Country: Nordic countries
Type: mixer
Formation: open circle of couples, M facing out of circle, W facing centre of circle
Steps:
buzz step,
walk
Sheet music: the following are only a few suggestions
(1) Svenska Ungdomsringen för Bygdekultur/ 'kopparslagaren' in: Musik till svenska folkdanser. Del I.. 2:a uppl. Stockholm: SUB, [1975]. p.42.
(2) FolkWiki Blädingepolkan, Blädinge, Småland, Sweden
(3) Wallin, Sonja & Börje/ 'kopparslagaren' in: Gamla dansar i Skåne: tävlingsdanser och skicklighetsdanser. Helsingborg: [Eget förlag], 1982. p.39.;
(4) Folkets Hus Spillefolk polka fra Blädinge;
(5) Sørensen, Pia & Per/ 'Den glade kobbersmed' in: VI: 27 gamle folkedanse fra Jylland. [Kolding]: Eget forlag, [2000] p.54.;
(6) Volksmusik und Volkstanz im Alpenland Grosser Atlantik;
(7) Volksmusik und Volkstanz im Alpenland Marschierbairisch after Hans Priegl, Vienna;
(8) Volksmusik und Volkstanz im Alpenland Marschierboarish after Hans Priegl, Vienna
Recordings:
Mortensen, Mikael 'polka fra Blädinge' [YouTube];
unattributed 'Marschierboarish' [Dancilla];
Spillemandslauget Østjyderne 'kopparslagaren, Replot' Nordiske legestuemelodier track 06 [Google sites].
[or any march, polka or reel with even, moderate tempo with 4 8-bar phrases.]
| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| 1-4 | (a) | Couple turn: All take R-in-R hand hold, and circle CW on the spot, 8 walking steps. |
| 5-8 | All drop R hands and take L-in-L hand hold, and circle CCW on the spot, 8 walking steps. | |
| 1-8 | Without dropping L hand hold, all swing R hand over onto partner's R shoulder, and circle CW on the spot, 16 buzz steps. | |
| 9-16 | (b) | Promenade: All face in LOD (CCW in circle), holding WL/ML and WR/MR, M behind and to L of his partner [varsovienne hold]. Promenade in LOD 16 walking steps. |
| 9-16 | All drop handhold. M continue moving in LOD in an inner circle, while W move in RLOD in an outer circle. 16 walking steps. At end
of phrase, take R-in-R with new partner.
Repeat from (a) as desired. [Main difference between Swede-Finn mixer' and 'Grosser Atlantik' is that the order of parts (a) and (b) are reversed.] |
See YouTube videos with Dwight Lamb, Kristian Bugge, Mette Kathrine Jensen 2011; Grosser Atlantik with Tanzgrubbe Gabiltzer Bildungswerk 2011; Grosser Atlantik - Atlantic mixer Scandinavian Dancers of Vancouver; John Campbell teaching 2005 [1, 2];
Provenance: A dance of uncertain origin. The Society of Folk Dance Historians (SFDH) notes "This is a 'modern German folk dance', introduced to Germany in 1948 by A. J. Hildenbrand of Hamburg, and danced to the tune "Grosser Atlantik." SFDH further maintains that the original music used was the Austrian Marschierbairisch aka Marschierboarisher. Some German sources (eg Dancilla), on the other hand, attribute the origins of the dance to the USA. Note that part (b) is the same as part (a) of German Jägermarsch. In Sweden it is known as 'Blädinge polka', taking its name from the tune to which it is often danced. In Denmark, however, the 'Blädinge polka' tune is used for a couple dance 'polka fra Blädinge (Rebild Spillemændene 2016)' which is the same as part 2 of the Norwegian pariserpolka med turar, first published by Klara Semb in 1958.
Source: Swede-Finn mixer Dance notes edited by Rosemarie Keough;
transcribed by Dale Adamson with source material from Gordon E. Tracie. Salt Spring Island Folk Dance Festival, 2005.
See also:
-- Acla Blädinge polka
-- Dancilla Grosser Atlantik. s.l.:s.n., n.d.
-- Houston, Ron Atlantic mixer Society of Folk Dance Historians (SFDH), 2018.
-- Kögler, Walter 'Atlantic mixer'
in: Stockton Folk Dance Camp/
Syllabus of dance descriptions 1967.
Stockton, CA: Stockton Folk Dance Camp, 1967. p. 42.
-- Miami Valley Folk Dancers, Dayton OH/ Grosser Atlantik - Atlantic mixer. s.l.:s.n., n.d.
Description: Laine Ruus, Edinburgh, 2016-07-18, rev. 2023-07-30.
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