Santa Rita

A dance from Northern Mexico. It’s still danced by local people to this day. Northern Mexican dances separate themselves from other Mexican dances because of obvious stylistic influences from across the Rio Grande. Santa Rita is a Polka – a European dance – but is flavored by local dance styles.

Part A

Open position for two-steps, closed for crosses and slides

MAN 1-2 two-step LOD L-together-L 3-4 R-tog-R 5-8 repeat 1-4 9 cross L over R 10 cross R over L 11 stamp L twice 12 stamp L and take weight 13 slide R (RLOD) 14 slide R 15 stamp L 16 stamp L

WOMAN 1-3 two-step LOD R-together-R 3-5 L-tog-L 5-9 repeat 1-4 9 cross R over L 10 cross L over R 11 stamp R twice 12 stamp R and take weight 13 slide L (RLOD) 14 slide L 15 stamp R 16 stamp R

Part B: Broken Ankle

Closed position, moving LOD and RLOD

MAN 1 slide L 2 slide L 3 cross R over L, broken ankle optional 4 cross L over R with a stamp 5 slide R 6 slide R 7 cross R over L, broken ankle 8 cross L over R and stamp 9-64 repeat 1-8, total of 4 times each way

WOMAN 1 slide R 9 slide R 10 cross L over R, broken ankle optional 11 cross R over L with a stamp 12 slide L 13 slide L 14 cross L over R, broken ankle 15 cross R over L and stamp repeat 1-8, total of 4 times each way

Part C: Polka Turns

16 polka turns; 32 counts

finish with her back to LOD

Forward and Back

Both hands joined, he faces LOD the whole time

1-2 balance to own forward (together)

3-4 balance to own back (apart)

5-8 put her on his left

9-10 balance forward

11-12 balance back

13-16 roll her back out

17-18 forward

19-20 back

21-24 put her on the right (example)

25-32 forward, back, forward, back

Heels

Joined in a wrap, facing LOD, moving out of and into the circle, her feet will always be slightly in front of his

1 land on R

and tap L heel

2 land on R

and tap L heel

3 land on L

and tap R heel

4 land on L

and tap R heel

5-8 repeat 1-4

9 take a step to the R, land on R, L heel goes into the air

10-15 repeat 9, total of 7 times

16 land on both feet

17-32 repeat 1-16 on other foot to get back home

1-4 let go with his L hand, roll her out

5-8 she spins back in plus a little extra to get into closed dance position, heads on partner’s right shoulder, crouched over

Pump

1-2 he steps forward on L, she steps back on R

3-4 he steps back on L, she steps forward on R

5-8 repeat 1-4

9 he walks forward on L, kicks R in the air behind him; she steps back on R, can broken-ankle with L

10 repeat 9 on opposite feet

11-16 repeat 9-10 a total of 4 times

17-64 repeat 1-16 total of 4 times

Heel-Toe

Closed dance position, her back to LOD, moving into and out of the circle

MAN 1 touch L heel to L 2 cross L over R, touch L toe to ground 3 slide L 4 slide L 5 cross R over L 6 cross L over R 7 stand on both feet 8 small jump in place 9 touch R heel to R 10 cross R over L, touch L toe to ground 11 slide R 12 slide R 13 cross L over R 14 cross R over L 15 stand on both feet 16 small jump in place 17-32 repeat 1-16

WOMAN 1 touch R heel to R 17 cross R over L, touch R toe to ground 18 slide R 19 slide R 20 cross L over R 21 cross R over L 22 stand on both feet 23 small jump in place 24 touch L heel to L 25 cross L over R, touch R toe to ground 26 slide L 27 slide L 28 cross R over L 29 cross L over R 30 stand on both feet 31 small jump in place repeat 1-16

Repeat Part A

Repeat the Broken Ankle section

Repeat Part A

Music Available

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last modified: 01 March 2002