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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