Country: Bornholm, Denmark
Type: longways progressive set dance
Formation: couples in two lines reversed, ie M to L seen from top of the set, W to the R. Couples are numbered 1, 2, 1, 2, etc from the top (ie the music).
Steps: polka,
sidestep
Sheet music: 358:572
Recordings:
Bornholms Spillemandskvartet Melodier fra Bornholm track 15;
Habbadám Bornholmsk folkemusik track 05;
Herlev Kvintetten Kredsen rundt cd 2 track 05;
Henning og Ann-Kathrin Larsen En pris ægte Bornholmsk track B2.
| Bars | Part | Dance progression |
| 1-4 | (a) | Clap: All M1 and M2 face each other, likewise all W1 and W2. All clap hands 3 times, and stamp 3 times beginning with outside foot (ML/WR). |
| 5-8 | Cross-over: All W1 and W2 take 2-hand hold, holding each other's upper arms, elbows out, and standing close together [all M have arms hanging]. Pairs of W and pairs of M change places (ie change rows) with 4 sidesteps, W passing between M. | |
| 1-8 | Repeat (a) to return to place. | |
| 9-16 | (b) | Promenade: Odd numbered couples hold inside hands and dance down between the rows, 4 polka steps, reaching forward with the free foot on the last beat of each bar. |
| 9-16 | Odd numbered couples turn, towards partner, to face up the set. Take new inside hands and dance back up the set with 4 polka steps, finishing one place down from where they started. [Odd numbered couples turn to face down the set, facing next even numbered couple.]
Every second time the dance starts over, one couple at the top of the set and one couple at the bottom of the set stand over. The top couple turns half way round when the dance begins again. Even numbered couples step up one place towards the front at the first polka step (9). |
|
| Repeat from (a) as desired. |
See: YouTube videos Jensen & Bugge live, 2013, combined dances for Dansefestival Bornholm 2012 (at 3:26)
Provenance:
The dance was documented on Bornholm. The concept of an 'after dinner dance' ('borddans') is well known from depictions of social life towards the end of the 1800s.
It means a dance done after the meal. It is likely still the case that one dances the first dance with ones table companion.
The tune is to be found in a handwritten notebook from 1847, which belonged to Andreas Sonne. A subsequent owner of the notebook, Mathias Jensinius Lindgren, has
noted the following regarding 'bordajnsijn':
"At the harvest feasts in the olden days, a variety of roasts accompanied by home-brewed beer was served at 12 o'clock, after
which punch was served. The dinner lasted a couple of hours -- and when it was over, they wanted 'borddansen' which was easy to dance after the large dinner."
So 'bordajnsijn is intended to be a gentle start to the dancing after a massive meal -- but in contrast to the old English dances, in which only one couple
at a time danced the whole way down the set, everyone is constantly in motion.
Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Bornholm. 2:et opl. København; Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1982, pp. 15-16.
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville ON, 2017-10-19, rev. 2022-03-20.
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