Siebenschritt

Starting Position:

Girl on the right side of the boy, both with the face in the dancing direction. Inner hands held in height of breasts, her hands above his hands.

Dance:

1st Variant

Measure 1-2: Starting with the outer feet, seven small running-steps forward.

Measure 3- 4: Starting with the inner feet, seven small running-steps backward.

Measure 5: Open hand-connection: starting with the outer feet, the partners dance with three steps diagonally apart.

Measure 6: Starting with the inner feet, the dancers dance with three steps diagonally to their partners, prepare connection for rounddance.

Measure 7-8: With four steps two turns clockwise.

Measure 9-12: repeat measures 5 to 8.

Variant

Measure 1-2: Starting with the outer feet, seven small running-steps forward.

Measure 3- 4: 360° left turn/counter-clockwise with 7 small steps.

Measure 5-6: Starting with the outer feet, seven small running-steps backwards.

Measure 7-8: 360° left turn/clockwise with 7 small steps.

Remarks:

1st Variant:

The running-steps should be done with smooth gliding but not jumping. For beginners, who might have problems with the turns, the measures 7 to 8 can be done by running around the axis between the boy and girl. In this case the partners have the right shoulders close to the other and hold their right hands horizontally on the side connected with the bended left hands.

2nd Variant:

The following songs are sung:

Slang/Dialectform	Meaning
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 wo geht denn die Reise hin ? Nach Berlin, nach Berlin, wo die schönen Maderln sind.	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Where do you go ? To Berlin, to Berlin, Where there are the beautiful girls.
Bauer, häng dein Pudl an, daß er mi net beißn kann, beißt er mi, klag i di, tausend Taler kost es di.	Farmer, keep your puddle tight, in order he doesn't bite me, If he bites me, I will litigate you which will cost you 1000 Taler.
Tausend Taler is ka Geld, wann i nur a Maderl hätt, die mi rupft, die mi zupft, die mit mir ins Betterl hupft.	Thousand taler is few money, if I only had a girl, who teases me, who necks me, who makes love to me.

Variations of the Siebenschritt are to be known not only in Austria, but also in all German-speaking countries. This version, which may be taken as the basic form, was originally described by Konrad Mautner in "Alte Lieder und Weisen aus dem steiermärkischen Salzkammergut" ("Old songs and airs form the styrian part of the Salzkammergut"), Graz 1919, p. 389. The version of a rounddance with the turns (measures 7, 8 and 11, 12) was observed by Herbert Lager in 1942 in Ramseiden in the near of Saalfelden from a native, who performed this dance, which he had often danced in his youth.

Source: Volkstanzmappe, Herbert Lager