Hanegal, Helsinge

Country: Helsinge, Denmark
Type: set dance
Formation: 4 couple quadrille. Head couples (couples 1 and 2) respectively have their backs to or face the music. Couple 3 stands on the side to the right of couple 1, and couple 4 faces couple 3. W stands to R of M.
Steps: buzz, walk
Music: Sørensen, Pia & Per 26 gamle folkedanse fra forskellige egne (Sørensen, Pia & Per II) 3. opl. Kolding, 2005. p. 2.

Dance progression

1-8 Prelude All couples curtsey/bow to partner and then corner.

|:1-8:| 1 (a) All couples in closed circle dance CW once round the set, 16 walking steps.

9-16 (b) All couples take waltz hold. Couples 1 and 2 advance with 2 walking steps and finish with W1 and W2 standing back to back in centre. Both couples wait in waltz hold.
Meanwhile, couples 3 and 4 dance CW to opposite place, and place W3 and W4 back to back in centre. 4 chassé steps.

9-16 Couples 1 and 2 dance CW to opposite place, and place W3 and W4 back to back in centre. 4 chassé steps.
Finish with all W in the centre back to back as before.

17-24 (c) All M dance CW half way around the women, beginning with a stamp on 1st beat (17:1), 4 walking steps.
Take waltz hold with opposite W, and swing 1-1/2 times round on the spot (21-24), 4 buzz steps.

17-24 Little chain: M moving CCW, W moving CW, all chain to 1st meeting with own partner (in place to the R of their original place). Take waltz hold and swing partner once round. 4 buzz steps.

|:25-32:| (d) All dance R-hand chain once round the set [back to place]. 16 walking steps.
M take smaller steps and W longer, since they are only going 3/4 round the set, while W are going 1-1/4 round the set.

Parts (b), (c) and (d) are the same in all sequences.

|:1-8:| 2 (a) All swing partner, waltz hold, 16 buzz steps.

|:1-8:| 3 (a) All swing partner, waltz hold, 16 buzz steps.

|:1-8:| 4 (a) All swing partner, waltz hold, 16 buzz steps.

|:1-8:| 5 (a) All W form back basket, 16 buzz steps.

|:1-8:| 6 (a) All M form R-hand star and dance CW, 16 buzz steps.

|:1-8:| 7 (a) All W form back basket, 16 buzz steps.

|:1-8:| 8 (a) All M form R-hand star and dance CW 16 buzz steps.

|:1-8:| 9 (a) All W form back basket, 16 buzz steps.

|:1-8:| 10 (a) All M form R-hand star and dance CW 16 buzz steps.

|:1-8:| 11 (a) All couples form back basket (M hands around W waists, W arms on M shoulders), 16 buzz steps.

|:1-8:| 12 (a) The dance finishes with all 4 couples in waltz hold, swinging partner on the spot, with 16 buzz steps.

The dance, which is not without its humour, should be danced 'nicely and gracefully' according to the old folks, not wildly and violently. This description is from Miss Kirsten Larsen, a teacher, of Frederikslund. When the dance description was captured, the dance was still being danced regularly by older people in Halsnæ-Helsinge as well as other places in north Sjælland.

Source: Sørensen, Pia & Per 26 gamle folkedanse fra forskellige egne (Sørensen, Pia & Per II) 3. opl. Kolding, 2005. pp. 2-3.
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2020-03-01, rev. 2021-05-25.

See also: Sørensen, Per "Hanegal del 1" in: Dansens og musikkens rødder nr 4, April 1996. [in Danish]

Tillbaka till innehållsförteckningen/Back to table of contents

		Dance progression
1-8	Prelude	All couples curtsey/bow to partner and then corner.
\|:1-8:\|	1 (a)	All couples in closed circle dance CW once round the set, 16 walking steps.
9-16	(b)	All couples take waltz hold. Couples 1 and 2 advance with 2 walking steps and finish with W1 and W2 standing back to back in centre. Both couples wait in waltz hold. Meanwhile, couples 3 and 4 dance CW to opposite place, and place W3 and W4 back to back in centre. 4 chassé steps.
9-16		Couples 1 and 2 dance CW to opposite place, and place W3 and W4 back to back in centre. 4 chassé steps. Finish with all W in the centre back to back as before.
17-24	(c)	All M dance CW half way around the women, beginning with a stamp on 1st beat (17:1), 4 walking steps. Take waltz hold with opposite W, and swing 1-1/2 times round on the spot (21-24), 4 buzz steps.
17-24		Little chain: M moving CCW, W moving CW, all chain to 1st meeting with own partner (in place to the R of their original place). Take waltz hold and swing partner once round. 4 buzz steps.
\|:25-32:\|	(d)	All dance R-hand chain once round the set [back to place]. 16 walking steps. M take smaller steps and W longer, since they are only going 3/4 round the set, while W are going 1-1/4 round the set.
		Parts (b), (c) and (d) are the same in all sequences.
\|:1-8:\|	2 (a)	All swing partner, waltz hold, 16 buzz steps.
\|:1-8:\|	3 (a)	All swing partner, waltz hold, 16 buzz steps.
\|:1-8:\|	4 (a)	All swing partner, waltz hold, 16 buzz steps.
\|:1-8:\|	5 (a)	All W form back basket, 16 buzz steps.
\|:1-8:\|	6 (a)	All M form R-hand star and dance CW, 16 buzz steps.
\|:1-8:\|	7 (a)	All W form back basket, 16 buzz steps.
\|:1-8:\|	8 (a)	All M form R-hand star and dance CW 16 buzz steps.
\|:1-8:\|	9 (a)	All W form back basket, 16 buzz steps.
\|:1-8:\|	10 (a)	All M form R-hand star and dance CW 16 buzz steps.
\|:1-8:\|	11 (a)	All couples form back basket (M hands around W waists, W arms on M shoulders), 16 buzz steps.
\|:1-8:\|	12 (a)	The dance finishes with all 4 couples in waltz hold, swinging partner on the spot, with 16 buzz steps.
		The dance, which is not without its humour, should be danced 'nicely and gracefully' according to the old folks, not wildly and violently. This description is from Miss Kirsten Larsen, a teacher, of Frederikslund. When the dance description was captured, the dance was still being danced regularly by older people in Halsnæ-Helsinge as well as other places in north Sjælland.