Moj Muschenjka Rabotjaschunjka

History

A Russian dance, the name means 'my industrious little husband'. I learnt this dnce from Hennie Konings.

Rhythm

The music is in a fast 4/4 rhythm.

Steps

Start off by dividing into couples. The first movement in the dance is to turn and face your partner, each time the sequence starts you turn in the same direction.
Start off in a circle, not holding hands, facing centre.

Take three slow steps to turn and face your partner, starting with the right. Then do three quick steps on the spot while making a small bow to your partner.
Take three slow steps to turn to face the centre and then on to face your neighbour, then do another bow with three quick steps on the spot.
Repeat this movement to face your partner again, then your neighbour again.

At this point you have changed partner - the person you are facing is the one you will dance with.

Take eight quick steps to go past your new partner on the left, pass behind them back to back, and return to your original position. Keep facing in the same direction for the whole of this movement.
Do this twice.

Link right elbows with your partner and join your own hands. Take twelve quick steps turning with your partner, keeping your right feet together.
Take four quick steps to unlink your elbows and return to the circle. You should end up on the opposite side of your partner, an easy way to do this is for the person who began facing right to keep facing their partner and do a half turn backwards into the line of the dance.

The whole circle joins hands in a V hold.

Step to the side with the right foot while slightly raising the shoulders, then close with the left and let the shoulders relax.
Do this eight times.

Take three steps forwards, raising the arms up to a W hold, then stamp.
Do this in reverse, coming out of the circle and letting the arms drop.
Do this twice.

There is a short introduction, the dance starts with the singing.

Music

Moj Muschenjka Rabotjaschunjka from 21 Russiche tanze Ausgewahlt produced by Hennie Konings.

Dance description by Andy Bettis 9/2007