“Pentagonal Dance” was written for American harpist Danielle Kuntz to thank her for her valuable role as a mentor and coach, teaching contemporary composers key concepts about composing harp music.

Traditional waltzes are based on three beats per measure. Square dances and circle dances have been popular in numerous cultures around the world for centuries, generally based on four beats per measure. The Pentagonal dance goes one step further, using five beats per measure.

What might the dance look like? Imagine swaying gracefully around the dance floor, 1-2-3 to the left, 4-5 to the right. The dancers turn 72° at the end of each measure, tracing the shape of a pentagon over the course of five measures. Since the music still follows the tradition of eight measures in each phrase, it takes a few phrases for the dancers to return to their starting point!