Country: Denmark
Type: couple dance
| Pariserpolka, Rugbjerg, Sønderjylland
Formation: couples in open circle, front-crossed hold, M facing out of circle, W facing in. Steps: balancé (pas de basque), chassé (change step), hæl og tå (heel-toe), polka Sheet music: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle sønderjyske danse. 2 udg. København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 2007, p. 34. [a variant of 358:40 (pariser polka fra Fyn)] Recordings: Rundt på gulvet Kredsen rundt cd 2 track 13; Tingluti Danske folkesange og folkedanse track A13. |
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| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| 1-4 | (a) | Balancé & turn: Beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, all dance 4 balancé steps. |
| 5-8 | In R-in-R hold with partner, all turn CW once round on the spot, 4 chassé steps. Finish in side-cross hold with partner. | |
| 9-10 | (b) | Heel-toe: In side-cross hold, and beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, all dance forward in LOD with 1 chassé step followed by 1 hæl og tå step. |
| 11-12 | Repeat, beginning chassé with inside (MR/WL) foot. | |
| 13-16 | Repeat (b), alternating footwork as above. | |
| |:17-24:} | (c) | Polka: All take waltz hold and dance turning polka, moving in LOD, 16 polka steps. |
| Repeat from (a) as desired.
Provenance: the dance was described by Johannes Egedal in 1824, The music is from Jens Peter Anderssen, Rugbjerg, and is number 9 in his manuscript notebook. A cryptic description by Rasmus Henriksen, Hindsholm, is also in Jens Hansens manuscript notebook from 1861, in which the sheet music is nr. 22. Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle sønderjyske danse. 2 udg. København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 2007, p. 34. | ||
| Pariserpolka, Østjylland/pariser polka fra Fyn
Formation: couples in open circle, holding inside hands, facing in LOD. M has L thumb in L vest armhole, W has R hand at waist. Steps: chassé (change step), hæl og tå (heel-toe), polka Sheet music: (1) 358:40 (pariser polka fra Fyn) (2) Burchenal, Elizabeth (trans.)/ Folk dances of Denmark, containing seventy-three dances.... New York, NY: G. Schirmer, 1915. p. 10. (3) Volksmusik.cc Pariser Polka Recordings: Lauritz Hansens Spillemandsorkester 'Pariserpolka fra Fyn' [YouTube]; Lauritz Hansens Spillemandsorkester 'Pariserpolka fra Fyn' (Columbia (DD 620)) [Internet Archive]; Rundt på gulvet Kredsen rundt cd 2 track 13; Tingluti Danske folkesange og folkedanse track A13. |
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| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| 1-7 | (a) | Promenade: Beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, all dance 7 chassé steps forward in LOD. On first chassé bent inside arms are swung backwards so partners are facing, and on second chassé, which begins with inside (MR/WL) foot, arms are swung forward so that partners are back to back, etc. |
| 8 | 'Vride rumpe': While swinging inside hands forward, couple jumps onto both feet, about a foot length apart, and finish back to back. (8:1). With a second jump onto both feet (8:2), swinging joined hands back, partners finish facing each other. | |
| 1-8 | Repeat (a).
Finish with a 1/4 turn CCW [ie M facing in LOD, W facing RLOD], |
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| 9-10 | (b) | Chassé croissé: Beginning with R foot, all dance 1 chassé to own R, ie W towards the centre of the circle, M away from centre of circle (9). All finish with a croissé, ie crossing L foot over R, while raising and lowering R heel (10). |
| 11-12 | Repeat bars 9-10, but to the L [with opposite foorwork]. | |
| 13-16 | Repeat (b). | |
| 9-16 | (c) | Guldæbler (golden apples): W dances backwards in LOD, and M forwards with 8 chassé steps. During first chassé step, holding R-in-R hand with partner, and during second, L-in-L hand, while 'playing with golden apples' (spiller med guldæbler). [Continue through the phrase alternative between these two.] |
| 17-18 | (d) | Polka & heel-toe: Couples take waltz hold, turn 1/2 turn CW with 1 polka step (17) followed by a heel-toe step with inside (MR/WL) foot (18). |
| 19-20 | Couples again turn 1/2 turn CW with 1 polka step (19) followed by a heel-toe step with outside (ML/WR) foot (20). | |
| 21-24 | Repeat (d). | |
| 17-24 | (e) | Polka: In waltz hold, with a stamp on the first beat (17:1), couples dance polka, turning CCW and
moving in LOD.
