Zwiefacher (an Alpine dance)

The Alpine dances, such as the Waltz, Zwiefacher, Deutscher Dreher, Polka, Schottische, etc., are all turning couple dances. They are simple joyful and unsophisticated traditional community dances, which are danced in the easy-flowing, smooth, grounded Alpine social style. The old Nordic dances, such as the Snoa, the Jenkka, and the Hambo, are very similar to the Alpine style. Rather than being regulated by official rules, these dances all share some natural basic principles. This natural style is very different from the sophisticated institutional flatland dancesport style. The Alpine dances originate in such locations as Alsace, Black Forest, Suabia, Switzerland, Bavaria, Bohemia, and Austria. Once one has experienced the feeling of these turning dances in the original cozy style, all turning dances become easy and pleasant, including the modern Viennese Waltz. And other dances, such as Contra and Swing, will become easy and pleasant for oneself and one's partners as well.

The Zwiefache is a dance that turns but does not travel. And it can turn as much or as little (or not at all) as each couple chooses. This fact alone makes the Zwiefache a far more relaxing dance to learn than the Waltz. And from the Zwiefache to the Waltz is an easy step. Zwiefache are child's play, because the music indicates exactly what to do, without any need for explanation, mental strain, memorization, or physical struggle. At the same time they are intriguing to mathematical minds because of their varied regular rhythmic patterns that may be more challenging to figure out than to dance.

Steps to a Zwiefacter are not difficult; Waltz and March, all mixed up.  It is the tunes that make us laugh at our own feet.  Each tune has its own mixture; from tricky to perverse!  Live music by Chris Barnes on accordion, with Kris Johansson joining on fiddle for more normal old time dances like waltz, polka and hambo.  Patrick McMonagle teaches whatever it takes to keep the dance moving.