Les Lanciers

Country: 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. 

                            Music
                            W1 M1
                          M3     W4
                          W3     M4
                            M2 W2
Steps: chassé (change step), chassé-croisé (change step + pas de bas), balancé (pas de bas), gangtrin (walk).
Unless otherwise specified, all steps begin with R foot.
Courtesy: (1) a step to the side, or a turn, (2) Men close feet, Women place one foot behind the other,(3-4) Men bow, Women curtsey.

Sheet music:
(1) comp. Joseph Hart (358:661) [the original music composed for the dance choreographed by John Duval in England in 1817];
(2) comp. Joseph Meykiechel [aka 'Mikel'; composed between 1856-1860, the version most commonly used in Denmark].
(3) The Lancers' quadrilles, containing Les graces, La Dorset, Lodoiska, La native and Les lanciers : as danced at Almack's, London. To which is added a new waltz by Sig.r Spagnoletti and the Stop waltz s.l.: F. Ellards Music Saloon, 184?.
(4) Lancers quadrille : with a description of all the figures as danced in New York, Philadelphia, Newport, and other fashionable resorts / arranged for the piano by P.T. Wallenhouer. St. Louis (56 Fourth St.) : published by Balmer & Werer [sic], 1858.
(5) Helmsmuller, F. B & G. W. Ackerman/ The lancer's quadrilles. New York: H.B. Dodworth, 1859.

Recordings:
Bror Kalles Kapel 1943 (by J. 'Mikel') (? & Tono) [Internet Archive: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5:1, 5:2 + 'eftermad'];
Danse Orkester, dir. Nicu Vladescu (Nordisk Polyphon Aktieselskab) [Internet Archive: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
Danse Orkester, dir. Paul Godwin (Polyphon) [Internet Archive: 5];
De Ullbjerg Spillemænd (by J. Hart) Les Lanciers tracks 11-15;
De Ullbjerg Spillemænd (by J. 'Mikel') Les Lanciers tracks 1-5 and {teaching tempo) tracks 6-10);
Den Kongelige Livgardes Messingensemble (by J. 'Mikel') Kongelig guldaldermusik tracks 18-22;
Den Kongelige Livgardes Orkester, dir. Waldemar Nielsen (Odeon) [Internet Archive: 1, 2, ];
Den Kongelige Livgardes Orkester (His Master's Voice) [Internet Archive: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
The Edwardian pianist (cojp. J. Duval) [YouTube];
Emil Gambells Orkester (by J. 'Mikel')(Polyphon) [Internet Archive: 5:1, 5:2 - 'eftermad'];
Erik Hansens Spillemandskvartet (by J. 'Mikel') track 06;
Erik Hansens Spillemandskvartet (by J. Hart) track 07;
Folk & roots from Denmark: les Lanciers - ball dance [YouTube];
Henry Hansens Spillemandskvartet, Tivolis Promenadeorkester Hop så med og Les Lanciers track B1.1-B1.5;
Henry Hansens Spillemandsorkester 2017 Vild med gammeldaws dans, vol. 2 [YouTube];
L. Lust Grand Orchestre, dir. J.H. Rys Quadrille des Lanciers - Enregistré au Théâtre des Champs-Elysées 1ère Figure: Les Tiroirs, et 2ème Figure: Les Lignes, 3ème Figure: Les Moulinets, et 4ème Figure: Les Visites, 5ème Figure: La chaîne - Galop [Internet Archive];
Lauritz Hansen's Spillemands Orkester, Ringsted (by J. 'Mikel')(Columbia) Af den gamle spillemands saga, 5-9 [Internet Archive: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
'Les Lanciers af Mikel' Baldanse 1 tracks 1-5;
'Les Lanciers af Hart' Baldanse 2 tracks 1-5;
Spillemandslauget Fandango (by J. 'Mikel') Bal med Spillemandslauget Fandango tracks 16-20;
Tivolis Promenadeorkester (by J. 'Mikel') I anledning af... track 09;
Tivolis Promenadeorkester, dir. Elo Magnussen 1942 (Polyphon) [Internet Archive: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5:1, 5:2];

Dance progression:

  1. La Dorset
  2. La Victoria
  3. Les Moulinets
  4. Les Visites
  5. Les Lanciers,
  6. [Normally followed immediately by a waltz or a galop (Århus tappenstreg) as 'eftermad' (trans: dessert).]