[Burchenal describes this polka as turning CW.] |
| Repeat from (a) as desired.
See videos from/with KØST2017, HabadeKvartet 2014, Herlev Gamle Danse 2022. Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Beskrivelse af gamle danske folkedanse hefte III. 5:e opl.
København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1983, pp. 9-10.
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| Pariserpolka, Vendsyssel
Formation: couples in open circle, waltz hold, facing in LOD Steps: hæl og tå (heel-toe), polka Sheet music: (1) 358:545 (2) Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Vendsyssel og Læsø. 2 opl. København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1982, p. 25. Recordings: |
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| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| 1 | (a) | Heel-toe & turn: In waltz hold, and beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, all dance 1 heel-toe step. |
| 2 | Turn 1/2 turn CCW, with 1 polka step. | |
| 3 | In waltz hold, and beginning with new outside (MR/WL) foot, all dance 1 heel-toe step. | |
| 4 | Turn 1/2 turn CW, with 1 polka step. | |
| 1-4 | Repeat (a). | |
| |:5-8:} | (b) | Polka: All dance 8 turning polka steps, moving in LOD |
| Repeat from (a) as desired.
Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Vendsyssel og Læsø. 2 opl. København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1982, p. 25. | ||
| Damernes fornøjelse, Hindsholm
Formation: couples ("as many as will") in open circle. Front crossed hold position, M facing in LOD, W facing RLOD. Steps: chassé (change step), mazurkahop (step-swing), polka Sheet music: (1) 358:92 (2) Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Fyn og Øerne. 4th ed. København: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme, 1978, p.20. Recordings: Råbergs Spillemandskvartet Gammeldavs aften med Råbergs spillemandskvartet track B1. |
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| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| |:1-8:| | (a) | Guldæbler ('golden apples'): M facing in LOD, W facing RLOD, dance in LOD (M forwards, W backwards), while "playing with golden apples": bring joined R hands up to shoulder height drop R hand hold with a flick of the wrist, and circle R hands down to rejoin under L hands (bar 1). Repeat with L hands (bar 2), etc. alternating hands. 16 chassé steps. |
| |:9-16:| | (b) | Polka & mazurkahop: Take waltz hold and, beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, dance 1 polka step turning CW, followed by a mazurkahop, hopping on inside (MR/WL) foot and swinging outside (ML/WR) foot forward in LOD and back (9-10). Repeat (b) 7 times (11-16,9-16). |
| |:17-24:| | (c) | Polka: In waltz hold, couples dance 16 polka steps, moving in LOD. |
| [Repeat from (a) as desired.]
See video from KØST2017. Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Fyn og Øerne. 4th ed. København: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme, 1978, pp. 20-21.
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| Pariserpolka i 10 ture [trans: pariserpolka in 10 sequences]
Formation: couples ("as many as will") in open circle, holding inside (MR/WL) hands, free hand at waist, facing in LOD. Steps: chassé (change step), mazurkahop (step-swing), polka Sheet music: fra Hans Peter Christensens nodebog (1845-48) in: Sørensen, Per/ Danse- og musik-historier 2: Pariserpolka i 10 ture [p.4]. Recordings: | ||
| Bars | Sequence | Dance progression: |
| 1-8 | 1 tur | Promenade: Beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, couples dance forward in LOD, 8 chassé steps.
Joined hand swing a little back and forward with the movement of the body. |
| 1-8 | 2 tur | Polka: Couples take waltz hold, and dance turning polka, moving in LOD.
Finish with M's back to LOD. |
| 9-16 | 3 tur | Guldæbler ('golden apples'): M dances backwards, W forwards, 8 chassé steps. 'Golden apples' begins with R hand.
Finish in crossed-back hold. |
| 17-24 | 4 tur | Chassé & turn: Couples dance forward in LOD, 2 chassé steps (17-18), followed by turning [CCW]
on the spot (M backwards) with 2 chassé steps (19-20).
Repeat (21-24). Finish in waltz hold. |
| 9-16 | 5 tur | Heel-toe: Couples dance heel-toe step with outside (ML/WR) foot, followed by 1 polka step turning CCW (9-12).
Couples dance heel-toe step with inside (MR/WL) foot, followed by 1 polka step turning CW (13-16). Finish with M facing LOD with both hands crossed on chest, W facing RLOD, hands at waist. |
| 17-24 | 6 tur | Chassé croissé: [Beginning with R foot] couples dance 1 chassé to own R (17),
[ie W towards the centre of the circle, M away from centre of circle], followed by
a croissé (18), [ie crossing L foot over R, while lifting and dipping on R]. Repeat with opposite footwork, to own L (19-20).
