Dances of Finland

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UNIVERSITY
OF FLORIDA
LIBRARIES

U. OF F. LIBRARIES

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2011 with funding from

LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation

http://www.archive.org/details/dancesoffinlandOOheik

HANDBOOKS OF EUROPEAN NATIONAL DANCES

EDITED BY
VIOLET ALFORD

DANCES OF FINLAND

Plate i
South Bothnia

NANCES of FINLAND

ANNI GOLLAN

AND

YNGVAR HEIKEL

0TSL-/7f36

PUBLISHED

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF

THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF DANCING

AND THE

LING PHYSICAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

NEW YORK
CHANTICLEER PRESS

FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1948 BY

CHANTICLEER PRESS INC

41 EAST 50th STREET NEW YORK 22

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

ADPRINT LIMITED LONDON

SECOND EDITION 1950

793.3/

ILLUSTRATED BY

VALERIE PRENTIS

MUSIC ARRANGED FOR THE PIANO BY

FERDINAND RAUTER

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
BY JARROLD & SONS LTD NORWICH

MUSIC PHOTO-SET BY
WOLFGANG PHILIPP ZURICH-HINTEREGG

CONTENTS

#***<«*

INTRODUCTION

Page 7

Polka and Polska

9

The Purpuri

10

The Eastern Region

io

May and Midsummer

ii

A Finnish Wedding

ii

The Swedish-Speaking Districts

14

Music

15

Costume

16

WHERE DANCING MAY BE SEEN

18

THE DANCES

20

Abbreviations

20

Poise of the Body and Holds

21

Basic Steps

22

Taneli

24

Sahan Katrilli

27

Kokar Engelska

33

Sjalaskuttan

36

BIBLIOGRAPHY

40

Illustrations in Colour, pages 2, ig, 30, 31
Map of Finland, page 6

INTRODUCTION

T

his great country of lakes
and forests is called in its own tongue Suomi. Long years
of foreign rule gave the country its other name, and as
Finland it is generally known still. Suomi, with its ancient
tongue, which does not belong to the Indo-European family
of languages, nevertheless shares in the widespread Indo-
European folk culture, as we shall see. The first reference to
Finnish dancing occurs very early in most interesting verse.
The Finnish national epic, Kalevala, tells how Kyllikki,
carried off by the young hero Lemminkainen while dancing
with the maidens, makes a condition before her marriage:
he must never wage war any more. Lemminkainen
promises but makes a condition himself, recited in the
lovely Kalevala metre, which is runic, eight-syllable verse,
familiar to Anglo-Saxon ears in Longfellow's Hiawatha:

But thyself on oath must pledge thee,
Not to wander to the village,
Whether for the love of dancing,
Or to loiter in the pathways.

This reference to dancing comes to us probably from the
twelfth century or earlier, when the Chain dance was already
circling. In early days only the girls ' carolled ', singing the
ballads or epics, as in all Northern and Western countries
of Europe. A faint reflection of this still lingers in Finland
as in many another countryside, in the notion that, once
married, a girl must dance no more. Later both girls and
men took part in the Chain, sung words became lyrical and

7

erotic. Later again, the person in the middle of the Ring
or closed Chain selects a partner, with whom he or she
swings round for a time. The antique Chain begins to
break into the Pair dance. These Chains have been
preserved in some regions, have met and overlapped the
influx of dances from foreign parts.

Again, as in many another country, the Finnish folk
dances of today were the ballroom dances of yesterday.
They came to Finnish aristocratic and rich middle-class
houses carried on the waves of fashion. Their names denote
their origins — Anglaise, Francaise, Quadrilles called French,
Swedish and Russian, and latterly even a Pas d'Espagne,
a Pair dance to a 3/4 air of possible Spanish origin bringing
with it a faint breath of the South. The fashionable Minuet
came in its great days, and left at least its name behind it.
All these went out of fashion, but, changing by degrees to
the taste of the peasants, keep their once-fashionable names
and are still danced by them today.

Other dances seem to have been created by the country
folk themselves, inspired by what they saw around them.
Those on the sea coast evolved the Seals' Jump, fishermen
made a Net-dragging dance, those who lived in the forests
turned to forest creatures and gave us a Bear's dance, Hare-
hunting, The Grey Bird, The Sparrow's Song. Village
people saw choreographical possibilities in everyday life,
so we have Making Coffee, The Cat's Whiskers, The Spool;
while farmworkers like miming their own work and give us
The Carter, The Reaping Dance, Potato-Tops, The Cowman.

