Polka svejtrit, Lolland, Peder Skyt Fyn, Springfort Vejle, aka Svejtrit med krydsede ben

Country: Fyn, Lolland, Vejle, Denmark
Type: couple dance

    Polka svejtrit, Rykkerup, Lolland aka 'den ny sveitrit'
Formation: couples in open circle, waltz hold.
Steps: polka, springforttrin aka 'svejtrit med krydsede ben',
Sheet music: (1) 358:468; (2) Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Lolland-Falster. 2 udg. København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1996, p. 15.
Recordings:
Bars Part Dance progression:
|:1-8:| (a) Polka: Couples, in waltz hold, dance turning polka moving in LOD (CCW around the floor). 16 polka steps.
|:9-16:| (b) Springfort: Couples take front crossed hold, and dance 16 slow springforttrin moving in LOD (CCW around the floor). M begins with a step behind, W with a step forward.
[Repeat from (a) as desired.]

Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Lolland-Falster. 2 udg. København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1996, pp. 15-16.

   
    Peder Skyt, all over Fyn
Formation: couples in open circle, M has R arm around partner's waist, and with L hand he holds partner's R hand on his L hip. Partner's face each other throughout.
Steps: springforttrin,
Sheet music: (1) 358:409, (2) Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Fyn og . 5øerne. 4 opl. København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1997, p. 11.
[Almost identical to 358:533.
Recordings:
    Dance progression:
    Promenade: [No mention is made in either source of a promenade as a prelude to the couple turn.]
    Springfort: As couples turn CW, while moving CCW around the floor [in LOD]. M begins by stepping onto L foot, followed by R foot behind L; W begins by stepping onto L foot, followed by stepping R foot in front of L. The emphasis is on the step onto L foot [ie stepping onto L on the strong beat.] Dance 1 springfort step per bar.

This dance has also been danced by 2 M, crouching and facing each other, with 2-hand hold, and kicking alternating heels out forward or to the side. In this version, the tempo of the music is raised to ♩.=108.

Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Fyn og øerne. 4 opl. . København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1997, p. 11.

   
    Springfort, Vejle
Formation: couples in open circle, front crossed hold, arms straight and leaning body back. Throughout, couples face partner.
Steps: springforttrin,
Sheet music: (1) 358:533 (from Vejle), (2) Music appendix nr. 109 in: Grüner Nielsen, H./ Folkelig vals. København: København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1984, p. 16-17. Det Schønbergske Forlag, 1920. from Ærø).
[Almost identical to 358:409.
Recordings: Klintetten Dansbart track 09 (a Swedish version with different tune).
    Dance progression:
    Promenade: [No mention is made in either source of a promenade as a prelude to the couple turn.]
    Springfort: As couples turn CW 1/2 turn per step, moving in LOD (CCW). M begins by stepping R foot behind L; W begins by stepping R foot in front of L.
It is easier to take thumb hold with partner and bent arms, so that the turn is narrower. Couple motion is slightly forward and back during the turns.

Source: Foreningen til Folkedansens Fremme (FFF)/ Gamle danse fra Vejle Vesteregn. 5th ed. København: Foreningen til Folkdansens Fremme, 1997, pp. 16-17.

See YouTube videos from/with Midt i dansen (at 2:09), Nordlek 2015 Viborg Nordisk folklore aften 2 DK (at 11:07), Henrik fra Stevns - springfort to rheinlender/schottis music.

Provenance: According to Grüner Nielsen, springfort as an independent dance, has been documented in Fyn, Avernakø, Ærø, Tåsinge, and Låland-Falster, where it was called 'den ny sveitrit' (trans. "the new sveitrit"). It was also known on Jylland, and is one of the steps used in the quadrille dance kontradans fra Vendsyssel. In Darum by Ribe it was considered an old-fashioned dance. [Grüner Nielsen, p.81]
Springfort is danced as follows: begin by stepping onto L foot to [L] side, then R foot behind L, again stepping to side onto L, and stepping onto R foot in front of L. Continue alternative R foot behind and in front of L. [W uses opposite footwork.] A number of different holds are used: on Avernakø they used closed waist-shoulder hold. On Låland, sometimes "M has his R arm around partner's waist and holds his pipe in his L hand, so the W had to hold on". Nowadays on Låland-Falster, as well as on Ærø they use front crossed hold; on Tåsinge, on the other hand, they use two-hand hold (the partners hold R-in-L and L-in-R, facing each other and with straight arms).
The dance is always fast, and never danced on the spot, but moving [usually in LOD] around the floor. It is important to stay in the circle [of couples] around the floor. The music is usually 3/8 or 6/8, and the steps accentuated:

In 6/8 time:   1:1   1:2   1:3   1:4   2:1   2:2   2:3   2:4
Ms step:        L     R     L     R     L     R     L     R

In 2/4 time:   1:1   &   1:2   &   2:1   &   2:2   &
Ms step:        L    R    L    R    L    R    L    R
[Source: Grüner Nielsen, H./ Folkelig vals. København: Det Schønbergske Forlag, 1920. p.81.]

The tune is known in Germany and Switzerland, inter alia as Lina ging ein[st]mal spatzieren". In Denmark it became popular, and known as "Peter Schütt i barndoms alder". Various lyrics were written for the tune, in addition to "Peter Schütt i barndoms alder" by Hans Georg Krog (1792-1864), including "Kejser Napoleons rejse", "Attentat på Frederik VI's Buste i Eksereerhuset", Julius Strandberg 's "Mord attentatet på Kejser Wilhelm" (May 1878), and Ovre paa den anden side about the 1878 uprising on 'Sant Kroa' (the Saint Croix labour riot), at that time still owned by Denmark, after 1917 one of the US Virgin Islands.

See:
-- Grüner Nielsen, H./ Folkelig vals. København: Det Schønbergske Forlag, 1920. p.81.
-- Sørensen, Per. ' Peder Skyt fra Fyn, springfort fra Vejle og svejtrit med krydsede ben fra Lolland'. in: Dansens og musikkens rødder nr. 2, February 1996. [in Danish]
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2021-12-01, rev. 2022-12-06.


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