Repeat (21-24). Finish with M facing LOD, W facing RLOD, both with hands at waist. |
| 25-32 | 7 tur | Dos-à-dos: Couples dance dos-à-dos CCW around partner: 1 chassé diagonally R, 1 chassé diagonally L,
1 chassé diagonally backwards L, 1 chassé diagonally backwards R (25-28). Repeat (29-32).
(One can also dance this with 1 chassé followed by 2 walking steps, (25-28), Repeat (29-32).) |
| 25-32 | 8 tur | Couple turn: Couples take L-in-L hold with partner, and dance once round CCW, 4 chassé steps (25-28). Ditto R-in-R CW (29-32).
Finish in sideways front-crossed hold with partner, facing in LOD. |
| 33-40 | 9 tur | Heel-toe 2: Couples dance heel-toe step with outside (ML/WR) foot, followed by 1 chassé step (33-34) to change places with partner (W
rolling in front of partner to his L side).
Couples dance heel-toe step with inside (MR/WL) foot, followed by 1 chassé step (35-36) to return to place. Repeat (37-40). Finish in sideways front-crossed hold with partner, MR arm on top, facing in LOD. |
| 33-40 | 10 tur | Allemande: Without dropping hold throughout this sequence, W dances under joined R hands over to ML side, while M turns once round
CCW [over L shoulder] to finish in partner's place, 4 chassé steps (33-36). Repeat in reverse to return to place (37-40).
Provenance: According to Sørensen, initially choreographed for the Paris theatre. Subsequently taught by dancing masters all over Europe.
Within a few years, however, the dance was shortened to 5 figures, rather than the initial 10. This version reconstructed by Per Sørensen
and a small local study group based on French, Swedish, German and English versions, including:
Source: Sørensen, Per/ Danse- og musik-historier 2: Pariserpolka i 10 ture. s.l.: s.n., n.d. |
Provenance: The year 1844 saw the publication of a flurry of sheet music for and descriptions of the polka. One of the early descriptions
was Jullien's description of the polka which
can be interpreted as sequences 1, 2 and 9 of the Pariserpolka i 10 ture above. Another publication, in May of 1844, includes
a total of 17 figures as taught by Monsieur D'Albert, but also includes sheet music specifically entitled 'Paris polkas'. Also in May of
1844, the Illustrated London News published a 5-figure version of the polka.
According to Sørensen, the polka, the turning dance, came to Denmark in the 1840s possibly via Prague, Vienna and Paris.
Pariserpolka, ie the choreographed theatre version, is documented to have been taught by itinerant dance teachers in Denmark, in 1844.
The above versions of Pariserpolka, e.g. from Rugbjerg, Østjylland & Fyn, and
Vendsyssel, as well as Damernes fornøjelse, Hindsholm, are all likely derived from
Pariserpolka i 10 ture. Other versions, possibly derived from the 10-sequence
version include for example: fandango fra Odsherred (which
despite the name, is not a 'fandango'),
galopin fra Langeland, and
spids hamborger.
Versions also occur in Norway and
Sweden, although most of the
Swedish versions appear to be choreographies from the 1980s and 1990s. The only version of Pariserpolka thus far found in the
Finnish folk dance literature is the above translation of Pariserpolka med turar.
See:
-- Sørensen, Per. '
Mere "Pigernes fornøjelse" fra mange steder'. in:
Dansens og musikkens rødder nr. 69, Mar. 2002. [in Danish]
-- Jullien, [Louis-Antoine]/
Jullien's Celebrated Polkas, No. 1 - The Original Polka. London: Jullien, ca 1844.
-- 'La polka, taught by M. D'Albert' [17 figures] in:
A Set of Brilliant Polkas Composed by E. Schulz, Pugni, and Burgmüller, the Figures by Monsr. D'Albert. London: Chappell, May 1844. p.1.
-- 'Paris polkas' comp. by Burgmüller [sheet music] in:
A Set of Brilliant Polkas Composed by E. Schulz, Pugni, and Burgmüller, the Figures by Monsr. D'Albert. London: Chappell, May 1844. pp. 2-5.
-- "The Drawing-Room Polka" in: The Illustrated London News IV(106):300-301, for the week ending...May 11, 1844.
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2012-05-15, rev. 2023-08-17.
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