Ottemandsdans fra Dejbjerg & Læsø, Ottetur fra Mandø aka ottemands dans fra Mandø

Country: Denmark
Type: set dance

    Ottemandsdans, Dejbjerg, Hardsyssel
Formation: sets of 8 couples in closed circles.
Steps: Danish mazurka, special running step: a longer leaping step onto L foot (1:1), 2 shorter running steps R L (1:2-1:3), repeat with opposite footwork.
Music: 358:606, 'Kjesten og jeg' (played AAB), a variant of Kirsten og jeg and Å jänta å ja' (played ABB).
Bars Part Dance progression:
|:1-8:| 1 (a) Circle: In closed circle, all dance CW, 48 running steps (see description of running steps above).
9-16   (b) Chain half-way: All dance R-hand chain to first meeting with partner, 24 running steps.
1-8 2 (a) 2-couple circles: Pairs of couples form small circles and circle CW, 24 running steps.
1-8   Circle: All form one large circle, as in (1 (a)), and circle CW 24 running steps.
9-16   (b) Chain half-way: Repeat (1 (b)).
1-8 3 (a) 2-couple 1-hand stars: Pairs of couples together take R-hand star hold, and beginning with L foot, circle CW with 8 mazurka steps.
1-8   Circle: All form one large circle, as in (1 (a)), and circle CW 24 running steps.
9-16   (b) Chain half-way: Repeat (1 (b)).
1-8 4 (a) 2-couple shoulder hold circles: Pairs of couples together take shoulder hold, and circle CW with 24 running steps.
1-8   Swing, mazurka steps: Couples take waltz hold with partner, and dance CCW around the set, beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, 8 mazurka steps.
9-16   (b) Circle: All form one large circle, as in (1 (a)), and circle CW 24 running steps.

See video from KØST2017

Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Hardsyssel. 2:a opl. København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1998, pp. 37-38.

   
    Otte mands dans, Læsø (I)
Formation: 4-8 couples in closed circle. Couple 1 has backs to front (or music), and remaining couples are numbered 2 through 8 CCW around the set.
Steps: hurretrin (buzz step), hoptrin (step-hop), gangtrin (walk)
Sheet music: 'Nr 107 8 mands dans, efter Levy Wilsen 1982' in: Krak, Kenneth et al/ Læsø - dans & musik. s.l.: Folkemusikhusringen, 1995. p. 177.
Recordings: Habadekuk Kaffepunch track 04; Kvasir Nye sko track 02; Lydom, Bugge & Høirup Gangspil track 01.
Bars Part Dance progression:
|:1-4:| 1 (a) Circle: all form closed circle and dance CW, walking steps. Ditto CCW.
5-6   (b) Visites: couple 1 takes R-elbow hook and turns once round CW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
Meanwhile, couple 1 moves somewhat inside the circle to finish in front of couple 2.
7-8   M1 takes L-elbow hook with W2 and turns once round CCW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
5-6   Couple 1 takes R-elbow hook and turns once round CW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
Meanwhile, moving in front of couple 3.
7-8   M1 takes L-elbow hook with W3 and turns once round CCW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
    Bars 5-8 are played as many times as there are couples in the set.
Couple 1 continues in this fashion, moving CW around set, until M1 has danced with all 8 women. Meanwhile W1 follows M1 around inside the circle with small step-hops.
Once M1 has danced with all the women, part (a) is repeated, followed by part (b) with M2 as the active dancer, then in turn by M3 through M8. Once all M have danced with all W, parts (a) and (b) repeat again as each W1 through W8 dances with each of the M.
|:1-4:| 2 (a) Circle: Repeat (1 (a)), walking steps.
|:5-8:|   (b) M2 visites: M2 repeats (1 (b)).
|:1-4:| 3 (a) Circle: Repeat (1 (a)), walking steps.
|:5-8:|   (b) M3 visites: M3 repeats (1 (b)). [First M3, then W3 is the active dancer]
|:1-4:| 4 (a) Circle: Repeat (1 (a)), walking steps.
|:5-8:|   (b) M4 visites: M4 repeats (1 (b)).
|:1-4:| 5 (a) Circle: Repeat (1 (a)), walking steps.
|:5-8:|   (b) M5 visites: M5 repeats (1 (b)).
|:1-4:| 6 (a) Circle: Repeat (1 (a)), walking steps.
|:5-8:|   (b) M6 visites: M6 repeats (1 (b)).
|:1-4:| 7 (a) Circle: Repeat (1 (a)), walking steps.
|:5-8:|   (b) M7 visites: M7 repeats (1 (b)).
|:1-4:| 8 (a) Circle: Repeat (1 (a)), walking steps.
|:5-8:|   (b) M8 visites: M8 repeats (1 (b)).
|:1-4:|   Swing: The dance finishes with all couples taking waltz hold with partner, and turning CW on the spot, 16 hurretrin.
    Notes:
- the 'visites' (part (b)) are danced by couples in numerical order by couple number, ie sequentially CCW around the set.
- in the 'old days' it was always danced by 8 couples, but if the set consists of more or fewer than 8 couples, the music in part (b) must be adjusted accordingly. The tune is also found in musicians' notebooks in Vendsyssel and Himmerland.
- in a letter to the National Museum of Denmark, Hans Pedersen from Klitten remarked that he had only danced 8 mands dans a few times on Læsø, but that, while a sailor, he had seen the people of Greenland dance it.

