Dance progression

As the music starts, couples arrange themselves around the floor. Normally one waits until the beginning of the next section (of 8 bars) before beginning to dance. While they wait, partners stand side by side, M holding W's L hand in his R, in a firm hold.

Hold

Sequences

Promenade Couples dance promenade for 4 bars, equivalent to 4 change steps.
M and W begin on opposite feet, and alternately begin the change steps with the L or R foot. They turn towards each other a little when on the outside foot (ML/WR), and turn to face forward when on the inside foot (MR/WL).

Starting with the L foot: step forward L (1), close R foot, or even move it a little ahead (2), and step forward L (3).
Several steps in a row: (L,R,L) (R,L.R) (L,R,L) etc.
The steps should be 'weighty', ie. dancers allow body weight to sink onto each step.

Turning step
Male
Beat 1: M starts with a long step onto the L foot (S), turning infront of and around the W, stepping a little outside and behind the woman's R foot.
Beat 2: M sinks with a deep svikt (s) mainly on the spot, while pivoting CW on his L foot. His R foot is parallel to his L foot, and he now has his back in the LOD.
Beat 3: M turns his R foot and lets his body weight down while moving forward in the LOD (S), between the woman's feet, and uses the downward momentum to power his stretch around the woman.

Female
Beat 1: W waits for M to get infront of her, as she does a svikt on L (s) and places R between the man's feet.
Beat 2: W puts her weight on her R foot (S) and uses the downward momentum to power her pivot around.
Beat 3: W takes a long step with L foot around the man. She steps onto her L foot outside man's R foot, so that she now has her back in the LOD. Most of the pivot happens on beat 3.

Note

The pols in Innherred has a number of forms and variations. This variation is based on a recording from the Landskappleik in Rauland, danced by Geir Egil and May Britt Larsen from Verdal, and is published in Noreg i dans og spel.

This dance description was done by Siri Mæland, of the Norsk senter for folkemusikk og folkedans, in conjunction with the combined dance program for NORDLEK 2012. This is in no way an authorized (official) description, but is intended as an aid for folkdancers who need to learn the dance for the Nordlek festival. At the festival it will be apparent that the dance can manifest itself differently from one dancer to another, and can include more variation than is evident from this description.