Menuett, Lappfjärd (Y. Heikel description)

Country: Finland
Formation: While the music is played through once, M arrange themselves in a row side by side, with the W almost right behind them, holding WR hand in MR hand which is reaching back. The line stands infront of the bridal head table, with their backs to it, and with couple 1 farthest to the R as seen from the head table.
Steps: the menuet step is danced as in menuet 18 (Tjöck) but with almost no swinging/turning of the body. The cross-over step is danced somewhat differently from in Tjöck.
Note under menuet from Tjöck: ...all couples with R hand in R hand, holding partner's fingertips at shoulder height and arms crooked downwards. L hand hangs down by one's side. The old women used, however, to hold their skirts with their free hand.
Music: Menuett nr. 171 from SLS VI A1, transcribed (?) by Fridolf Andersson, 1911 and played by Otto Lill-Hannus, also available at: menuett, Lappfjärd & polska, Lappfjärd

Bar Beat  
    Menuet step
1-2   In this description the count is to 6 beats over 2 adjacent bars. Step with R foot on (1), on L foot on (3), R foot on (4) and L foot on (5). Steps on (1) and (3) are dragged, such that the R foot drags along the floor passing L foot on (6) and L foot drags along the floor in passing R foot on (2).
    Cross-over step (NB 2 cross-over steps = 4 bars of music).
1 :1 Step forward toward partner with R foot (1), with a light stamp. The right foot has in the previous step been dragged past L foot.
:3 Step diagonally left-forward on L foot (3).
2 :1-2 Take 2 quick short steps with R (4) and L (5).
:3 Drag R foot past L (6).
3 :1 Step forward on R infront of L (1), with toes turned to the left and turning half-way to the left.
:2 Continuing the turn, close L foot to R (2)
:3 After completing the turn, one quick short step forward towards partner on L foot (3)
4 :1 Close R foot to L (4)
:2 Step forward on L (5)
:3 Drag R foot past L (6), ready to step onto it on the following beat for the beginning of the next menuet step.
     
    Dance progression
1-3 :1 All stamp R foot on the first beat of the 3 bars, ie on 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1. On the second beat of each of these bars, lift L foot and replace it on the third beat of each bar.
3 :2 Lift L foot (2)
:3 Women step forward with L foot (3)
4 :1-2 Women continue forward turning to the L with R foot (4) and L foot (5) so that they finish facing partner
:3 Women close R to L foot (6).
5-7 :1 All stamp R foot on the first beat of the 3 bars, ie on 5:1, 6:1 and 7:1. On the second beat of each of these bars, lift L foot, and replace on the third beat.
7 :2 Lift L foot (2). While maintaining the hand hold, all couples turn 1/2 turn CW as follows:
:3 step L (3)
8   step onto R foot (4) with toes pointing R, and continue turning to the R on R foot, close L foot to R (5), and touch R foot to L (6).
9 :1 Stamp R foot toward each other (1)
:2 Lift L foot (2), and simultaneously drop handhold
:3 Step back on L (3)
10 :1 Step back on R (4) and lift L
:2 Replace L foot (5)
:3 Drag R foot past L (6), ready to step forward on the next menuet step
11-18   2 menuet steps and 2 cross-over steps passing partner on the left, to original place
19-2   2 menuet steps and 2 cross-over steps passing partner on the left, to opposite place
3-10   2 menuet steps and 2 cross-over steps passing partner on the left, to original place. Either all Men or only M1 give signal for the middain by clapping hands on 9:1 (step (1) in the second cross-over step)
11-14   2 menuet steps
15 :1-2 All stamp R foot (1) and lift L (2), while taking R hand in R with partner
:3 All turn 1/2 turn CW as in 7:3 and 8 above, stepping L foot (3)
16   Step R foot (4), L foot (5) and close R to L foot (6)
17-18   All stamp R foot (1-2) and continue to turn 1/2 turn CW as above (3-6)
19 :1-2 All stamp R foot (1), lift L (2), drop right-hand hold, and take partner's L hand in L
:3 All turn 1/2 turn CCW, stepping forward L (3)
20   Step forward R (4), diagonally forward and to the left with L foot (5) with toes pointing to the left, and continue the turn on the left foot, touching R to L (6)
21-22   All stamp R foot (1-2) and continue turning 1/2 turn CCW to original place as above (3-6)
23 :1 All stamp R foot toward each other (1)
:2 lift L foot (2), and drop hand hold while
:3 stepping back L (3)
24 :1 Step back R (4), lifting L foot
:2 Replace L foot (5)
:3 and drag R foot past L (6), ready to step forward in the next menuet step
1-8   2 menuet steps and 2 cross-over steps to opposite place
9-16   2 menuet steps and 2 cross-over steps to original place
17-24   2 menuet steps and 2 cross-over steps to opposite place. Either all Men or only M1 give signal for kveeldin by clapping hands on beat 23:1 (step (1) in the second cross-overr step)
1-4   2 menuet steps
5 :1-2 All stamp R foot (1) and lift L foot (2), while taking partners R hand in R
:3 step L (3), turning 1/2 turn CW as above when changing places at the brginning of the dance
6   step R (4), step L (5) and close R to L foot (6)
7-9   All stamp R foot on first beat of each bar, ie 7:1, 8:1, and 9:1. On each stamp joined hands are lowered with a jerk, and the hand-hold is dropped after the last jerk, at which the menuet is finished. Dancers wait in place until the music stops.
    Couples rest before dancing the polska
     
    Polska
    The polska begins with all M walking one behind the other, in a circle around the floor, bringing his partner with him as he passes where she is. All take two-hand hold and dance polska first CW, then CCW, and then CW again.
    Polska step (CW): under each beat, dance 3 quick steps with R L R foot, then one step L. At the next repeat, dance CCW with 3 quick steps L R L, followed by one step R.
    Next, take front basket hold (R arm over, L arm under), and the whole circle dances polska CW, change basket hold (so L arm is overr and R under) and dance polska CCW, then CW again.
    Finally, take two-hand hold with partner and dance polska CW, CCW, and CW (as before).
    There are no claps in the polska, which is danced without hopping, but with a gliding step.
     
    NB: Heikel includes a number of variations of both the menuet and the polska. Only the first descriptions are covered in this translation.

See YouTube video.

Source:
Heikel, Yngvar/ Folkdans: B. dansbeskrivningar sammanställda av Yngvar Heikel (Skrifter utgivna av Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland, 268; Finlands Svenska folkdiktning, VI) Faksimiliutgåva 1982. s.l.: Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland, 1938. pp. 16-18, 48-49
See also Brage 36 folkdanser. Helsingfors, 1915.
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2012-02-29, rev. 2019-05-14


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