Country: Eckerö & Lemland, Åland, and Snappertuna, Uusimaa/Nyland, Finland
Type: varies
| Fyra man engelska, Eckerö, Åland/Ahvenanmaa
Formation: Even number of couples in 2 couple sets. W facing each other in centre, M behind partner facing same direction as partner. Hands on hips. If there are several sets, lines are parallel. Facing: > > < < Dancer: M2 W2 W1 M1 Dancer: M4 W4 W3 M3 Dancer: M6 W6 W5 M5Steps: engelska (jig step), hoppsteg (step-hop), gångsteg (walk) Sheet music: (1) Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f./ Nr. 32, after Erik Wilhelm Eriksson in: Musik till Åländska folkdanser. [Finström]: Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f., [1981]. p.19. (2) Andersson, Otto & Greta Dahlström/ Nr. 1423 in: Folkdans: A2. yngre dansmelodier. (Skrifter utgivna av Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland, 466; Finlands Svenska folkdiktning, VI) s.l.: Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland, 1975. p. 492. (3) Finlands Svenska Folkdansring/ Årsprogram 2006-2007. [Helsingfors]: Finlands Svenska Folkdansring rf, [2006]. p.4. Recordings: Finlands Svenska Folkdansring Årsprogram 2004-2005 track 03; Finlands Svenska Folkdansring Årsprogram 2006-2007 track 02. |
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| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| 1-2 | 1 (a) | Figuré: Beginning with R foot, both W dance 7 jig steps on the spot. On 8th jig step, both W turn one-half turn CCW to face partner. |
| 3-4 | All dance 7 jig steps, closing L to R foot on final beat (4:4). | |
| 5-8 | (b) | Reel of 4: With arms hanging at sides, all dance reel of 4,
beginning with W passing on the L (ie passing R shoulders). 16 walking steps.
Finish in place, but having passed partner. Ie M in centre facing each other, W behind partner's backs. |
| 1-4 | 2 (a) | Figuré: M repeat (1 (a)).
Meanwhile, if there are several sets, W from one set may change places with W from a neighbouring set, with step-hops (1-2). |
| 5-8 | (b) | Reel of 4: All repeat (1 (b)).
Finish in place, but having passed partner. Ie W in centre facing, M behind partner's back. |
| [Repeat from (1 (a)) as desired.]
If there are several sets, M from one set may change places with M from a neighbouring set, while W dance figuré (1-2). See YouTube video with version from Eckerö in Jakobstad 2019. Provenance: Documented in 1977 by Viking Sundberg based on informants Emil Andersson (born 1899) and Jenny Jansson (born 1906). Source: Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f./ Beskrivning av Åländska
folkdanser. [Finström]: Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f., [1982]. pp,41-42.
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| Fyra man engelska, Geta, Åland/Ahvenanmaa
Formation: Sets of 2 couples in closed circle, such that each dancer is diagonally opposite his/her partner.
W1--W2
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M2--M1
Steps:
fotombytessteg (change step),
sparksteg (kick step),
gångsteg (walk)
Sheet music: (1) Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f./ Nr. 33, after Johan Erik Berntson in: Musik till Åländska folkdanser. [Finström]: Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f., [1981]. p.19. (2) Andersson, Otto & Greta Dahlström/ Nr. 1474 in: Folkdans: A2. yngre dansmelodier. (Skrifter utgivna av Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland, 466; Finlands Svenska folkdiktning, VI) s.l.: Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland, 1975. p. 507. Recordings: |
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| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| 1-8 | (a) | Circle: In closed circle, all dance CW, 8 change steps.
Finish facing partner, hands on hips. |
| 9-12 | (b) | Figuré: all dance, on the spot, 8 kick steps. |
| 13-16 | All form closed circle, and dance CW, 8 walking steps. | |
| 9-16 | Repeat (b). | |
| [Repeat from (a) as desired.]
Provenance: Documented by Yngvar Heikel in 1922, as danced by Finnströms Ungdomsforening. Source: Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f./ Beskrivning av Åländska folkdanser. [Finström]: Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f., [1982]. p, 42.
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| Fyra man engelska, Lemland & Jomala, Åland/Ahvenanmaa
Formation: [Even number of couples in 2 lines of couples facing couples.] Best with 8 couples.
M4 W8
W4 M8
M3 W7
W3 M7
M2 W6
W2 M6
M1 W5
W1 M5
music
Steps:
fotombytessteg (change step),
sidsteg (side step),
sparksteg (kick step),
gångsteg (walk)
Sheet music: (1) Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f./ Nr. 34/35, after Ellen Lundberg in: Musik till Åländska folkdanser. [Finström]: Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f., [1981]. p.20. (2) Finlands Svenska Folkdansring/ Årsprogram 2001-2002. [Helsingfors]: Finlands Svenska Folkdansring rf, [2001]. p.34. (3) Finlands Svenska Folkdansring/ Årsprogram 2006-2007. [Helsingfors]: Finlands Svenska Folkdansring rf, [2006]. p.4. (4) Finlands Svenska Folkdansring/ Musik till 10 finlandssvenska folkdanser. (Instruktionshäfte 3) [Helsingfors]: Finlands Svenska Folkdansring rf, 1977. [Same tune for 'fyra man engelska, Jomala' and 'fyra man engelska, Lemland'.] Recordings: Finlands Svenska Folkdansring Årsprogram 2001-2002 track 10; Finlands Svenska Folkdansring Årsprogram 2006-2007 track 10. |
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| Bars | Part | Dance progression |
| 1-8 | 1 (a) | Circle: In closed circle, all dance CW, 8 change steps.
