Malborough

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: balancé (pas de basque), chassé (change-step), pas de rigaudon, walk Note: source does not specify travelling step. A common travelling step in the period was the chassé.
Sheet music: Baron Fredrik Åkerhjelms dansbok 1785. Stockholm: Arkivet för Folklig Dans, 1986. nr. 130. Alternatively, any with contradanse française AABB structure where A=8, B=12 (ie 40-bar structure).

Bars Part Dance progression:
|:1-8:| 1 (a) Closed circle: All couples form closed circle, and dance CW, 8 chassé steps [or 16 walking steps]. Ditto CCW, 8 chassé steps [or 16 walking steps].
9-11   (b) 'Pousette', etc.: head couples advance, 1 chassé step (9) followed by a pas de rigaudon (11-12).
12-14   Head couples retire (13) and turn W under M's R arm.
15-18   Head couples [face corner and ]dance 2 balancé steps (15-16) followed by a pas de rigaudon (17-18).
19-20   Head couples [take 2-hand hold with partner and] turn once round on the spot.
9-20   Side couples repeat (b).
    [At the beginning of the contre dances françoise section in Sønderbybogen is the following note (in French):] All the contredanses begin with le grand rond, and after each repetition, one gives the Lady:
- une maine,
- deux mains,
- l'allemande,
- les quatre Dames en crois,
- les quatre Cavaliers en crois,
- les quatre Dames en rond,
- les quatre Cavaliers en rond,
- tous les 8 la grande chaine.
Therefore: parts (b), (c) and (d) are the same in all sequences. The following are my interpretations of the sequences.
|:1-8:| 2 (a) One hand to partner: With R-in-R hand with partner, all dance CW on the spot, 6 chassé steps (1-6). Ditto CCW, 6 chassé steps.
|:1-8:| 3 (a) Two hands to partner: In 2-hand hold with partner, all dance CW on the spot, 6 chassé steps (1-6). Ditto CCW, 6 chassé steps.
|:1-8:| 4 (a) L'allemande: Couples stand R-shoulder to R-shoulder facing in opposite directions, arms joined behind their backs, all dance CW on the spot, 6 chassé steps (1-6). Ditto L-shoulder to L-shoulder, turning CCW, 6 chassé steps. [See Contredanse : description des principales figures]
|:1-8:| 5 (a) Women's star: All W take R-hand star, and dance CW on the spot, 6 chassé steps (1-6). Ditto L-hand star, turning CCW, 6 chassé steps.
|:1-8:| 6 (a) Men's star: All M take R-hand star, and dance CW on the spot, 6 chassé steps (1-6). Ditto L-hand star, turning CCW, 6 chassé steps.
|:1-8:| 7 (a) Women's circle: All W form closed circle, and dance CW on the spot, 6 chassé steps (1-6). Ditto turning CCW, 6 chassé steps.
|:1-8:| 8 (a) Men's circle: All M form closed circle, and dance CW on the spot, 6 chassé steps (1-6). Ditto turning CCW, 6 chassé steps.
|:1-8:| 9 (a) La grande chaîne: All dance R-hand chain around the set, 12 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 source reads [translated from Swedish]: "Big circle. Head couples do pousette then pas de rigaudon, then back and turn W under R arm, then balancé, pas de rigaudon in the corner and turn with partner. Side couples do the same. Finish." This is my interpretation, others are possible.


Printed source: Baron Fredrik Åkerhjelms dansbok 1785. Stockholm: Arkivet för Folklig Dans, 1986. nr. 130.
Interpretation and description: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2021-11-19.


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