Klappdans


Country: Iceland
Type: couple dance
Formation: any number of couples facing in open circle, M facing out of circle, W facing into circle.
Steps: hoppsa (step, close feet, lift, dip), polka (without hop), walk
Sheet music: documentation prepared for Nordlek 1988. [Note: tune known variously as 'rits rats', 'ritsch ratsch', 'ruder es', and 'ruutuässä'.]
Recordings: Fernandos Orkester 'ruder es + skomagerstykket + fingerpolka' Gamle folkedanse potpourri [Internet Archive] Gellin & Borgstrøms Nyheds Kvintet [Internet Archive]; Gunnar Nyborg-Jensen med piger og drenge & Mogens Kildes Spillemænd [Internet Archive]; Henry Hansens Spillemandskvartet [Internet Archive]; Henry Hansens Spillemandsorkester Vild med gammeldaws dans vol 2, Kom! Lad os danse tracks 4 (slow) and 7, Lars Stryg Band Børnenes sangskat - sanglege track 07 [YouTube]; Pelimannikilta Seuratansseja 2 track 12, Puls track 16, Råbergs Spillemandskvartet Gammeldavsaften track B5; Tivolis Promenadorkester 'ruder es + silderumpen + hornfiffen' Gamle folkedanse. 1 Del. [Internet Archive].

Bars Part Dance progression:
1 (a) Clap & elbow hook turn: Couple clap twice.
2-4   Couples take R-elbow hook and turn CW on the spot, beginning with L foot, 6 walking steps.
5-8   Couples repeat (a), CCW with L-elbow hook and beginning with R foot, 6 walking steps.
9-12 (b) Advance & retire: Beginning with (MR/WL) foot, couples retire diagonally away from partner, 4 hoppsa steps [2 works better with most recordings].
13-16   Beginning with (MR/WL) foot, couples advance diagonally toward partner, 4 hoppsa steps. [2 works better with most recordings].
17-24 (c) Polka: Couples take waltz hold and, beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, dance turning polka moving in LOD.
    Repeat from (a) as desired.

Provenance: Variations occur throughout many of the Nordic countries, including: 'Ruder es' aka 'rits rats' [Denmark], 'klip klap' [Faroe Isl.], 'ruutuässä' [Finland], 'Fru Cederstrøm' aka 'ritsj ratsj' [Norway], 'ritsch ratsch' aka 'Fru Söderström' [Sweden]. One of the combined dances at Nordlek 1988 in Bergen.
Sources: Danish description prepared for Nordlek 1988, alternative from Biersted Folkedansere.
Translation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2020-07-28, rev. 2023-06-12.


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