Alunelul Batut
(Romanian)

[Full notes] [Summary notes] [Other dances & the source code]

Formation Open circle or straight lines, V-hold.
Dance Structure (A + B) repeated throughout the music.
Music Structure 4 counts/bar, 6 bars/phrase.
Music Speed 105 counts/min rising to 150 counts/min.
Source Sally Fletcher in Ipswich, UK in 2010.

Disclaimer: Mistakes are quite likely in the notes and no guarantees are made as to accuracy. There may be other versions of the same dance or other dances with the same name. Music may differ, particularly in speed, introduction and duration, between performers. The division into parts, bars & counts might not be standard. These notes of the dance are freely distributable (under GPL or CC-by-sa) in so much as the note's author's contribution but the choreography and/or collection were by other people and so their copyright might apply to the dance itself. Better than using notes, go to a dance class where it is taught.

A simple, but potentially showy, lively incessant Romanian dance with a few catches.

The tricky aspects to watch out for are the arm swinging (it starts by going backwards and continues monotonously independent of the footwork) and the syncopation in Part B (the emphasised crossing steps & stamps are on the off-beat with the weight replacements in place on the beats).

When done as a performance dance by Sally's class, it was done in two straight lines facing who approached to almost meet in the middle of Part A bar 2.

Style: Brisk, sharp, incessant. Elbows remain straight.

Introduction

Summary: None.

There is no introduction. Start immediately or start after a whole number of complete sequences of music.

Part A

Summary: 3 heel-lead Triple Steps forwards starting R foot. 2 steps back.

Feet
Start Facing the centre of the circle, weight on L foot.
1
1 R forwards onto heel.
& L close.
2 R forwards.
3-4 Repeat counts 1-2 on opposite feet (Triple Step of L forwards heel, R close & L forwards).
2
1-2 Repeat bar 1 counts 1-2 (Triple Step of R forwards heel, L close & R forwards).
3 L backwards big (so as to get back to starting position in 2 steps) step.
4 R backwards big step (ending back in starting position).
Arms
1
1 Swing arms backwards.
2 Swing arms forwards.
3-4 Repeat counts 1-2 (swing backwards & forwards).
2 Repeat bar 1 (swing backwards & forwards twice). (I.e. maintain the arm swinging throughout.)

Part B

Summary: L close, R across infront, L, R side infront, L, R across infront, pause. Mirror. Half length versions of both. L, stamp R, R, stamp L, L, stamp R x 2, pause.

Feet
Start Facing the centre of the circle, weight on L foot.
1
1 L close.
& R across infront.
2 L in place.
& R to the side infront.
3-4 Repeat counts 1-2 (L in place, R across infront, L in place).
& Pause.
2 Repeat bar 1 on opposite feet (R close, L across infront, R in place, L side infront, R in place, L across infront, R in place, pause).
3
1-2 Repeat bar 1 counts 1-2 (L in place, R across infront, L in place).
& Pause.
3-4& Repeat counts 1-2 on opposite feet (R in place, L across infront, R in place, pause).
4
1 L close.
& R stamp in place without weight transfer.
2-2& Repeat counts 1-1& on opposite feet. (R in place, L stamp in place without weight transfer).
3-3& Repeat counts 1-1&. (L in place, R stamp in place without weight transfer).
4 Repeat count 3& (R stamp in place without weight transfer).
& Pause.
Arms As Part A twice (swing backwards & forwards throughout.)

Alternative arms

Summary: Don't swing arms in Part B bar 4.

Some people find the arm swinging in the stamping sequence (Part B bar 4) particularly difficult (and having no pause in the arm swinging makes getting back in sync after a mistake more difficult) so Sally sometimes allowed the simplification of omitting the arm swing during the Part B bar 4 and just have the arms in stationary V-hold then.

However some other people find it easier to keep time with the arms if they don't stop swinging.