I'm running a little low on creativity in naming posts on the cute little gavotte sequences of the 1910s if the creators themselves couldn't manage to come up with anything interesting. This gavotte is called, simply, "Gavotte". It appeared in the second edition of Dance Mad (F. Leslie Clendenen, ed., St. Louis, 1914) where it was said to be "adapted for the ball room, taken from the Pavlowa Gavotte".
The Pavlowa Gavotte was a famous stage sequence in which ballerina Anna Pavlowa and her partner wore pseudo-Regency costume, presumably harking back to the famous Vestris Gavotte of that era. Pavlowa's dance was an enormous hit during her tours and has been immortalized in photography (left), art, and sculpture. According to the unknown author of this adaptation, Pavlowa's dance was "not suitable for the ball room", but it inspired a number of choreographed ballroom gavottes, including one by Vernon and Irene Castle and Pavlowa's own New Pavlowa Gavotte.
Like Pavlowa's original dance, this Gavotte is to be done to the famous "Glow Worm" tune, a 1914 recording of which may be heard at the Library of Congress National Jukebox. Modern recordings are available by The National Concert Band of America
Starting position
Back to back, gentleman facing the center of the room and lady facing the wall, hands nearest line of direction (lady's left/gent's right) joined and raised high. The gentleman starts on the right foot, the lady on the left. The gentleman's steps are given below; the lady dances opposite.
Part One (16 counts)
1 Step right to 2nd position
2 Draw left to 3rd
3 Again step right to 2nd, turning slightly toward partner
4 Turning to face partner, swing left foot across and up to knee, toe pointed to instep
5 Step left to 2nd position
6 Draw right to 3rd
7 Step left to 2nd, turning slightly away from partner
8 Turning back to back, swing right foot across and up to knee, toe pointed to instep
9-16 Repeat all of the above.
On the last count, each partner turns one-quarter clockwise into a closed waltz hold, left hip to left hip ("Yale position"), the lady facing line of direction and the gentleman with his back to line of direction. The gentleman is toward the center of the room, the lady toward the wall.
Part Two (48 counts, but see performance notes below)
1 Gentleman steps back onto right/lady forward onto left
2 Rise slightly on ball of foot, raising free foot over instep
3 Gentleman steps forward onto left/lady backward onto right
4 Rise slightly and raise free foot
5-8 Four walking steps, gentleman backing (starting on right foot) and lady forward (starting left)
9-16 Repeat the rocking sequence and walking steps
At the end of these sixteen counts, the dancers individually turn halfway counter-clockwise, putting them right hip to right hip, still in closed hold, lady still toward the wall and gentleman toward the center. This shift happens on the final walking step and after.
1-16 Repeat the rocking-walking-rocking-walking sequence, this time with the gentleman stepping forward to start and walking forward and the lady stepping/walking back
At the end of these sixteen counts, turn individually halfway clockwise to return to being left hip to left hip.
1-16 Repeat the rocking-walking-rocking as at first; on the last four counts, return to the starting position as follows:
9 Gentleman steps back right/lady forward left
10 Gentleman steps back left/lady forward right; drop ballroom hold
11 Gentleman steps back right/lady forward left, turning one-quarter clockwise to end back to back, joining his right hand/her left
12 Close trailing foot (his left/her right)
Reconstruction and performance notes
Though the instructions are a bit muddled and partly misprinted so that the last two paragraphs actually appear on the facing page under a different dance, this is a straightforward reconstruction. I've added the specific details of how the transitions work; the final shift was described only as "assume first positions with backs together".
The "Glow Worm" music is not quite as regular in its structure as this dance. While the dance is 64 counts, the tune has a pattern of 64-48-64-64, with the last two sets of counts having pauses and flourishes on the last eight counts. The latter can be dealt with by simply slowing down the steps to match the music. For the second iteration with only 48 beats, skip the final 16 counts of rocking/walking in which the gentleman is backing and make the final transition back to places as follows:
9 Gentleman steps forward right/lady back left
10 Gentleman steps forward left/lady back right; drop ballroom hold
11 Gentleman steps forward right/lady back left, turning one-quarter counter-clockwise to end back to back, joining his right hand/her left
12 Close trailing foot (his left/her right)
Special thanks to Marci and Nora for helping me work out the transitions between positions!
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