Country: Soutjärvi, Itä-Karjala (east Karelia), Finland
Type: longways non-progressive set dance
Formation: 2 M & 6 W or vice versa, in 2 lines facing. Line A to left as seen from the front, line B to right.
B-line Mb Wb1 Wb2 Wb3
music front
A-line Wa3 Wa2 Wa1 Ma
Hold: holding hands at shoulder height in lines. M have free hand on hip, W have free hand holding skirt.
| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| |:1-4:| | 1 (a) | Paikanvaihto kaartaen (lines curve): lines A and B change places, line B moving in a U-shape to their R, line A moving in a U-shape to their L. [Line A moves behind line B.] 8 side-steps. |
| |:5-8:| | (b) | Varvashyppely (kick steps): M place fists on hips, W hold skirts, and all dance 16 varvashyppely on the spot, beginning hopping onto R foot and kicking L. |
| |:1-4:| | 2 (a) | Läpikäyden paikanvaihto (lines change places): with a clap on the first beat, lines A and B change places, 8 walking steps to opposite place, passing on the R.
Repeat to return to place. |
| |:5-8:| | (b) | Varvashyppely (kick steps): all dance 16 varvashyppely on the spot, beginning kicking L foot. |
| |:1-4:| | 3 (a) | Paripyörintä kynnärkoukuss(a)(elbow hook turn): with a clap on the first beat, lines A and B advance 4 walking steps (1-2), take R elbow hook with opposite (L arm is held up in a curve) and turn CW 4 walking steps (3-4).
Clap again on 1st beat, take L elbow hook with opposite, and dance 4 walking steps CCW with opposite and retire to place (1-4). |
| |:5-8:| | (b) | Varvashyppely (kick steps): all dance 16 varvashyppely on the spot, beginning kicking L foot. |
| |:1-4:| | 4 (a) | Portit riveittäin (line arches): holding hands in 2 lines facing, all advance, line A forms arches, with line B passing on R through to opposite place (1-4). 8 walking steps.
All turn CCW [over L shoulder] to face into set, and repeat to place, with line B forming arches and line A passing through (1-4). 8 walking steps. |
| |:5-8:| | (b) | Varvashyppely (kick steps): all dance 16 varvashyppely on the spot, beginning kicking L foot. |
| |:1-4:| | 5 (a) | Tyttöjen portit (W arches): W in A-line, holding hands, advance 4 walking steps (1-2), perpendicular to B-line, ie facing front, and Wa3 closest to B-line (ie facing M on opposite side).
Wa1 and Wa2 make an arch, Wa3 passes through the arch CCW, Wa2 turning CCW on the spot (3-4). 4 walking steps. Wa2 and Wa3 make an arch, Wa1 passes through the arch CW, Wa2 turning CW on the spot (1-2). 4 walking steps. W in A-line retire to place (3-4), 4 walking steps. Meanwhile, non-active dancers clap and tap the beat. M may dance ripaska steps on the spot. |
| |:5-8:| | (b) | W in B-line repeat (5 a), beginning with Wb3 followed by Wb2 going CW through arch made by Wb2 and Wb1.
Meanwhile, non-active dancers clap and tap the beat. M may dance ripaska steps on the spot. |
| |:1-4:| | 6 (a) | Poikien paripyörintä ja tyttöjen piiri (M turn, W circle): with a clap on the first beat, both M advance (1-2), take R-hand thumbhold, and circle CW (3-4). 4 walking steps.
Clap again on 1st beat, take L-hand thumbhold, and circle CCW (1-4), 8 walking steps. Meanwhile all W clap. |
| |:5-8:| | (b) | M continue turning CCW in centre. Meanwhile all W form closed circle around the M and circle CW. 16 walking steps. |
| |:1-4:| | (c) | All drop hands, W turn to dance walking steps CCW, circling around back to place, M 'helping' each passing W on her way with a hand on the small of her back on every second beat - W respond with "iiiii". On last beats, all retire to place. Total 16 walking steps. |
| |:5-8:| | (d) | Varvashyppely (kick steps): all dance 16 varvashyppely on the spot, beginning kicking L foot. |
| |:1-4:||:5-8:| | 7 | Tyttöjen kättely (W chain): all W dance R-hand chain. Begin with Wa1 and Wb1 giving R hand, then Wb1 gives L hand to Wa2 while Wa1 gives L hand to Wb2, etc. until all W have danced through a large S-shape and back to place.
The cross-over between the two lines of women occurs in the centre of the set, between the original positions of Wa1 and Wb1.
