| Sønderhoning step | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beat | Man's step | Woman's step |
| 1 | L foot diagonally forward to the L [outside partner's feet] while simultaneously turning 1/4 turn CW. | Close feet [about a foot length apart]. |
| 2 | Turning 1/2 turn CW, set R foot to the side of L foot [about a foot length apart], with a slight knee bend (body weight is on both feet. | Step forward with R foot [between partner's feet], turning 1/4 turn CW, with a slight knee bend. |
| 3 | Turning 1/4 turn CW, step a little forward with R foot [between partner's feet] -- again with a slight knee bend. | While turning 1/2 turn CW, take a long step forward on L foot [outside partner's feet] -- followed by a 1/4 turn CW, so as to be ready to begin again by closing feet. |
| Dance progression | |
| (a) | Promenade: The couple moves CCW around the floor, walking steps, normally for about 8 bars
[or until there is space ahead in LOD for turning].
Meanwhile, W may walk once around her partner on the last 2 bars (4 walking steps).
During the promenade, begin with the outside foot (ML/WR), so as to be on the correct foot for the sønderhoning step. |
| (b) | Turn step: M moves WL hand onto her back. W places R hand on ML shoulder blade, while M takes WL hand in his own L hand.
With this hold, dance sønderhoning steps moving in LOD. One sønderhoning step=1 full turn.
Although the music is [almost always] 2/4-time, the step is counted over 3 beats, so that 5 sønderhoning steps are danced over 8 bars [of 2/4-time music]. One can begin and end the [promande and] turning at will. The steps should be even, fluid ('sejgt') and with 'svikt' ('duvende'), without any sudden changes in the speed of the steps. |
Provenance: Extract from an old letter from N. Th. Brinch, with a description of the style of the dance:
"Few understand that the sønderhoning as a dance symbolizes a sailing ship, and is steeped in tradition. I shall herewith attempt to illustrate this for you.
When the man takes the woman's hand and goes around the floor, the two are as one and represent a sailing ship, sailing 'rumskøds' or before a
strong wind. The woman should preferably go a little in front of the man, in the outer circle; when the man swings his hand [to signal the beginning
of the turning step] and they dance chest to chest, they used to say that they 'gå; over stag', which is an expression for a sailing ship
that is turning.
Dancing 'i hvingelen', as it was called, should be done with 'soft knees' (one must not simply walk around), which symbolizes a ship in seaway, and is
best danced to the old dance tunes." [Brinch, Hans/ De kom til verden, levede og døde... Esbjerg 1964 pp 202-205 as cited in:Karlsen/ Dans mellem ..., 2004. pp.16-17]
When it was originally documented between 1911-1916, partly by J. Egedal, fannikedans was danced by the inhabitants of Nordby
(Northern village) on the island of Fanø, while sønderhoning was danced by the inhabitants of the village of Sønderho on the
same island. Sønderhoning has been danced in Nordby since the second half of the 1800s; in Nordby both sønderhoning and fannikedans are
played at about the same tempo.
Sønderhoning is now danced commonly as part of a set consisting of two or more sønderhoning, a fannikedans and a rask sønderhoning.
See videos from/with Sønderho Forsamlingshus in the 1970s [also availble on dancilla.com], Nordisk Dans for RETHINK Folk Music 2017 (instructional), Varde 2019, Fælledparken 2023.
Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Beskrivelse af gamle danske folkedanse hefte III.
5th ed. København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1983, pp. 7-8.
See also:
-- Bæk, John/ Polskdans som levende tradition i 1900-tallets Danmark? --
musik og dans fra Fanø. 1983.
-- Grüner Nielsen, H./ Folkelig vals: sønderhoningdans, fannikedans, Manøsk brudedans,
vip, sæt over, Jysk polonæse, springfort, svejtrit, med melodibilag. København: Det Schønbergske Forlag, 1920. pp. 23-56.
-- Hansen, Per Hofman "Humlen – et glemt
folkemusikinstrument fra Sønderho på Fanø" in: Fra Ribe Amt 2018. s.l.: Historisk Samfund for Ribe Amt, 2018.
-- Karlsen, Hugo Hørlych/ Dans mellem ebbe og flod: sønderhoning. 3 rev. s.l.: Nordøsten, 2004.
-- Karlsen, Hugo Hørlych & Petra Vestergaard Pedersen/ Sønderhoning: beskrivelse & beretning om dans og liv.
3 rev. s.l.: Nordøsten, 2004.
-- Skov, Ole "Lidt omn indsamlingen af Sønderhoning og Fannikedans
1. del &
2. del" in:
Dansens og musikkens rødder nrs 46-47, Feb. & Mar. 2000
-- 'Sonderho dance' in: Burchenal, Elizabeth (trans.)/ Folk dances of Denmark, containing
seventy-three dances.... New York, NY: G. Schirmer, 1915. pp. 6-7.
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2014-08-29, rev. 2023-07-11.
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