Ærø mollevit

Country: Ærø, Denmark
Type: couple dance
Formation: one row of couples, R sides to front, holding inside hands.
Steps: mollevit (similar to pas de menuet à deux mouvements, with a bit more lift). The motion is calm, and in constant motion, and there should never be a cessation of motion.

One mollevit step is danced over two bars of music.
Forward step: R forward (1), pause (2), L forward (3), R a little past L foot (4), L a little past R foot (5), pause (6).
Backward step: like forward step, but backwards. On beat (6), close R to L foot.
On the spot: R backwards (1), pause (2), L backwards (3), R forwards (4), L forwards (5), pause on L foot, while turning body to R and closing R to L foot (6)
Turn step: R forwards beginning half-turn over L shoulder (1), pause while completing half-turn over L shoulder, with weight remaining on R foot (2), L beside R (3), R forward (4), L forward while turning to R (so that L side is to opposite dancer's L side) (5), pause on L foot, while closing with R (6).

Sheet music:
(1) 'mollevit fram Nordfyn' 358:119,
(2) 358:120,
(3) 'waltz after mollevit' 358:1118,
Recordings: Bugge, Kristian Kristian Bugge track 07; Bugge, Kristian 'Dæily June tune #27' [YouTube]; Habadekuk Mollevit track 09; Harpens Kraft Silke track 06; Ærø Spillemænd Ærø allerbedst track A4.

Bars		Dance progression
1-4	Introduction & courtesy	All stand still.
5-8		All turn to partner and curtsey/bow (W more bow than curtsey).
1-2	Introduction	All dance one backwards step.
3-4		M leads his partner in front of and facing him with 1 mollevit step. M's step is 'on the spot' W's step is forwards in an arc in front of partner.
5-6		All dance 1 step on the spot.
7-8		All dance 1 backwards step, dropping hand hold. All finish in longways set, M to R, W to L, as seen from the front.
	Basic pattern
9-10	I	All dance 1 forwards step, on a diagonal to the L, finishing turned to own partner and L side to L side with dancer to partner's R. Ie M are half-turned towards the front, W half-turned away from the front.
11-12		All dance 1 backwards step, on a diagonal back to place.
13-14	II	All dance 1 forwards step across the set, passing partner on the L, and turned towards partner while passing.
15-16		All dance 1 turn step, finishing across from and L side to L side with own partner.
9-10	III	All dance 1 step on the spot.
11-12		All dance 1 backward step, out to opposite side. The two rows of dancers have now changed places.
		The basic pattern of parts I, II, and III is repeated until the lead dancer (M1) signals the middain. This can be when he is about to begin with part I again (ie when M1 again has R side towards the front, eg on the 4th repeat, when the music begins again). M1 says "Ska' vi så!" to the row of men. and then claps his hands on (1).
1-4	Middain	All dance 1 forward step, diagonally to the L (M1 claps on 1st beat)
		All dance 1 backward step, diagonally to the R, ie back to place.
5-8		Giving R hand to partner at shoulder height, turn 1/2 turn CW, with 2 forward steps, finishing L side to L side with partner.
1-2		1 step on the spot.
3-4		1 backwards step, dropping handhold. Rows have now changed places.
5-6		1 forwards step, diagonally to the L.
7-8		1 backwards step, diagonally to the R, ie back to place.
9-12		Giving L hand to partner at shoulder height, turn 1/2 turn CCW, with 2 forward steps.
13-14		Dance 1 step on the spot.
15-16		Dance 1 backwards step, dropping hand hold. The rows have again changed places.
	Basic pattern	The basic pattern of parts I, II, and III is again repeated until the lead dancer (M1) signals the kveeldin. This can be when M1 is about to begin with part I again, ie when M1 again has R side towards the front, eg again on the 4th repeat, by which time the music is at bar 9.
9-10	Kveeldin	All dance 1 forward step, diagonally to the L (M1 claps on the first beat).
11-12		All dance 1 backwards step, diagonally to the R, back to place.
11-12		All take 2-hand hold with partner, and dance 1 full turn CW, 2 forward steps. On the last beat, all curtsey/bow and the dance is finished.
		After the mollevit, a waltz is normally danced as 'dessert'.

Provenance: The footnote to 358:120 maintains that the word 'molevit' was originally the name of a dance that ended with a circle dance in fast tempo, which suggests that one should dance this whole minuet including the "dessert". The word /molevit' itself is a contraction of the names for two other dances, 'molinask' and 'menuet'. Molinask is derived from the French 'moulinage' or 'mølledans' - itself a derivative of 'moulin' which means 'mill' (as in Moulin Rouge' - 'the red mill'). [Unfortunately, no source is given for the above assertion. However it should be noted that Finnish minuets, as documented in the first decades of the 1900s all end with a 'polska', which is usually a circle dance at fast tempo.]

See also videos from/with: Habadekuk at Snoldelev 2014, Bjerregrav 2015 Amtshold, Habadekuk & Embla 2010 [1, 2 (choreographed)], Habadekuk & Embla at Nørrebro Spilletræf 2010 (choreographed)

Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme/ Gamle danse fra Fyn og Øerne 4. oplag. København, FFF, 1984. pp. 68-73.
See also:
-- Skov, Ole "Menuettens oprindelse 2 - Danmark" in Dansens og musikkens rødder nr 16, May 1997. [in Danish]
-- Skov, Ole "Menuetten på Ærø - 1" in Dansens og musikkens rødder nr 32, Nov. 1998. [in Danish]
-- Skov, Ole "Menuetten på Ærø - 2" in Dansens og musikkens rødder nr 33, Dec. 1998. [in Danish]
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2013-02-08, rev. 2023-07-11.

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