The Anglaise forms are supposed to have come from
England, and indeed suggest an enlargement of English
country dance figures, having two couples a side instead
of one in a Square. The original Anglaise, whatever it may
have been, was known to country people by 1 790 or there-
abouts. There is also an example of the solo Stick dance,
Tikkuristi, after the style of the English Bacca Pipes Jig
and the many similar European forms, over two sticks

8

crossed on the ground. Another name for Tikkuristi is
Slinkepass, an amusing folk corruption of Cinquepace, Cinq
pas. Other dances bear local names, others are danced to
satirical verses and are called after them. One such is
Taneli, one-eyed Taneli, who has to endure the contempt
of four girls, administered in the ruthless manner of the
folk, who are all too ready to despise physical disabilities.
Another is Riitta, mocked for her club-foot, and again the
girl from Forssa, whose morals are shown up with piercing
clarity in the satirical verse that accompanies it. Miming
grows easily round such rhymes.

^| POLKA AND POL SKA g*

Suomi seems to have welcomed this Central European dance
with open arms — if indeed the two names denote the same
dance. The Polka burst into ballrooms about 1840 or a
little earlier, and has always been claimed by Poland as one
of her traditional dances which travelled abroad, though
Czechoslovakia makes her claim heard too as the original
home of a dance called Pulka. It came into the ballroom
as a Pair dance, became a country Pair dance, and is
cherished now in several lands as an original folk dance of
their own, as in Denmark, Switzerland and the Netherlands,
for instance.

The word Polska in Polish means Poland, and in Finland
a variety of forms are called by this name. They are generally
in 3/4, though not Waltz rhythm, as opposed to "the 2/4 of
the Polka, and are sometimes a Pair dance, but just as
often a Figure dance by four couples or more standing in
Square or Round formation. One, the Hollolan Polska, or
The Nine Persons, is in three lines of three, one line facing
down, the other two facing up, one behind the other.
Polska therefore has no certain meaning in Finland. It was
used as an introduction to the banquet until the Waltz
came in and pushed it into a secondary position, when it

became the last dance, and was called the Parting Polska.
Then when young people disdained knowledge of it it
became the Old Men's Polska, like the somewhat deroga-
tory Danse des Vieux of so many French villages.

#% THE PURPURI p>

The 'biggest' of Finland's dances is the Purpuri, and a real
potpourri it is, comprising all sorts of figures — up to nine
in Nyland, diminishing in number in the Eastern villages
until finally there is but one. The figures are generally
named Vals, Russian Quadrille, Polska, March, though
they hardly conform to the dances they are named after —
a constant snare to the dance-collector in every country of
Europe. Sometimes eight couples take part beginning in
Square formation. The tempo changes with every figure,
each one of which has its own tune, and steps comprise
stamping, springing, promenading, according to the figure.
Altogether an intricate and prolonged composite dance.

#% THE EASTERN REGION p>

Karelia, the south-eastern province of Suomi, on the Gulf of
Finland, shows characteristics of its own, somewhat reflect-
ing the dances of its great dancing neighbour. In these
villages we find The Cossack, Kaseska, and The Squatting
Russian. Here also is the Contra or Cross-Contra, a Square
for eight couples, who constantly cross and recross in various
patterns. The final figure is Ripatska, in which a man
performs the Cossack squatting step. When called the Cross
Dance it takes on a curious religious touch, and a verse is
sometimes sung to its movements :

Christ is riding to the Church on a grey horse.

Let us dance the Cross Dance, the King of all dances.

Perhaps of old it was used as a religious Processional.

10

^ MAY AND MIDSUMMER g*

Those who have not lived through a northern winter can
hardly understand the relief, the uplifting of the spirit when
the sun rises again above the horizon. Since Christianity
was brought to them, the spring festivals of the Finns have
been Whitsuntide and Ascension Day in the south-west of
Suomi.

In the east of the country celebrations centre round the
ancient Midsummer, the Summer Solstice festival of pre-
Christian times, now hailed as St. John the Baptist's Day.
On the eves of these festivals bonfires burn in every village,
believed today, as of old, to drive away evil spirits and
sickness. In some places a Midsummer pole, often of a
great height, is erected, beautifully decorated with garlands
of greenery and with flowers. Round the fires and round
the poles the people dance Rounds and Pair dances until
the morning.

^ A FINNISH WEDDING g*

We must put some of these dances into action, and look at
the customs surrounding them, and at the people in their
bright, striped dresses coming to enjoy them. Great
preparations were made, and still are when possible, and
a marriage was usually arranged for the long, light days
when the North knows no night. The women of the house
prepared all sorts of fatted creatures, the master of the house
brought drinks from the nearest town, and there was always
home-brewed beer, thick and sweet. The whole house was
cleaned, and all the outbuildings, for every inch of space
would be used. The house was next decorated, a triumphal
arch raised; the bath-house, an essential to all Finnish
dwellings, decked with greenery and flowers, while the old
bath attendant prepared the bath for the bride and for all
the company too.

