Country: Sweden
Type: set dance
Formation: 4 couple quadrille set, head couples face or have backs to the music, side couples stand to R of head couples. W stands to R of her partner.
Steps:
chassé (change-step)
Note: source does not specify steps. A common travelling step in the period was the chassé.
Sheet music: (1) Baron Fredrik Åkerhjelms k 1785. Stockholm: Arkivet för Folklig Dans, 1986. nr. 41;
(2)
50 contradanser ur Baron Fredrik Åkerhjelms dansbok 1785. Stockholm: Arkivet för folklig dans, 1969 nr. 41.
Alternatively, any cotillon with AABBCCDD or similar structure where A=B=C=D=8 (ie 64-bar structure).
| Bars | Part | Dance progression: |
| |:1-8:| | (a) | Closed circle: All couples form closed circle, and dance CW, 8 chassé steps. Ditto CCW, 8 chassé steps. |
| |:9-16:| | (b) | Corners chain: Corner couples chain, ie head couples with side couple on the R (9-16), 8 chassé steps.
Head couples chain with side couple on the L (9-16), 8 chassé steps. |
| 17-24 | (c) | Dos-à-dos and circle: Head couples dance dos-à-dos with opposite (17-20), 4 chassé steps.
Head couples form closed circle, and circle CW (21-24), 4 chassé steps. |
| 17-24 | Side couples repeat (c). | |
| |:25-32:| | (d) | Couple turn & circle:
All couples take 2-hand hold with partner, and circle CW on the spot (25-32), 8 chassé steps.
All couples form closed circle and circle CW (25-32), 8 chassé steps to return to place. Alternatively, head couples form R-hand star with side couple on the R and turn CW (25-28), 4 chassé steps. Ditto with L-hand star moving CCW (29-32), 4 chassé steps. All couples take 2-hand hold with partner and circle CW (25-32), 8 chassé steps. |
Provenance:
From a handwritten notebook of sheet music and dance descriptions having belonged to Baron Fredrik Åkerhjelm, and dated 1785.
The original dance description in the reads [translated from Swedish]: "Big circle. Then chain with corners, first to right
then to left. Then head couples do dos-a-dos with each other and dance round once. Side couples do the same.
Then all wals around and finally big circle, or star with corner once, and turn with partner. Finish." This is my interpretation; others
are possible.
Printed sources:
-- Baron Fredrik Åkerhjelms dansbog 1785. Stockholm: Arkivet för Folklig Dans, 1986. nr. 41.
--
50 contradanser ur Baron Fredrik Åkerhjelms dansbok 1785. Stockholm: Arkivet för folklig dans, 1969.
Interpretation and description: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2020-09-22, 2021-11-19.
k Tillbaka till innehållsförteckningen/Back to table of contents