Country: Barsebäck, Harjagers härad, Skåne, Sweden
Type: couple dance
Formation: open circle of couples, mazurka hold (like waltz hold, but ML/WR hands on ML hip) or waltz hold, facing LOD.
Steps:
mazurkasteg (mazurka).
Sheet music:
(1) Runnquist-Jakobson, Gerda/ Tretton skånska danser. Särtryck ur Skånska Folkminnesföreningens årsbok,
Skånska folkminnen, 1927) pp. 144-145.
(2) Svenska Ungdomsringen för Bygdekultur (SUB)/ Musik till svenska folkdanser. Del I.. 2:a uppl.
Stockholm: Svenska Ungdomsringen för Bygdekultur, [1975]. p.2.
(3) FolkWiki Berlinskan
Recordings:
Svenska Ungdomsringen för Bygdekultur Musik till Svenska folkdanser del 1 cd 1 track 01.
| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| 1-3 | (a) | Mazurka (3) & close: [Beginning with inside (MR/WL) foot, ie outside foot forward,] couples turn 1-1/2 times round with
3 turning mazurka steps, turning CW and moving in LOD.
Finish with M facing into circle. [Note: throughout, CW turns begin with outside (MR/WL) foot forward, CCW turns with inside (MR/WL) foot forward. All movement is in LOD.] |
| 4 | Couples close feet on (4:1), and pause.
After a pause, couples begin with same foot as last step taken leading, ie forward. |
|
| 5-8 | [Beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, ie inside foot forward,] couples turn 1-1/2 times round with
3 turning mazurka steps (5-7), turning CCW.
Finish with M facing out of circle. Couples close feet on (8:1), and pause. |
|
| 1-8 | Couples repeat (a). | |
| 9 | (b) | Mazurka (1) & close: [Beginning with inside (MR/WL) foot, ie outside foot forward,] couples dance 1 mazurka step turning 1/2 turn CW,. |
| 10 | Couples close feet on (10:1), and pause. | |
| 11 | [Beginning with outside (ML/WR) foot, ie inside foot forward,] couples dance 1 mazurka step turning 1/2 turn CCW. | |
| 12 | Couples close feet on (12:1), and pause. | |
| 13-16 | Couples repeat (b). | |
| 9-16 | Couples repeat (b) twice.
Repeat from (a) as desired. |
Provenance: Documented by Gerda Runnquist-Jakobson, occured in many places in Skåne, but was danced in different ways. The music has also
varied. Bars 1-8 are almost identical to bars 9-16 of Varsovienne
while bars 9-16 are almost the same as bars 1-8 of Varsovienne.
There is however no equivalent in the Berlinskan music to part C (bars 17-32) of Varsovienne, during which couples dance waltz.
It is therefor uncertain which of the two dances is the 'original' one.
In Torna härad, Berlinskan was being danced already in the 1860s, and likely even earlier.
The tune "Berlinskan", transcribed in the 1880s by Nils Andersson as played by Per Munkberg (1818-1887), Barsebäck.
While Berlinskan is a mazurka (3/4-time) it is closely related to
Stoppen aka Skåningen, which latter is in 2/4-time.
See videos from/with SUB.
Source: Runnquist-Jakobson, Gerda/ Tretton skånska danser. Särtryck ur Skånska Folkminnesföreningens årsbok,
Skånska folkminnen, 1927. pp. 144-145.
See also:
-- Svenska Ungdomsringen för Bygdekultur (SUB)/
Beskrivning av svenska folkdanser. Del I..
Stockholm: Svenska Ungdomsringen för Bygdekultur, [1975]. p.37.
-- Acla portalen Berlinskan.
Translation: L. Ruus, Oakville, 2023-06-28.
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