The chief bridesmaid now begins to attire the bride, and
other girls make her myrtle- wreath, and tie rosettes of white
tulle to the wreaths for the bridegroom, the bridesmaids
and groomsmen. Nowadays the conventional white, like
the conventional Waltz, has crept into weddings, but of old
the bride was crowned with the bridal crown standing high
at the back of her head, all glittering with beads and gold
and silver paper like the decorations on a Christmas tree.
It rested on a little cap of beautiful white lace softening the
cheeks; long ribbons hung from the crown down the back.

The musicians arrive, the bridegroom and his escorting
men appear in two-wheeled wagons and are received with
music. Guests come into view far off, and each time a
vehicle appears on the road the musicians greet it with the
Bridal March. The clergyman of the parish arrives and,
if the weather is true midsummer weather, the ceremony
takes place in the courtyard. A bright rug and footstools
are placed in an arbour of young birch trees, and the
bridal pair walks to it along a carpet strewn with flowers.
Four men now raise a coloured shawl as a canopy over their
heads, and as in the bridal crown we see here the widespread
Indo-European marriage ceremony, best known to us
through the tradition of ancient Rome. Here in the far
North it is as true to type as on the slopes of the Pyrenees.
A long, long feast follows the religious rite, the guests sitting
strictly according to custom, the clergyman next the bride-
groom, the chief bridesmaid next the bride and so on. The
feast comprises succulent northern dishes, salmon, home-
cured hams, and the Finnish barley porridge cooked in
milk for four hours and eaten with cream. Grace is sung,
speeches and drinking begin, the young guests rise to dance.
Mazurka and Polka open the ball, elders join in Waltz and
Purpuri. In Swedish-speaking districts the canopy-holders,
the bridal pair and attendants dance Minuet and Polska
before the guests join in ; in some other districts we see the
long Purpuri as the 'canopy dance'.

12

All the village comes to look on, and these uninvited
guests now 'shout the bride out' several times. Their
imperious summons must by no means be disobeyed. Out
then she comes in all her finery, finer still if the ancient
crown is sparkling on her head, to show herself to these
people. They too must dance, and a special outhouse is
reserved for them. At midnight the vicar says good-bye, the
elders begin to disappear, but the dance goes on, and on
and on. At last the bride is blindfolded, the girls dance
round her rapidly, their hearts beating with anxiety, for
whoever she catches in the circling ring will be the next
bride. The bridegroom officiates in this half-believed
divination for a ring of men. The crown is 'danced off5 and
the exhausted bridal pair creeps away at last.

Next day a kerchief is put on to show the young wife's
new status. And now her dancing days are supposed to be
done, but perhaps she manages a Polka now and then.
Festivities go on all that day, until the pair leave for their
new home — a sight worth seeing. Off they drive, the bridal
:ouple first, the musicians next, playing their loudest
through villages, saving their breath in the forest. All the
riends follow, harness shining, horses groomed till they
ihine too. The bridegroom's parents, oddly enough, do not
attend the ceremony, but stay at home preparing yet
mother feast. Sometimes the bride will pour a cup of
water over her head 'for luck', but in reality as a fertilising,
beneficent magic. Sometimes she throws money into the
louse before entering — another piece of sympathetic magic,
;hat money may never lack. The young man lifts his wife
rom the cart or sleigh on to a carpet — doubtless he once
ised to lift her over the threshold into the new home. Now
•everting to their Christian upbringing they kneel to recite
;he Lord's Prayer, and all sing a hymn. But later all un-
knowingly she falls back again, touches the oven — as the
Southern bride touches the chain of the hanging pot, and
;he Roman bride paid honour to the family Penates. The

13

feasting now begins all over again. Next evening the guests
really do drive off, having danced a final Polka; 'Long as
a wedding in Karelia ' says a Finnish proverb most truly.

#% THE SWEDISH-SPEAKING DISTRICTS g*

These districts are on the seaboard, the coast of the Gulf
of Bothnia and the Aland Islands containing the greatest
number of Swedish-speaking people. The coastline looking
across the Gulf of Finland contains patches of Swedish-
speaking people also. Most of their dances are like the
Finnish dances, were once ballroom dances and have become
traditional amongst the people. Many of these have been
altered out of recognition, yet retain some famous name
such as Minuet. No longer a stately ballroom piece for one
or two couples, it is now a Longways Country dance, men
and women facing each other, and it had, we know, arrived
at that formation by the early part of the nineteenth century.
It is a favourite at local festivities, and a fine sight it is in some
villages near Kristinestad, S.W. Bothnia, where the regional
costumes are still worn. At weddings it is performed with
solemnity, not a smile to be seen. But it should be followed
by a lively Polska with stamping and shouting to let oflffi
high spirits. The Polska, often called Trinndans, Round 1
Dance, has been mentioned in detail already, and in theses
Swedish-speaking districts displays the same characteristics s
as in Suomi, varying from a dance for two or three peoplqg
to one for two or more couples, which ends in a ring.