Provenance: The description above is based on a video recorded in 1981. At that time, few of the dancers had danced it before. In older descriptions, each W became the active dancer once her partner had danced with all the other women. And the circle in part (a) of each sequence was replaced by swing partner. In other descriptions, the circle was replaced by sequences, see Læsø II below).
The oldest known description, by Ellen Grüner Nielsen, 1917, based on informant Karen Steffensen in Byrum is also interesting. In that description, the dance is described as a longways progressive set, with the circle in part (a) danced as the active couple dancing slip steps twice up and down between the rows. Part (b) consists of couple 1 'weaving' down to the bottom of the set, W1 turning with M2 by the R-hand while M1 turns with W2, then turning with own partner by the L-hand, etc.

Source: Krak, Kenneth et al/ Læsø - dans & musik. s.l.: Folkemusikhusringen, 1995. pp. 95-96.

   
    Otte mands dans, Læsø (II)
Formation: 4-8 couples in closed circle. Couple 1 has backs to front (or music), and remaining couples are numbered 2 through 4 or 8 CW around the set.
Steps: hurretrin (buzz step), hoptrin (step-hop), gangtrin (walk)
Sheet music: 358:564.
Recordings: Kroman, Jes & Hans Jørgen Christensen - Danmarks Rigsspillemænds Festkoncert 2015 [YouTube].
Bars Part Dance progression:
|:1-4:| 1 (a) Circle CW & CCW: all form closed circle and dance CW, 8 walking steps. Ditto CCW, 8 walking steps.
5-6   (b) Couple 1 visites: couple 1 takes R-elbow hook and turns once round CW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
Meanwhile, couple 1 moves somewhat inside the circle to finish in front of couple 2.
7-8   M1 takes L-elbow hook with W2 and turns once round CCW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
5-6   Couple 1 takes R-elbow hook and turns once round CW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
Meanwhile, moving in front of couple 3.
7-8   M1 takes L-elbow hook with W3 and turns once round CCW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
    Bars 5-8 are played as many times as there are couples in the set.
Couple 1 continues in this fashion, moving CW around set, until M1 has danced with all 8 women. Meanwhile W1 follows M1 around inside the circle with small step-hops.
Once M1 has danced with all the women, part (b) is repeated with W1 as the active dancer who dances with all the men M1 through M8, as above:
5-6   Couple 1 takes R-elbow hook and turns once round CW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
Meanwhile, couple 1 moves somewhat inside the circle to finish in front of couple 2.
7-8   W1 takes L-elbow hook with M2 and turns once round CCW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
