Cross-Step Waltz
Tom Hill and Morgan

Cross-step waltz is a elegant, flowing form of waltz, danced a tempo midway between the slow waltz, and the Viennese. The steps tends to be smooth, playful and gentle, producing a collaboration, rather than two individual efforts.

Crossing steps are common to many forms of waltz, but the distinctive leading cross variation originated in France in the 1930s as the Valse Boston. The dance went into hibernation for a while, but has begun to flower again, nurtured by Richard Powers at Stanford University. It is now danced at venues worldwide, and continues to grow in popularity.

Tom Hill has been dancing vintage and modern social dance for over 10 years. He has taught at the Gaskell Ball, the Dickens Fair, and has been teaching at Friday Night Waltz since its inception. He has studied with Richard Powers, Joan Walton and with Diane Jarmolow, at the Ballroom Dance Teacher's College. He also organized the Dance Teaching Lab in Palo Alto, which gave aspiring social dance teachers a place to hone their teaching skills.

Morgan discovered ballroom dancing at the Dickens Fair, and has been dancing even since. She has taught dance to students at Saratoga High and Menlo School, and has been teaching at Friday night Waltz for the last three years.