Country: Tornedalen, Sweden
Type: couple dance
Formation: unlimited number of couples in open circle, facing partner, butterfly hold.
Steps:
sidsteg (side-step),
vals (waltz)
Sheet music:
(1) Martinsson, Bengt / Danser från Norr-Västerbotten samt Finland. Luleå: Svenska Ungdomsringen för Bygdekultur,
Övre Norrlands Distrikt Feb. 1978. p. 7.
(2) Svenska Undomsringen för Bygdekultur/ Musik till gillesdanser i Norden - fiol. [Stockholm: Svenska Undomsringen för Bygdekultur], 1970. p.15.
Recordings:
Herrgårdskvartett Herrgårdsdanser nr 1 track 08;
Ingå Spelmansgille Lite myki bra musik 1 track 18;
Kauriga Balalaika Ensemble Russian dances (1975) [Smithsonian Folkways Recordings];
Kiri Kiri 'Batespan' (Victor (80253-B), 1926) [Internet Archive];
Kivi, Erik 'Batespan' (1926) [Internet Archive];
Kostya Poliansky and his Balalaika Orchestra (Folk Dancer MH-1061-B)
[Internet Archive];
Kotikallio, Ilja 'Patespaani' Karmuuni lauloi (Kansanmusiikki-instituutti) [YouTube];
Lakselv Spellemanslaug 'Spa de spa' Danse-slåtter frå Finnmark track 19 [YouTube].
Orchestra of the People's Commissariat of Defense of the USSR (1944) [Internet Archive];
Pauli Granfeltin yhtye Juhlatansseja tanssittavaksi track 04 [YouTube] also on Shazam and Spotify;
Pelimannikilta Juhla- ja salonkitansseja track 22;
Russian National Balalaika Orchesstra [Internet Archive];
Varuskunnan kavaljeerit Juhlatansseja 2 track 01 [YouTube];
Vårdal, Vegar et al 'Pas Déspagne frå Oslo' Norske turdansar IV frå Austlandet 2 (2001 Grappa Musikkforlag A/S)
[YouTube];
Aage Grundstad Ensemble Norske tur og folkedanser 4 (2015 Warner Music Norway AS) track 08 [YouTube].
| Bars | Part | Dance progression |
| 1 | (a) | Holding inside hands with partner, and a light stamp on L foot, M dances 1 side-step (with a svikt on (1:3)) while turning 1/2 turn CCW. Meanwhile, W begins with R foot, and turns 1/2 turn CW. Finish with partners back to back, inside hand and foot (MR/WL) forward in LOD. |
| 2-4 | Couples, still back to back, dance 3 side-steps, moving in LOD. | |
| 5-8 | Couples, changing to ML/WR hand hold, dance 2 walking steps (with 1/2 turn on each step, M turning CW, W turning CCW) (5-6), followed by 2 side-steps back to back, all moving in RLOD (7-8). | |
| 9-12 | M dances 1 side-step with 1/2 CW turn to face partner, followed by 3 side-steps in LOD. Meanwhile W, beginning with L foot, turns 1-1/2 turn under ML/WR arms, to finish facing partner, 4 waltz steps. | |
| 13-15 | Couples change to MR/WL hold. M dances under the joined arms, 1 full turn CW, moving in RLOD, 4 waltz steps. Meanwhile W dances in RLOD, 4 side-steps. | |
| 17-20 | (b) | Holding MR/WL out to side, couples dance 2 side-steps in LOD (17-18), followed by 2 side-steps in RLOD (19-20). |
| 21-24 | Couples take waltz hold and dance turning waltz (two full turns), moving in LOD, 4 waltz steps. | |
| 25-32 | Repeat (b). | |
| Repeat from (a) as desired. |
See video from/with Spadespa, unattributed 2019
Provenance: conveyed by Mrs. Ebba Matti of Kukkola, born 1907 to Torsten Niska of Haparanda. Description by Bengt Martinsson, Gällivare, 1978.
Also occurs in Finland and
Norway.
This was one of the combined dances at Nordlek 1997 in Vasa.
Source: Martinsson, Bengt / Danser från Norr-Västerbotten samt Finland. Luleå: Svenska Ungdomsringen för Bygdekultur,
Övre Norrlands Distrikt Feb. 1978. p. 7. [available at Acla].
See also:
-- Svenska Undomsringen för Bygdekultur/ Beskrivning av gillesdanser i Norden. [Stockholm]: Svenska Ungdomsringen för Bygdekultur, 1970. pp. 48-49.
-- Swedish language desciption prepared for Nordlek 1997
Translation & interpretation: Laine Ruus, Oakville, 2020-08-20, rev. 2023-03-17.
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