5-6   Couple 1 takes R-elbow hook and turns once round CW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
Meanwhile, moving in front of couple 3.
7-8   W1 takes L-elbow hook with M3 and turns once round CCW on the spot, 4 step-hops.
Bars 5-8 are played as many times as there are couples in the set.
Couple 1 continues in this fashion, moving CW around set, until W1 has danced with all 8 men.
While W1 turns with M8, M1 returns to his original place, and the next sequence can begin.
|:1-4:| 2 (a) Swing: All couples take waltz hold with partner, and turn CW on the spot, 16 hurretrin.
|:5-8:|   (b) Couple 2 visites: Couple 2 repeats (1 (b)). [First M2, then W2 is the active dancer]
|:1-4:| 3 (a) Swing: Repeat (2 (a)), 16 hurretrin.
|:5-8:|   (b) Couple 3 visites: Couple 3 repeats (1 (b)). [First M3, then W3 is the active dancer]
|:1-4:| 4 (a) Swing: Repeat (2 (a)), 16 hurretrin.
|:5-8:|   (b) Couple 4 visites: Couple 4 repeats (1 (b)).
|:1-4:| 5 (a) W one-hand star: All W form R-hand star, and dance CW, 8 walking steps. Ditto CCW, 8 walking steps.
|:5-8:|   (b) Couple 5 visites: Couple 5 repeats (1 (b)).
|:1-4:| 6 (a) M one-hand star: All M form R-hand star, and dance CW, 8 walking steps. Ditto CCW, 8 walking steps.
|:5-8:|   (b) Couple 6 visites: Couple 6 repeats (1 (b)).
|:1-4:| 7 (a) W circle: All W form closed circle and dance CW, 8 walking steps. Ditto CCW, 8 walking steps.
|:5-8:|   (b) Couple 7 visites: Couple 7 repeats (1 (b)).
|:1-4:| 8 (a) M circle: All M form closed circle and dance CW, 8 walking steps. Ditto CCW, 8 walking steps.
|:5-8:|   (b) Couple 8 visites: Couple 8 repeats (1 (b)).
|:1-4:|   All swing: The dance finishes with all couples taking waltz hold with partner, and turning CW on the spot, 16 hurretrin.
    Notes:
- the 'visites' (part (b)) are danced by couples in numerical order by couple number, ie sequentially CW around the set.
- the 'visites' (part (b)) have also been danced such that both partners dance them simultaneously (ie M1 and W1 at the same time).
- in the 'old days' it was always danced by 8 couples, but if the set consists of more or fewer than 8 couples, the music in part (b) must be adjusted accordingly.

Provenance: The description in Berggreen (see below) notes the dance is for 4 couples, or more. Berggreen identifies the source of the tune only as "copied from the notebook of a musician in Vendsyssel on Jylland", the same notebook from which he copied the music for Taprisør.

Sources: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Vendsyssel og Læsø. 2 opl. København, 1982 pp. 44-46.
See also:
-- Berggreen, A.P./ Danske folkesange og melodier, med ett tillæ af islandske og færøiske. vol. 1. 3:e meget forøgede udg. København: C.A. Reitzel, 1869.
-- Nørgaard, Kjeld Om Berggreens danse, del 2. in: Dansens og musikkens rødder, nr 57, Feb. 2001.