At the ends of the S-shape, R-hand is given twice. 32 walking steps.
During the chain, M clap and dance ripaska. Finish in place. |
| |:1-4:| | 8 (a) | Piiri (circle): Both lines hold hands. Line A advances to line B, with 4 walking steps (1-2) with a stamp on the 1st beat. Lines A and B form closed circle. Line A backs up, pulling Line B with it, into Centre (3-4). 4 walking steps.
All circle CW 8 walking steps (1-4), with a stamp on every 2nd beat. |
| |:5-8:| | (b) | All continue circling CW 16 walking steps, with a stamp on every 4th step. |
| |:1-4:| | (c) | All turn to circle CCW 16 walking steps, with a stamp on every 4th step, and retire to place (ie reform lines). |
| |:5-8:| | (d) | Varvashyppely (kick steps): all dance 16 varvashyppely on the spot, beginning kicking L foot. |
| |:1-4:| | 9 (a) | Loppumarssi (march): both lines advance 4 walking steps, with stamp on 1st beat, turn to face front, and take inside hands with vis-á-vis (1-2).
All dance 4 walking steps towards the front (3-4), beginning with stamp, followed by 8 walking steps away from the front (1-4), stamp on 1st and 5th steps. |
| |:5-8:| | (b) | Again 4 walking steps towards the front (5-6), each pair of dancers in turn crossing over on reaching the front (ie every 4 walking steps; person from A-line in front, person from B-line behind) and circling back to original places (7-8, 5-8). 12 walking steps. |
| Brief | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bars | Sequence | Figure - Finnish | Summary - English |
| |:1-4:| | 1 (a) | Paikanvaihto kaartaen | Lines curve to switch places |
| |:5-8:| | 1 (b) | Varvashyppely | Chorus - kick steps in place |
| |:1-4:| | 2 (a) | Läpikäyden paikanvaihto | Lines cross over on R, repeat to place |
| |:5-8:| | 2 (b) | Varvashyppely | Chorus - kick steps in place |
| |:1-4:| | 3 (a) | Paripyörintä kynnärkoukussa | All advance, R-elbow hook, L-elbow hook |
| |:5-8:| | 3 (b) | Varvashyppely | Chorus - kick steps in place |
| |:1-4:| | 4 (a) | Portit riveittäin | Advance, Line-A arches, Line-B arches, passing on R |
| |:5-8:| | 4 (b) | Varvashyppely | Chorus - kick steps in place |
| |:1-4:| | 5 (a) | Tyttöjen portit | Line-A W advance, arches, M clap/ripaska |
| |:5-8:| | 5 (b) | Line-B W advance, arches, M clap/ripaska | |
| |:1-4:| | 6 (a) | Poikien paripyörintä, tyttöjen piiri | Both M advance, turn CW, then CCW |
| |:5-8:| | 6 (b) | M turn CCW, W circle CW | |
| |:1-4:| | 6 (c) | W circle CCW, M 'help' | |
| |:5-8:| | 6 (d) | Varvashyppely | Chorus - kick steps in place |
| |:1-4:| | 7 | Tyttöjen kättely | W chain, M clap/ripaska |
| |:5-8:| | W chain, M clap/ripaska | ||
| |:1-4:| | 8 (a) | Piiri | All advance, circle CW |
| |:5-8:| | 8 (b) | All circle CW | |
| |:1-4:| | 8 (c) | All circle CCW | |
| |:5-8:| | 8 (d) | Varvashyppely | Chorus - kick steps in place |
| |:1-4:| | 9 (a) | Loppumarssi | Longways set facing front, 4 steps forward, 8 steps back |
| |:5-8:| | 9 (d) | 4 steps forward, cross over, circle back | |
See videos from Nordlek 2018, Hämeenlinnan kurssilta 2017, Folkdansgruppen Hålligång 2014
Provenance: Informant was Meri Ollikainen in the 1940s. Published in Kisakentää 15 in 1945. Taught by Martti Vanhapelto, Vancouver, 1985-03. This was one of the combined dances at Nordlek 2018 in Falun.
Source: Rausmaa, Pirkko-Liisa & Esko/ Tanhuvakka: suuri suomalainen kansantanssikirja. Porvoo: Werner Söderström, 1977. p. 293-296.
See also:
-- material prepared for Nordlek 2018 [description in Swedish, sheet music, mp3 file & video],
Description: Laine Ruus, Vancouver, 1985-03.
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2012-08-06, rev. 2023-04-22.
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