Videos: Den Danske Kvadrille Klub and YouTube videos from/with Brøndby spillemandslaug og dansere, 2011, Steffen Arnholtz (playlist with teaching).

Provenance: Dance originally devised by John Duval, in England, in 1817 with music composed by Joseph Hart. New music composed by Joseph 'Mikel' Meykiechel and revised choreography in the 1850s became very popular in Denmark, from about 1859/1860. In Denmark, Les Lanciers is commonly taught to graduates at many high schools for their graduation balls, wherefore numerous versions with minor variations are available on eg youtube.com from various graduation balls. Compare with Duval's Lancers as danced by the Quadrille Club ( 1-3 and 4-5).
Also known to occur or have occured in: England, Scotland, Ireland (numerous versions of which this is one 1, 2, 3, 4, 5), France, Norway, Sweden, Guadaloupe (Zephyrs 2013, 2016), Slovakia, Canada (Quebec), USA, as well as variations, such as the Two-step Lancers: USA, Russia. etc.

Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Les Lanciers. 2nd ed. København: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme, 1997.
See also (not a complete bibliography):
-- Duval, John & Spagnoletti/ The Lancer's quadrilles. Dublin, c. 1817.
-- Hart, Joseph/ Hart's lanciers set of quadrilles. London, 1820.
-- Hart, Joseph/ Hart's celebrated lanciers set of quadrilles. 4th ed. London: Mayhew & Co., [between 1822 and 1830]
-- 'Lancers (Duval's) & Lanciers' in: Purday, Z. T./ The royal quadrille preceptor. London: Z. T. Purday, 1837. pp.16-19.
-- A man of fashion: a guide to the ballroom. London: C. Mitchell, (c. 1842).
-- The Lancers' quadrilles, containing Les graces, La Dorset, Lodoiska, La native and Les lanciers : as danced at Almack's, London. To which is added a new waltz by Sig.r Spagnoletti and the Stop waltz s.l.: F. Ellards Music Saloon, 184?.
-- Lancers quadrille : with a description of all the figures as danced in New York, Philadelphia, Newport, and other fashionable resorts / arranged for the piano by P.T. Wallenhouer. St. Louis: published by Balmer & Werer [sic], 1858.
-- Helmsmuller, F. B & G. W. Ackerman/ The lancer's quadrilles. New York: H.B. Dodworth, 1859.
-- Johansen, A./ Korrekt anvisning til at danse "Francaise", "Les Lanciers", "Jule-Qvadrille", "Le prince imperial" og "sextour". V. Pio., 1872 [in Danish]
-- Balling, Vilhelm/ Anvisning til at danse "Menuet", "Les Lanciers", "Française", "Jule-Kvadrille", "Le Prince Impériale", "Eugenie-Kvadrille", "Sekstur", "Jernbane-Kvadrille", samt 50 forskellige Selskabsdanse tillige med 150 meget interessante og let udførlige Kotillons-Ture. 7 opl. reprint 2019 København : Herdahl, 1878 (1875?). pp. 11-14. [as well as several later editions] [in Danish]
-- Bergeret, Gaston/ Le quadrille des lanciers; saynète en cinq figures. Paris: P. Ollendorf, 1899. [in French]
-- Jørgensen, Claus/ Lanciersbogen. Århus: Bogan's Forlag, 1996. [in Danish]
-- 'Les Lanciers' on Idaho.dk [in Danish]
-- Claus Jørgensen om Les Lanciers, Danmarks Radio 1991 [in Danish]
-- briefing notes
-- Rytter, Rikke historical notes & alternative briefing notes
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2012-01-13, rev. 2022-09-21.

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