the ice (her layback position). In this position she executes a back outside three-turn and then, after drawing herself up on beats 13 and 14 of the step, completes a right forward inside “twizzle-like motion” on beat 15 of the step (count three of the measure), then pushes onto to her LFI (Step 31). Meanwhile, the man skates a two-footed three-turn (his Step 30d), lifts and extends his free leg on Step 30e and concludes with a series of cross steps (his Steps 30f and g) These steps are known as the “Cascade and Dip”section.

During the man’s Step 30f, there is a change of hold to tango that is retained by the man until the lady’s Step 32, with the man slightly ahead throughout his double three-turns (his Step 32).

During the man’s second three-turn, on Step 32, the hold is reversed to Kilian with the lady’s right hand behind and on the man’s shoulder, and the man’s right hand and the lady‘s left hand open. The free legs of both partners are stretched behind. On Step 33, after the man’s second three-turn, the couple is in Kilian hold with the lady’s left hand behind and on the left shoulder of the man, and the man’s left hand and lady’s left hand open.

Steps 34 to 45 are the same for both partners. On Step 34, the partners move into open hold with the man’s right hand on the lady’s waist to execute the open swing choctaws. They begin with a RFI progressive for three beats with the free legs stretched behind, followed by a forward swing. Steps 34 and 35 and 40 and 41 are open swing side-by-side choctaws — the frst in open hold (Steps 34 and 35) and the second in Kilian hold (Steps 40 and 41). Step 44 is a wide step for both partners. Step 46 for the lady is an open mohawk, while the hold changes to closed. Step 47 is performed on both feet, the majority of the body weight for the lady mainly on her right foot and the man on his left foot. The man executes a quick three-turn after the third beat to be in position to restart the dance.

MUSIC RHYTHM: Viennese Waltz 3/4
TEMPO: 62 three-beat measures per minute; 186 beats per minute
ISU MUSIC INTRODUCTION: 48 beats, 15.4 seconds
PATTERN-TIMING: 1 = :59; 2 = 1:58; 3 = 2:57; 4 = 3:56
DURATION: Test 2 = 1:58 Competition 2 = 1:58 Adult Competition 2 = 1:58
SKATER’S CHOICE TIMING: See Skater’s Choice Pattern Dance Timing Chart on usfgureskating.org under the “Technical Info” link
PATTERN: Optional
TEST: International
SIDE TO START: First steps started on side opposite the judge’s stand

INVENTORS: Natalia Dubova, Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko
FIRST PERFORMANCE: Moscow Cup 1987, Moscow, USSR

GOLDEN WALTZ-MAN — OPTIONAL PATTERN DANCE

GOLDEN WALTZ-LADY — OPTIONAL PATTERN DANCE