The Pompadour Waltz is a minor but interesting variation on the five-step Boston or five-step waltz described by Albert Newman in 1914 (and by me here). I have found it only in the collection Dance Mad, or the dances of the day, compiled by F. Leslie Clendenen and published in St. Louis in 1914.
To perform the Pompadour, the dancers alternate brief hesitating grapevine sequences with the five-step Boston in an eight-bar sequence as described below. The steps given are for the gentleman; the lady dances opposite.
The Pompadour Waltz
(start: ballroom position, gentleman facing wall and lady center of room, joined hands toward line of dance)
1b Slide left foot to the side, along the line of dance (1,2,3)
1b Step with the right foot across the left (lady crosses left behind right) (4,5,6)
1b Slide left foot to side, along line of dance (1); close right foot slowly to left (2,3)
1b Shift so the gentleman's back is to line of dance and perform a half-turn (clockwise/natural) of the new waltz (4,5,6)
(end with gentleman facing center of room and lady facing wall, elbows aimed along line of dance)
1b Slide right foot to the side, along the line of dance (1,2,3)
1b Step with the left foot behind the right (lady crosses right in front of left) (4,5,6)
1b Slide right foot to side (1); close left foot slowly to right (2,3)
1b Shift so the lady's back is to line of dance and perform a second clockwise half-turn of waltz (4,5,6)
(returning dancers to starting position ready to repeat)
The gentleman must clearly lead the first "grapevine" cross by angling the right side of his body strongly forward as he crosses in front in order to allow the lady to easily to cross her left foot behind. Leading the lady to cross in front on the second half is much easier.
While Clendenen does not suggest it, it would be possibly to vary the Pompadour in the same way as Newman varies the five-step Boston, with reverse turns or forward/backward waltzes on bars four and eight. For a more detailed description of the performance of the five-step Boston on bars three/four and seven/eight and details of how to vary the turns, please see my earlier post.
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