Canter rhythm
Canter time, canter timing or canter rhythm is a two-beat regular rhythmic pattern of a musical instrument or in dance steps within 3/4 time music. The term is borrowed from the canter horse gait, which sounds three hoof beats followed by a pause, i.e., 3 accents in 4/4 time.
In waltz dances it may mark the 1st and the 4th eighths of the measure, producing a 2/4 time overlay beat over the 3/4 time. In other words, when a 3/4 measure is cued as "1,2,&,3,...", the canter rhythm marks "1" and "&". This rhythm is the basis of the Canter Waltz. In modern ballroom dancing, an example is Canter Pivot in Viennese Waltz.
In Vals (a 3/4 style of Tango), the canter rhythm is also known as medio galope[1] (which actually means "canter" in Spanish) and may accent beats 1 and 2 of the 3/4 measure.
See also
References
- ↑ Silver Vals Syllabus Archived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.