Country: Tønsberg, Vestfold, Norway
Type: longways progressive set dance
Formation: as many couples 'as may' in 2 lines, M to the R and W to the L as seen from the music, numbered 1-2-3 etc from the top of the set.
Steps: balancé,
chassé (change-step)
Sheet music: Bruu, Johannes/ Nogle engelske dantzer med
sinne thourer. Tønsberg 1777. facs. ed. (Norsk musikksamlings publikasjon nr. 10, 1980)
p. 16.
Recordings: Gorset & Friends Nodebog track 30. [or any jig (6/8-time) with AABB structure (ie a 32-bar jig)
| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| 1-8 | (a) | Weave: Couple 1 crosses, casts down 1, crosses and casts down again.
Finish below couple 3 on own side. [8 chassé steps.] |
| 1-2 | Balancé: Couple 1 dances 2 balancé steps. Finish in 2-hand hold with partner. |
|
| 3-4 | W circles M: Without dropping hold, W1 dances CCW around M1.
[Most easily done with L-in-L hold. 2 chassé steps.]
|
|
| 5-8 | Cast up: Couple 1 casts up one place around couple 3. [4 chassé steps.] Meanwhile, couple 2 steps up.
Finish in order 2-1-3. |
|
| 9-16 | (b) | Figue-8s: Couple 1, crosses and dances figure-8s around couple 2. [8 chassé steps.]
Finish in order 2-1-3. |
| 9-16 | Chain: Couples 1 and 2 dance R-hand chain. [8 chassé steps.]
Finish in order 2-1-3. |
|
| Repeat from (a) as desired.
When the dance repeats (from (a)), couple 1 dances with couples 3 and 4, while couple 2 rests. In the second repeat, couple 1 dances with couples 5 and 6 and couple 2 dances with couples 3 and 4. [If many couples are dancing, every 4th couple may start. If done in sets of 3 couples, couple 1, at the end of part (c) dances outside couple 3, and finishes at the bottom of the set.] |
Provenance:
From the oldest dance book with diagrams of the dance figures currently known in Norway. Johannes Bruu (1752-1830)
was Habour and Pilot Master, and active in the cultural life of Tønsberg. His manuscript notebook contains
18 contredançes anglaises (longways progressive set dances) with diagrams, some explanatory text, and sheet music.
Sheet music varies among 2/4, 4/4 and 6/8 tempos.
[Translator's note: although no information about steps is given, the accompanying sheet music is 6/8-time, wherefore the translator suggests the dance
be done with chassé steps.].
Printed source: Bruu, Johannes/ Nogle engelske dantzer med
sinne thourer. (Norsk musikksamlings publikasjon nr. 10, 1980) facs. ed. Tønsberg 1777. pp. 16-17, 47-48.
Description: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2022-02-27.
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