Country: Horsensegnen, Østjylland, Denmark
Type: longways set dance
Formation: any number of couples in longways set. M to R, W to L as seen from the 'front' [sic], couples numbered
1, 2, 1, 2, etc.
Steps:
hoptrin (step-hop),
Franske reeltrin, walk
Sheet music: (1) 358:14.,
(2) 'French reel' in: Burchenal, Elizabeth (trans.)/ Folk dances of Denmark, containing
seventy-three dances.... New York, NY: G. Schirmer, 1915. p. 62.
Recordings:
De Danske Spillemænd track A2 [YouTube];
Folkedanseorkestret [Internet Archive];
Fynbokvartetten Folkedanse for begyndere track B12;
Spillemandslauget Fandango Bal med Spillemandslauget Fandango track 12;
| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| 1-2 | (a) | Shake hands: M1 and M2 turn to each other, take R-in-R hand, and shake hands (up-down) 4 times.
Simultaneously, W1 and W2 do same. |
| 3-4 | Repeat (a) with L hands. | |
| 5-8 | M1 and W1, and simultaneously M2 and W2, repeat (a). | |
| 9-12 | (b) | Smedetur: M1 and W1, and simultaneously M2 and W2, clap own hands, clap R hands with partner, clap own hands, clap L hands with partner, clap own hands, clap both hands with partner, clap own hands 3 times. |
| 13-16 | [Facing partner, couples 1 and 2], beginning hopping on MR/WL foot, dance 4 Franske reeltrin on the spot. | |
| 9-12 | (c) | Circle: Couples 1 and 2 form closed circle, and beginning with a stamp, circle CW, 8 step-hops. |
| 13-16 | Ditto CCW, 8 step-hops beginning with a stamp. | |
| 17-20 | (d) | Chain & progression: Couples 1 and 2 dance chain across to opposite lines, giving R hand to
partner, and L hand to exchange place with other M/W, 8 walking steps.
Couples have now progressed one place but are in opposite lines. |
| 21-24 | Couples 1 and 2 give R hand to partner and chain back to original line but new position, 8 walking steps.
[Ie couples have chained 3/4 round the set of 2 couples.] Couples are now in the order 2-1-2-1 etc. |
|
| 17-20 | (e) | Arches: M1 and M2 stamp and form an arch, dancing to opposite line. W1 and W2,
holding inside hands, pass under the arch to opposite line. 8 walkings steps.
Both pairs of dancers turn towards each other, to face into set. |
| 21-24 | Couples 1 and 2 repeat arches, this time the 2 W making the arch, the 2 M passing under to return to original place, 8 walking steps. | |
| When the music repeats, couple 1 now dances with couple 2 'downstream'. Odd numbered couples move 'down' the set one position each time the
music repeats; similarly, even numbered couples move 'up' the set. At each end of the lines, odd numbered couples will
become even numbered, and even numbered couples will become odd.
If there are an odd number of couples in the lines, one couple at either end of the lines will rest each time the music
repeats; if an even number of couples, one couple at each end of the lines will rest every second time the music repeats.
Only top pair of couples may start, adding new couples to set of active couples as they progress down the set. Alternatively all couples may start dancing at the same time. |
Source:
-- Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Beskrivelse af gamle danske folkedanse hefte I.
7:e opl. København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1976, pp. 29-30.
See also:
-- 'French reel' in: Hanson, Lida Saboni & Laura Wolcott Goldsmith (trans.)/
Old Danish folk dances described by the Association for the Promotion of Folk Dances (Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme). -[ first part].
Copenhagen: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme, 1906. pp. 15-16.
-- 'French reel' in: Burchenal, Elizabeth (trans.)/ Folk dances of Denmark, containing
seventy-three dances.... New York, NY: G. Schirmer, 1915. pp. 62-63.
-- 'French reel' in: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Danish folk dances.
Trans. by Viggo Bovbjerg [Chicago, IL]: Chicago School of Civics and Philanthropy, 1917. pp. 22-23.
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2022-02-13.
Tillbaka till innehållsförteckningen/Back to table of contents