   
    Ottemandsdans, Læsø (III)
Formation: 8 couples in closed circle.
Steps: [No steps are specified in the source for this version.]
Sheet music: (1) Grüner Nielsen, H./ Læsøfolk i gamle dage. (Danmarks Folkeminder Nr. 29). København: Det Schønbergske Forlag, 1924. p.249 (2) 358:564.
Recordings: Kroman, Jes & Hans Jørgen Christensen - Danmarks Rigsspillemænds Festkoncert 2015 [YouTube].
Bars Part Dance progression:
|:1-4:| 1 (a) Circle CW: all form closed circle and dance CW.
5-6   (b) Visites: An arbitrary couple (M1 & W1) moves to the centre of the circle, takes R-in-R hand hold and turns once round CW on the spot.
7-8   M1 takes L-in-L hand hold with next W to his L (W2) and turns once round CCW on the spot.
5-6   M1 takes R-in-R hand hold with partner (W1) and turns once round CW on the spot.
7-8   M1 takes L-elbow hook with next W to his L (W3) and turns once round CCW on the spot.
Meanwhile, W1 follows her partner around [inside] the circle "with dance steps".
    Bars 5-8 are played as many times as there are couples in the set.
Couple 1 continues in this fashion, moving CW around set, until M1 has danced with all 8 women.
Once M1 has danced with all the women, part (b) is repeated with W1 as the active dancer who dances with all the men M1 through M8.
|:1-4:| 2 (a) Swing: All couples take waltz hold with partner, and turn CW on the spot, 16 hurretrin.
|:5-8:|   (b) Couple 2 visites: Couple 2 repeats (1 (b)). [First M2, then W2 is the active dancer]
    Repeat from (2 (a)) until all couples [in order CW around the set] have been the active couple.
|:1-4:|   All swing: The dance finishes with all couples taking waltz hold with partner, and turning CW on the spot, 16 hurretrin.
According to Grüner Nielsen, in later times, more variety has been added to part (a) [by the addition of the traditional sequences used on Læsø, namely:]
-- (1) circle CW (with side steps),
-- (2) circle CW (with side steps),
-- (3) circle CW (with side steps),
-- (4) W one-hand star,
-- (5) M one-hand star,
-- (6) W two-hand star,
-- (7) M two-hand star,
-- (8) W closed circle,
-- (9) M closed circle,
-- (10) all circle.

Sources: Grüner Nielsen, H./ Læsøfolk i gamle dage. (Danmarks Folkeminder Nr. 29). København: Det Schønbergske Forlag, 1924. p.249.

   
    Ottetur fra Mandø aka ottemands dans fra Mandø
Type: set dance
Formation: 4 couple quadrille. Couples 1 and 2 (head couples) respectively have their backs to and face the music. Couples 3 and 4 (side couples) stand respectively to the L of couples 1 and 2.
Steps: hopsa, step-hop
Sheet music: from Roskilde spillemænd . See also: parts A, B, and C of svingkontra fra Blåvand, Ribe
Recordings: Ribe Danse- og Spillemandslaug Morild track 05; Ribe Danse- og Spillemandslaug [YouTube].
Bars Part Dance progression:
|:1-8:| 1 (a) Circle: All form closed circle, and dance CW, 8 step-hops. Ditto CCW, 8 step-hops.
9-16   (b) R-elbow hook: Head couples advance, take R-elbow hook with opposite, turn CW on the spot, and retire to place, 8 step-hops.
9-16   Side couples repeat (b).
17-24   (c) Dos-à-dos: Head couples, with arms folded on chest, advance, dance dos-à-dos CW around opposite, and retire to place, 8 step-hops.
17-24   Side couples repeat (c).
    Parts (b) and (c) are the same in all sequences.
|:1-8:| 2 (a) Hopsa: Couples take waltz/polska/closed waist-shoulder hold and dance turning hopsa once round the set, 16 hopsa steps.
|:9-16:|   (b) R-elbow hook: repeat (1 (b)).
|:17-24:|   (c) Dos-à-dos: repeat (1 (c)).
    Repeat from (2 (a)) as desired.

See YouTube video from Havnedansen, Roskilde, 2011-07-20.

Provenance: video'd at Havnedansen, Roskilde, 2011-07-20.


Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2020-01-23, rev. 2022-05-23.

Tillbaka till innehållsförteckningen/Back to table of contents