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Which basic steps are common in many European folk dances?
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folk dance
Peasant Dance, oil on wood by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, c. 1568; in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
European folk dance steps are generally simple variations based on fundamental human movements. The most common steps include:
- Walking, running, and skipping: These form the foundation for many traditional sequences.12
- Hopping: Often combined with other movements, such as the three quick steps and a hop characteristic of the polka.123
- Turning: Dancers frequently pivot on one leg to execute turns.2
- Galloping: A more vigorous step where one leg slides forward or to the side, followed by the other leg meeting it in the air with a small spring.2
- Gliding: Some forms emphasize long, slow, and smooth movements, while others are short, fast, and springing.1
These steps are typically repeated in long series and are often performed within strictly ordered floor patterns, such as circles, chains, or lines. While the footwork is the primary focus, some dances incorporate more athletic elements like lifts, where a partner is raised into the air, or vigorous movements like crouching and kneeling.12