Country: Denmark
Type: set dance
Formation: progressive longways set, Men to the R and Women to the L as seen from the top of the set (=music), facing partner.
Steps:
hurretrin (buzz step),
sideløbstrin (slip steps),
gangtrin (walk)
Sheet music:
(1) Den lille englænder (Blaydon Races).
(2) Den lille englænder arr. by Henrik Jansberg.
(3) Also often danced to Stephen Foster's "Oh! Susanna"
Recordings:
Gjern Spillemænd Skovsøen track A8;
Spillemandslauget Tramp Spillemandslauget Tramp 2 track A10;
Spillemandslauget Tramp Spillemandslauget Tramp 3 track A8;
Thy Spillemandslaug Thy Spillemandslaug 2 track 14;
Trunderup Spillemændene Dansk spillemandsmusik 1 track 04.
| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| 1-16 | (a) | Advance & retire: Rows advance (1-4) and retire (5-8), 4 walking steps each way. Repeat (9-16). |
| 1-8 | (b) | Figuré: Take R hand in R hold with partner, turn once round CW in the centre (1-4), 8 walking steps. Ditto CCW with L hand hold (5-8). |
| 9-16 | Take 2-hand hold with partner, turn once round CW, 8 walking steps (9-12). Dos-à-dos with partner (13-16), 8 walking steps. | |
| 17-24 | (c) | Slip steps: Top couple dances 8 slip steps to the bottom of the set (17-20). Repeat to return to top of set (21-24). |
| 25-32,17-24 | (d) | Chase: Top couple dances, followed by all other couples in order, turn out away from the set (cast off), go to bottom of set and form an arch, 16 walking steps (25-28). Following couples, led by couple 2, go under the arch and proceed back to place, 16 walking steps (17-24). Couple 2 is now new top couple. Former couple 1 stands at bottom of set.
[This may take more than 16 bars, depending on the number of couples in the set.] |
| 25-32 | (e) | Swing: Swing partner, 16 buzz steps (or whatever music is left before it starts from bar 1 again), and retire to place.
Repeat from (a) until all couples have danced as couple 1. |
See videos Brøndby Squaredansere & Brøndby Spillemandslaug og Dansere 2010; Sir Roger de Coverly - Chestnut 2017. Den lille englænder - [unattributed] 2017; Team Bornholm 2019; Seks på stribe (Den lille englænder) - Herlev Gamle Danse 2022; Sommerdans in Fælledparken with Christian Obel 2022 & public; Sommerdans in Fælledparken with Christian Obel 2023 & public.
Provenance: Danish variant of Sir Roger de Coverly (Playford, 1695)
and 'Virginia reel'.
Source: personal communication from Christian Obel.
See also:
-- Aabech, Tage "Å Susanne" pp 68-69 in:
Om traditionel fynsk dansemusik: danse for flere par
-- Rod i traditionerne - dans & musik i skolen
-- Duovisti.dk Den lille englænder
-- Webfeet Sir Roger de Coverley
-- Enge, Nick Sir Roger De Coverley (Virginia Reel). 2015.
Description: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2019-03-18, rev. 2023-08-20.
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