Dai courtship dance

This is a simple adaptation of two dances performed by the Dai people.

Origin	Jinghong, China
Skills to be practised	Stepping to the beat Maintaining two circle forms Recognising sequences Spatial awareness Coordinating hand and feet movements Turning Keeping time with a partner Weight transference
Music required	Music in 3/4 rhythm
Formation	Circle with pairs, boys on the outside and girls on the inside. All pairs face straight ahead, ready to move in an anticlockwise direction.
Description of change step	A change step is just like a polka but without a pronounced hop.
Right change step (with travel)	Starting position Take a small step with your right foot. Change weight, pulling your left foot in towards your right foot, simultaneously standing on the ball of your right foot. Then take a small step forward with your right foot.
Right arm movement	Stretch out right arm, level with chest, palm facing upwards. Move outstretched arm to head height. Bend middle two fingers. Turn hand to the left, uncurl middle fingers with palm facing away from the body in a ‘stop’ position.
Left change step	Take a small step with your left foot. Change weight, pulling your right foot in towards your left foot, simultaneously standing on the ball of your left foot. Take a small step forward with your left foot.
Instructions
Step 1	Each step is 3/4 time (one, two, three).
One	Begin with a right change step and right arm movement. Move right arm up towards the head with palm flat and facing upwards.
Two	When the hand is level with the head, bend the middle two fingers in towards the palm while the hand is moving upwards.
Three	At head level, turn hand to the left, uncurling the middle fingers with palm facing away from the body in a ‘stop’ position at head height. Arm is slightly bent. Move right arm back to your side while you begin a left change step and a left arm movement.
Step 2	Left change step. Left arm movement.
Steps 3–16	Travelling anticlockwise in your circle, continue for a further 14 steps.
Steps 16–31	(8 steps to the right, 8 to the left) Repeat the sequence, travelling in a clockwise direction.
Step 32	On step 32, partners turn inwards on the right foot to face each other.
Steps 33–40	(4 steps to the right, 4 steps to the left) Facing each other, repeat right change step, right arm movement, left change step and left arm movement without travel. Step 37 facing each other. Right change step, right arm movement, left change step, left arm movement. Partners make eye contact as they face each other.
Steps 41–44	Partners travel using the change step, crossing over to where their partners were dancing (4 counts).
Steps 45–48	Partners face each other and repeat right/left change step (4 counts).
Steps 49–64	Partners join hands and travel, using the change step and moving the outside arm in and out in the shape of an arc. Boys begin with their right arm, moving in towards the girls (in arc shape). They travel, starting with a right change step. Girls begin with their left arm, moving in towards the boys (in arc shape). They travel, starting with a left change step. As partners move arms towards each other they make eye contact. Travel for 16 steps.
Steps 65–72	Boys kneel on the floor, taking 4 counts to reach the ground. Boys then rotate hand with palms facing upwards for 3 counts, clapping on the 4th. They look down towards their hands (without moving their heads). Girls travel around partner in an anticlockwise direction for 8 counts, using the change step. (Arms move the same way as the beginning of the dance.) On the 8th step, girls mime slapping their partner across the face with their right hand.
Steps 73–80	Beginning with a left change step, girls travel around partner in a clockwise direction for 8 counts. On the 8th step, girls mime slapping their partner with their left hand. Boys rotate hands with palms facing upwards for 7 counts, clapping on the 8th. They look down towards their hands (without moving their heads).
Steps 81–88	Beginning with a right change step, girls travel around partner in an anticlockwise direction for 8 counts. On the 8th step, girls mime slapping their partner with their right hand. Boys rotate hands with palms facing upwards for 7 counts, clapping on the 8th. They look down towards their hands (without moving their heads).
Steps 89–96	Beginning with a left change step, girls travel around partner in a clockwise direction for 8 counts. On the 8th step, girls mime slapping their partner with their left hand. Boys rotate hands with palms facing upwards for 7 counts, clapping on the 8th. They look down towards their hands (without moving their heads).
Steps 97–100	Boys move up for 4 counts. Girls do change step on the spot for 4 counts.
Steps 100 onwards	When boys are standing, dance can be repeated or finished with partners holding hands and moving off the stage, using the change step.

Extracted from Access Asia: Secondary Teaching and Learning Units, Curriculum Corporation, 1996, pp 115-118.

Dai courtship dance

Instructions