Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Valse à Martin

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Valse à Martin (W32x4) 32 Bar Waltz for 1 Couple, deviser unknown, Meaudre Reel 2023

1-4 In Allemande Hold, all dance with partner 4 advancing waltz steps, starting Left Foot
5-8 Still in Allemande hold, all dance : Step on Left Foot (1bar), Point Righ Foot to the Right (1 bar) Step Right Foot to the Left in front of left foot (1 bar), Point Left Foot to the left (1 bar)
9-12 Still in Allemande hold, all dance backwards with partner 4 Waltz Steps, starting with Left foot
13-16 Still in Allemande hold, all dance : one step advancing on Left Foot (1bar) Point Right Foot to the right (1bar) Step Right Foot to the left (1 bar) quarter turn pulling back RSH to end both feet joined (1 bar)
17-24 Still in Allemande hold but Lady with back to partner, 2 slow slip steps to the left (2 bars), then to the right (2 bars). Then the Man has his partner turn waltzing under his arm, having her advancing and turning slowly, while man waltzes advancing following his partner
25-32 In ballroom hold, 8 bars of normal waltz

(Dance crib compiled by Martin Sheffield and Sophie Marchand, 2024)

Dance Notes

On bar 20, change of foot for the lady, to start right foot to waltz.

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


Dance Instruction Videos

Valse à Martin - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

This is an old Scottish waltz, in memory of Martin Sheffield who learned it in London as a child.

My very first dancing teacher was Martin Sheffield. I remember he used to finish the evening with this waltz whenever he taught Scottish country dance workshops in and around Grenoble.

He always danced it with his wife Genevieve. He had learnt this lovely waltz as a youngster when he joined the local Caledonian Society with his parents.

There appear to be no written instructions, nor is it widely known, but it would be sad if such a dance was forgotten, so I have decided to write out the steps with Martin for others to learn.

(Dance information by Sophie Marchand, 2024)

Martin And Geneviève Sheffield
Martin And Geneviève Sheffield, July 2011

Published in Valse à Martin, reproduced here with the kind permission of Sophie Marchand, 2024.
Image copyright Martin And Geneviève Sheffield, all rights reserved, 2011.

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