Contre dançe françoise - la Vitesse from Sønderbybogen

Country: Denmark
Type: set dance
Formation: 4 couple quadrille. Couples 1 and 2 (head couples) respectively have backs to and face the music. Couple 3 stands to the right of couple 2, and couple 4 to the right of couple 1.
Steps:

chassé (change-step)
sideløbstrin (slip-step)
pas de gavotte: facing partner, hands free, (&) weight on L foot, R foot in position 3 behind, flexing L leg (1:1) hop onto L foot, extending R foot out sideways to R, (1:2) step forward R on ball of foot, (1:3) step forward L on ball of foot, (2:1) hop on both feet, (2:3) pause (similar to Scottish setting step)
pas de rigaudon: facing partner, hands free, (1:1) hop onto L foot, swinging R foot out diagonally to R, (1:3) hop onto R foot, swinging L foot out diagonally to L, (1:4) close L to R foot, (2:1) hop on both feet, (2:3) pause (similar to Danish vippetrin)

Sheet music: V.D.W. Sønderbybogen ms. 1772. p. 335 [of the pdf file], or any reel in AABBCC (A=B=C=8) structure.

Bars	Part	Dance progression:
\|:1-8:\|	1 (a)	Le grand rond: All form closed circle, and dance CW with 16 sideløbstrin (1-8). Ditto CCW 16 sideløbstrin (1-8).
9-12	(b)	Demi-moulinet & allemande: All 4 W form R-hand star and circle half-way CW to opposite M, 2 chassé steps (9-10). Couples stand R-shoulder to R-shoulder, arms crossed behind the back, all dance CW on the spot, 2 chassé steps (11-12).
13-16		All 4 M repeat (b), forming L-hand star, circling CCW to opposite W, and dancing allemande L-shoulders together and turning CCW.
9-12	(c)	La chaine angloise de côté: All four couples dance half-chain across and courtesy turn with corner couple on head couple's R, 2 chassé steps (9-10). Ditto to return to place, 2 chassé steps (11-12).
13-16		All four couples dance R-hand chain across and courtesy turn with corner couple on head couple's L, 2 chassé steps (13-14). Ditto to return to place, 2 chassé steps (15-16).
17-24	(d)	La grande chaine: All couples dance R-hand chain to first meeting with partner (opposite place), 8 chassé steps.
17-24		Le pas anglois et la main: Facing partner, all couples give R-in-R hand to partner, change places with partner (passing R shoulders) with 1 pas de gavotte and 1 pas de rigaudon (17-20). Repeat, giving L hand to partner, and passing L shoulders (21-24).
		[At the beginning of the contre dances françoise descriptions in Sønderbybogen is the following note (in French):] All the contre dances begin with le grand rond, and at the beginning of each repetition, the (a) section consists of: - une maine, - deux mains, - l'allemande, - les quatre Dames en crois, - les quatre Cavaliers en crois, - les quatre Dames en rond, - les quatre Cavaliers en rond, - tous les 8 la grande chaine. Therefore: parts (b), (c) and (d) are the same in all sequences. The following are my interpretations of the sequences.
\|:1-8:\|	2 (a)	One hand to partner: With R-in-R hand with partner, all dance CW on the spot, 8 chassé steps (1-8). Ditto CCW, 8 chassé steps.
\|:1-8:\|	3 (a)	Two hands to partner: In 2-hand hold with partner, all dance CW on the spot, 8 chassé steps (1-8). Ditto CCW, 8 chassé steps.
\|:1-8:\|	4 (a)	L'allemande: Couples stand R-shoulder to R-shoulder facing in opposite directions, arms joined behind their backs, all dance CW on the spot, 8 chassé steps (1-8). Ditto L-shoulder to L-shoulder, turning CCW, 8 chassé steps. [See Contredanse : description des principales figures]
\|:1-8:\|	5 (a)	Women's star: All W take R-hand star, and dance CW on the spot, 8 chassé steps (1-8). Ditto L-hand star, turning CCW, 8 chassé steps.
\|:1-8:\|	8 (a)	Men's star: All M take R-hand star, and dance CW on the spot, 8 chassé steps (1-8). Ditto L-hand star, turning CCW, 8 chassé steps.
\|:1-8:\|	7 (a)	Women's circle: All W form closed circle, and dance CW on the spot, 8 chassé steps (1-8). Ditto turning CCW, 8 chassé steps.
\|:1-8:\|	8 (a)	Men's circle: All M form closed circle, and dance CW on the spot, 8 chassé steps (1-8). Ditto turning CCW, 8 chassé steps.
\|:1-8:\|	9 (a)	La grande chaine: All dance R-hand chain around the set, 16 chassé steps.

Provenance:
From a handwritten musician's notebook found in Sønderby, Denmark. The book belonged to Søren Christian Rønning (possibly 1743-1809) and can be dated to 1772, as one of the covers has this date imprinted. It is not known how the book ended up in Sønderby. The book contains 79 'Contres dançes angloises', 29 'Contres dançes françoises', and 6 cotillons, with choreography in the form of diagrams and/or descriptive text as well as sheet music.
[Translator's note: This is my interpretation of the description - other interpretations are possible. Although no information about steps is given, accompanying sheet music is in 2/4-time, wherefore the translator suggests the dance be done with chassé steps.]

Printed source: V.D.W. Sønderbybogen ms. 1772. p. 88 [of the pdf file]
Description: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2021-05-17, rev. 2021-09-27.

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