Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How is a gallop step performed in folk dancing?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
folk dance
Peasant Dance, oil on wood by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, c. 1568; in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
In folk dance, the gallop is a vigorous step performed by sliding one leg to the front or side. The other leg is then brought to meet it in the air with a small spring, after which the dancer lands on that second leg, becoming ready to slide the original leg forward again to repeat the movement.1
This step is distinct from the ballroom galop, which is a lively, playful social dance step characterized by a slide (or glide), a close (chassé), and another slide. While the ballroom version is a simple, rhythmic sequence often performed side by side by partners, the folk dance gallop emphasizes a springing, continuous motion.21