Country: Denmark
Type: couple dance
Formation: any number of couples in open circle, 2-hand hold with partner ['butterfly' hold]. M facing out of the circle, W facing into the circle.
Steps:
chassé (change step),
polka
Sheet music:
(1) Mirella, comp. Carl Munch-Lassen, off-line documentation prepared for Nordlek 2012 & 2018
(2) Thomsen, Annette & Ole Skov/ Mirella: selskabsdans fra år 1898. s.l.: Eget Tryk, 2011. [ISBN 87-987079-4-9] pp. 6-7.
(3) Bryans, Helen L. and John Madsen/ Scandinavian dances: Danish and Swedish folk dances. Book II. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Co. Ltd., 1942. pp.36-37.
Recordings:
Baldanse 2 track 20;
Bjørneboe, Einar Spiller i korrekt dansetempo 6 - ældre selskabsdanse (Odeon-GEOK 204) track A2;
Christensen, Anders Chr. N. Vildspil og nodespil (Crow Records-DFS 11/12) cd 2 track 55.
| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| 1-2 | (a) | Promenade: Beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, couples step sideways in LOD (1:1),
and touch inside toe behind outside foot (1:2), in 5th position. Meanwhile, raising joined outside (ML/WR) hands, and lowering inside hands.
Repeat in opposite direction with opposite footwork and arm movements (2). |
| 3-4 | Drop hold and turn away from partner, M turning CCW, W turning CW, 2 polka steps. | |
| 5-8 | Repeat (a). | |
| 9-16 | (b) | Polka: Take waltz hold with partner, and dance turning polka. 8 polka steps [moving in LOD].
Note: In the original sheet music, bars 9-16 were repeated, for a total of 16 bars and polka steps. However Beck, the choreographer, recommended this be changed to 8 bars of music [Thomsen & Skov, p.2.] |
| 17-24 | (c) | Promenade: Repeat (a) twice. |
| 25 | (d) | Toe-touch, away-toward, polka : Facing in LOD, touch outside (ML/WR) toes forward in 4th position, while clapping own hands.
Touch outside (ML/WR) toes to inside (MR/WL) foot in 5th position, while placing hands on own hips. |
| 26 | [Beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot], dance 1 chassé step diagonally forward away from partner. | |
| 27 | Repeat bar 25 with opposite footwork, [ie touch inside (MR/WL) toes forward in 4th position, while clapping own hands.
Touch inside (MR/WL) toes to outside (ML/WR) foot in 5th position, while placing hands on own hips.] |
|
| 28 | [Beginning with inside (MR/WL) foot], dance 1 chassé step diagonally forward toward partner. | |
| 29-30 | In waltz hold with partner, dance one polka step (29) in LOD, followed by one polka step (30) in RLOD. | |
| 31-32 | Turn with 2 polka steps [moving in LOD]. | |
| 33-40 | Repeat (b).
[Repeat from (a) as desired.] |
See videos from/with Dansk Dansehistorisk Arkiv - ældre selskabsdanse 1981 [note sound and picture out of synch]; Den Danske Kvadrille Klub 2021; Herlev Gamle Danse 2023 [note variation in part (b)].
Provenance: Toward the end of the 1890s and beginning of the 1900s, a number of 'foreign' social dances were appearing in Danish ballrooms. Many of those in the established dance milieux feared and even hated these new dances, leading to a demand for the composition and choreography of new couple and quadrille dances in 'good old-fashioned' Danish style - as a shield against foreign influences. In this context, Hans Bech (1861-1952), a ballet master and dance teacher, choreographed this couple dance in 1898, to music composed by Carl Munch-Lassen. The dance became very popular, and was to be found on the teaching schedule of many dance schools, up until WWII. [trans. of Sørensen, below]
Source: off-line docmentation prepared for Nordlek 2012 & 2018.
See also:
-- Thomsen, Annette & Ole Skov/ Mirella: selskabsdans fra år 1898. s.l.: Eget Tryk, 2011. [ISBN 87-987079-4-9]
-- Bryans, Helen L. & John Madsen/
Scandinavian dances: Danish and Swedish folk dances. Book II. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin & Co. Ltd., 1942. pp.36-37.
-- Sørensen, Pia & Per Mirella.
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2023-08-12.
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