Finish facing partner, hands on hips. [Heikel describes steps as polka steps. Note also difference from Heikel's bar count.] |
| 9-12 | (b) | Figuré: all dance, on the spot, 8 kick steps. |
| 13-16 | All form closed circle, and dance once round CW, 8 walking steps. | |
| 9-16 | Repeat (b). | |
| 1-8 | 2 (a) | Circle: Repeat (1 (a)). |
| |:9-16:| | (b) | Figuré: Repeat (1 (b)).
Finish facing partner, hands on hips. |
| |:1-8:| | 3 (a) | Sidesteps: All dance 8 short, 'springy' side steps to R (1-8).
Ditto to L (1-8).
[Heikel describes this as 7 sidesteps, a stamp on beat (8:3), and closing feet on beat (8:4).] In Jomala, this was danced with 2 side-steps to R, then 2 side-steps to L, 2 side-steps to R, etc. to the end of the phrase. |
| |:1-8:| | Repeat (3 (a)). | |
| |:9-16:| | (b) | Chain: All dance R-hand chain in own line, 32 walking steps. |
| |:1-8:|,|:1-8:| | 4 (a) | Sidesteps: Repeat (3 (a)). |
| |:9-16:| | (b) | Chain: Repeat (3 (b)).
Provenance: The version from Lemland was documented by Rut Lindfors in 1922 during a folk dance course at Ålands folkhögskola preparatory to a song festival the following summer. The version from Jomala, probably informed by Rut Lindfors, was published by Yngvar Heikel in 1922. Source: Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f./ Beskrivning av Åländska
folkdanser. [Finström]: Ålands Ungdomsförbund r.f., [1982]. pp, 43-44.
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| Fyra man engelska aka Neljän enkeliska, Snappertuna, Nyland/Uusimaa
Formation: 2 couples facing, in closed circle. Steps: polkka, engelska (jig step) or hyppy (step-hop), polska step 2, springsteg (run), gångsteg (walk) Sheet music: (1) Hukkanen, Timo/ Tanhuvakan sävelmistö. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kansantanssin Ystävät ry, 2012. p.12. (2) Heikel, Yngvar./ 'fyra man engelska, Ekenäs, Nyland' in: Folkdans: B. dansbeskrivningar sammanställda av Yngvar Heikel. (Skrifter utgivna av Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland, 268; Finlands Svenska folkdiktning, VI) Faksimilutgåva 1982. s.l.: Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland, 1938. p. 266. (3) Brages Folkdanslag/ nr 29 'fyra man engelska, Ekenäs, Nyland' in: II: Dansmelodier till 45 folkdanser. Helsingfors: Brages Förlag, 1949. p.20.; (4) Hukkanen, Timo/ Tanhuvakan sävelmistö. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kansantanssin Ystävät ry, 2012, p.12; Recordings: Finlands Svenska Folkdansring Årsprogram 2007-2008 tracks 23-24. |
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| Bars | Part | Dance progression |
| 1-8 | 1 (a) | Circle: In closed circle, couples dance 8 running steps CW, then ditto CCW.
Finish in a line with both W facing, each M standing behind own partner facing her back. All have fists on hips. |
| 1-6 | (b) | Figuré: Beginning with L foot forward, both W dance 6 polkka steps on the spot facing each other, and swinging alternatingly L shoulder and R shoulder forward. |
| 7-8 | and dance 2 polkka steps forward, passing on the L, to face oncoming M. | |
| 9-14 | W and opposite M dance 6 polkka steps facing each other, again beginning with L foot forward.
Note: May be danced with 6 slow reel steps followed by 2 step-hops to pass each other. In this case, the following reel of 4 is danced with running steps (see Heikel p. 267). |
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| 15-16 | W and opposite M dance 2 polkka steps forward to pass on the L and change places. W turn over R shoulder to face up the line. M finish facing each other in centre of the line. | |
| 1-8, 9-16 | (c) | Reel of 4: All dance reel of 4, beginning with M passing on the L (ie passing R shoulders) to start. 16 polkka steps or 32 running steps.
Finish with M in centre, facing, and W at ends facing partner's back. |
| 1-8, 9-16 | (d) | Figuré: Repeat (b), M beginning with 6 polkka steps.
Note: May be danced with 6 slow reel steps followed by 2 step-hops to pass each other. In this case, the following reel of 4 is danced with running steps (see Heikel p. 267). |
| 1-8, 9-16 | (e) | Reel of 4: All dance reel of 4, beginning with W passing on the L (ie passing R shoulders). 16 polkka steps or 32 running steps.
Finish with W in centre, facing, and M at ends facing partner's back. Couples have switched places. |
| 1-8, 9-16 | 2 | Polska: Couples form closed circle and dance 8 polska step 2 CW (1-8), ditto CCW (9-16). |
| 1-8, 9-16 | Couples take R hand star with thumb hold and dance 8 polska step 2 CW, turn over R shoulder (1-8), take L thumb hold, and dance CCW (9-16). | |
| 1-8, 9-16 | Couples form closed circle and dance 24 running steps CW (1-8)followed by 24 running steps CCW (9-16).
See YouTube video with similar version from Vantaa/Vanda with Helsingin pitäjän tanhuujat ja Spelarit 2013. Source: Blomberg, Marcus "Fyra man engelska, Snappertuna" in Finlands Svenska Folkdansring Årsprogram 2007-2008
[Helsingfors]: Finlands Svenska Folkdansring rf, [2007]. pp 31-32.
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Provenance: 'Engelska' dances have occured in most parishes of Åland. They were often called sex man engelska, even when there were only 4 dancers [Heikel, p. 270]. Many 'engelska' tunes are strongly reminiscent of and derived from the English tune 'Soldier's joy'. Different lyrics have been sung in various parishes on Åland, and possibly, if a musician was lacking, the dance was done to a cappella accompaniment.
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2019-01-07, rev. 2023-03-09.
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