Country: Finland
Type: couple dance
Formation: any number of couples in open circle, facing LOD, with front crossed-hand hold
Steps: vaihtoaskel/fotombytessteg (change step),
kävelyä/gångsteg (walk)
Sheet music:
(1) Finlands Svenska Folkdansring/ 8 gamla salongsdanser. [Helsingfors]: Finlands Svenska Folkdansring r.f., 1973. p.9.
(2) Askolin, Erica/ Seura- ja juhlatansseja: nuotisto. Porvoo: Kansantanssinuorten Liitto ry, 2012. p.36.
Recordings:
Camelo, Bernardo Pinto [YouTube];
Edouard Duleu et son ensemble de bal champêtre (Philips (P 70.007 H)) [Internet Archive];
Orchestre Jean Bentaberry Bal champêtre 1900 - polkas, mazurkas, scottish track 09 [YouTube];
Quatuor de Cuivres Aria en Harmoni 'Danse des patineurs' Le bal du kiosque à musique (Fonti Musicali (fmd 183)) track 18;
Sibert, Adolph et son orchestre Bal à l'Hotel de ville [YouTube];
Thivet, André et son orchestre Dansons en Auvergne [YouTube].
| Bars | Part | Dance progression |
| 1 | (a) | Promenade: Both beginning with L foot, couples dance 1 change step diagonally forward to L, and swing R in a small arc forward R. |
| 2 | Both beginning with R foot, couples dance 1 change step diagonally forward to R. | |
| 3-4 | Dance 4 walking steps forward in LOD. Begin with L foot, and swing R in a small arc forward L (3:1), ditto with R foot (3:3). Repeat (4). | |
| 5-16 | Repeat (a) 3 times. | |
| 1 | (b) | Arches & change places: Turn to face partner, M facing out of circle, W facing in. Holding R-in-R hands up in an arch and beginning with R foot, dance 1 change step towards partner. Finish with weight on R foot and lifting L foot up and back on the last beat, |
| 2 | Beginning with L foot, dance 1 change step away from partner, with a small nod to partner on last beat. | |
| 3-4 | Drop handhold, and beginning with R foot, passing on the L [passing R shoulders] change places with partner turning CW into place, 4 walking steps. | |
| 5-6 | Holding L-in-L hands up in an arch and beginning with L foot, dance 1 change step towards partner (5), and 1 change step away from partner (6). | |
| 7-8 | Drop handhold, and beginning with L foot, passing on the R [passing L shoulders] change places with partner turning CCW into place, 4 walking steps. | |
| 9-16 | Repeat (b).
[Repeat from (a) as desired.] |
Provenance: Appears first as 'Valse les patineurs' and danced to 3/4-time music, eg in Brookes, Laurence de Garmo
Brookes on modern dancing New York, 1867 (p.56); in Rivers A full description of modern dances (1885)
the waltz version is described as "not in vogue and therefore ... a waste of time to describe". The schottis version was popularised by pas des patineurs,
choreographed by Prof. M. Willemot,
music composed by Edouard Jouve, opus 21. First published in Eugène Giraudet/ La Danse published 1894.
Variants also occur in
Denmark,
Iceland,
and as a mash-up with 'Salty dog rag' in Norway.
Source: Finlands Svenska Folkdansring/ 8 gamla salongsdanser. [Helsingfors]: Finlands Svenska Folkdansring r.f., 1973. p.9.
See also:
-- Melkko, Uno/ Seuratansseja. Helsinki: Werner Söderström oy, 1960, 1973. pp. 78-79.
-- Komulainen, Orvokki/ Vanhoja tansseja polkasta poloneesiin. Helsinki: WSOY, 1981.
-- Mäkelä, Sinikka m.m./ Seura- ja juhlatansseja. Porvoo: Kansantanssinuorten Liitto ry, 2012. p.44.
-- Pas des patineurs: nouvelle danse de salon 1898. [in Russian and French]
-- Pas des patineurs: nouvelle danse noble de salon 1899. [in Russian, German and French]
-- Suomen Tanssipalvelin Pas des patineurs
-- Suomen Tanssipalvelin Suomalaisen seuratanssin historiaa
-- Sørrensen, Per '
Skøjteløberdans fra Legestue-heftet'. in:
Dansens og musikkens rødder nr. 8, September 1996. [in Danish]
Translation: L. Ruus, Oakville, 2021-05-31, rev. 2023-03-18.
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