Folk dance from Denmark

6-tur fra Vendsyssel (6-trip North), variations
Niels Mejlhede Jensen, Bøgeløvsvej 4, 2830 Virum, Denmark. e-mail (web master)

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Dance description 3:

 
Animation of the dance, b section only

6-tur fra Vendsyssel (6-trip North), variation pas de bas

  • Dance of 4 couples in a quadrille (= square)
  • Chasse, swing and pas de bas steps  (1 chasse or 2 swing steps or 1 pas de bas per bar)
  • The dance is in 3 sections: a, b, c :
    • a: bar 1-8: the figures (= variations), swing steps or buzz steps (maybe side walking)
    • b: bar 9-16: the main: head couples forth and through one another, chasse + go + go, pas de bas on opposite place, and then return home again
    • c: bar 17-24: the chain in the quadrille (= grand right and left), walking 

 
 

6-tur fra Vendsyssel (6-trip North), variation pas de bas - dance of 4 couples
bar 9 Quadrille Head couples ready to change place.
bar 9-10 Head couples change over Head couples dance through one another with ladies in the middle, one chasse + go + go.
bar 11-12 Head couples on opposite place On opposite place head couples dance 1 pas de bas towards centre, and 1 away from centre.
bar 13-14 Head couples change home Head couples dance back through one another with gents in the middle, one chasse + go + go.
bar 15-16 Head couples pas de bas at home Back home head couples dance 1 pas de bas towards centre, and 1 away from centre.
After this we have the chain, so the side couples did not participate in the "main" of the dance here (they are just standing).
But when the melody is repeated it is the side couples that do the main and head couples that stand.
And in this way the main shifts between  the head couples and the side couples.
Variations to the 6-trip pas de bas
This was the quadrille dance when you said quadrille in my childhood in Northern Jutland. And at that time we were happy to dance the same dance to the same melody 3 or 4 times the same evening. We just had another partner and a few variations. (In the high society in Copenhagen the quadrille dance "Les Lancier" was also danced about 4 times at dances 100 years ago). Today you cannot play the same melody twice on the same evening, or even for several weeks, it seems.
bar 9-12 (no image) The same as above: head couples change place and dance pas de bas, but do not change back home.
bar 13-16 (no image) Side couples change place in the same way. Now you all stand on the opposite place, but gent to the right of his lady.
bar 17-24 (no image) Chain around, start left hand to your partner.
Or (every second time) start left hand away from your partner.
(Gents: remember also here to make a natural transition to lead your lady to her next "figure" part. Or just have a fun time).

The melody is played 6 1/3 times.
 
 
Animation of the dance, of the feet, pas de bas

6-tur fra Vendsyssel (6-trip North), pas de bas

  • Dance of 4 couples, here the foot steps of the head couples in pas de bas are shown
  • The step may start just before the bar, so that you fall down on your crossed leg on beat 1
  • Or you start on beat 1 and cross over on beat 4 with a light step
  • Or you do not even cross over but place the second foot by the first foot, hardly touching the floor, like in peasant waltz (this last is the traditional Vendsyssel description, and how my parents dance)

 
 

6-tur fra Vendsyssel (6-trip North), pas de bas - dance of 4 couples
foot steps of pas de bas Pas de bas towards the centre (for head couples).
This is followed by pas de bas away from centre in the same way with the other foot.
The down step here of the centre foot is principally on the marked beat 1, which means you have to start in the bar (measure) ahead on beat 6. (This makes the pas de bas rather abrupt, so many will "soften" it by "dragging" the physical steps to be artistic late of the music, as known from ballet).
Or see the other proposals above by the animation image.
(In Danish it may be called balancé, but that is not the same as the balance step in English).

 
 

6-tur fra Vendsyssel (6-trip North), variation flying hold - dance of 4 couples
bar 9 Quadrille Head couples make ready to dance couple wise around one another, over and home, ladies back to back going out and gents back to back going home. The hold is flying hold: two hands hold, arms out to the sides, palm against palm.
Do not start too far away from the opposite couple.
bar 9-10 Head couples out Head couples change place with 2 (long) chasses to the side, first chasse a little backwards for the gent, to pass the opposite couple, and the second chasse somewhat forward around the opposite couple.
bar 11-12 Head couples back again Two chasses to get back home. 
Of the 4 chasses no 2 and 3 may seem difficult, as if the "wrong foot is ahead", but then you are going too much side wards. You may also twist a little away from facing your partner to ease the chasses. With a little training it works out fine.
Otherwise it is all right to use side running steps instead. What is important is to enjoy the dance.
bar 13-16 Side couples out Side couples have the same chasse dance around one another.

The melody is played 6 1/3 times, or according to the number of figures selected.

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