A long and complicated dance up to eighteen figures iss
the Stora Sjalen, the Big Winding, found in Eastern Nylandj,
Various Engelska are widely spread and appear in several!
forms. When they take a Longways form, men and women
facing each other as in Sex Man Engelska, Six Pairs, it k1
easy to believe they arrived in Finland as an Englisht
country dance, for we know this type travelled and becamet
fashionable all over Western Europe. Some, the Kokan

*4

Engelska for instance, have what well may be Scottish or
Northern English tunes, but others move right away from
English forms. The Fyrkanter, with promenades, setting to
partners and chaine anglaise or hey, is probably of English
country dance extraction. As in Suomi people are fond of
miming the animals they are familiar with, and have
invented such little dances as the Seals' Jump, the Grow
Dance and the Fly Dance. These seem to have no ritual
foundation, however, no traditional date or costume.

The Bear Dance, however, must come into the ritual
category for it is performed on the second day of wedding
festivities. Two men dress in fur, skin caps and gloves, and
grasping a pole — for of course the dancing-bear idea has
crept in — dance inside a space marked off by benches. The
guests feed the bears with bread, sugar and brandy. Fights
ensue if not enough drink is given. In many countries the
bear is a symbol of fecundity, and here, at a marriage,
appears to have that meaning.

Since 1906 a great work has been proceeding in the
revival of Swedish folk culture in Finland by the Brage
Society. It concerns itself not only with dance and music,
but with poetry, traditional games, customs and costumes.
Folk dance has been systematically taught where it was
dying, the collecting and noting of dances and airs proceed,
and results are published by the Brage Society.

#% MUSIC p>

We have seen that singing accompanied the primitive
Chain dance of Suomi. An interesting old instrument
played by ancient Finnish musicians, and in use right into
the eighteenth century, is the kantele. Its original purpose was
to accompany singers of tunes. It is a beautiful thing, of wood
slightly decorated in chip ornament, a long triangle in
shape, originally with five strings. The tuning keys occupy
the shortest of the three sides. It. is laid on a table like a

*5

zither, but the strings are plucked. Like the Celtic harp in
Scotland this old instrument is enjoying a new lease of life,
new models are being made, and modern musicians are
using up to thirty strings. So from a folk product it has
become a musical instrument of art and — following the
regular shuttle movement between folk and non-folk — the
people have discarded it for the violin.

Fiddle and clarinet have made a lively accompaniment
for a century or more ; today, as everywhere, the accordion
has pushed its way into the band. Country musicians were
self-taught men, famous for musical memory, even for
virtuosity. Ensembles were not uncommon, violin, clarinet
and the old kantele. Ten thousand dance tunes have been
collected in the country, and amongst the best of these are
the Polska airs.

*^ COSTUME p>

Folk costume has a long history in Suomi, beginning with
the dresses found in the funerary barrows, dating from
about a.d. iooo to 1200. But we must turn to the eighteenth
century when Gustav III of Sweden reigned over both
countries. He attempted to stem the luxury of fashion, and
paternally created a dress suitable to the cold climate. He
himself set an example and insisted on his Court doing like-
wise. Thus a new national dress came into use, which,
as always, was subjected to changes according to fashion and
region.

Two groups of costume can be descried, the Eastern in
Karelia, the Western over the rest of the country. The
Eastern group preserved tradition well, for women still wear
a medieval white head-dress in South Karelia, the long
white tunic in the Karelian Isthmus, even carry the sheathed
knife in the belt for defence, and the needlecase and purse
for domestic use. Women wear a veil, varying from vil-
lage to village, unmarried girls a head-braid of red wool

16

decorated with bright studs. Skirts are of plain woollen
stuff with red borders, aprons are embroidered, and a wide
short cloak keeps the wearer warm.

Men wrap themselves in white or light grey cloaks; of
old their whole costume was of these colours, later darkening
to blue and brown. Their stockings are red or white.

The Western group shows more colour: stripes, some-
times horizontal but generally vertical, brighten skirts and
aprons, a sleeveless bodice goes over a white blouse, and
a sleeved jacket completes the dress but often is not worn,
so that white sleeves become a usual feature. Gaps are of
all sorts of shapes and colours, in some regions decorated
with beautiful lace falling softly over the cheeks.

The Swedish-speaking districts too love stripes, scarlet
and green, scarlet and black; skirt, apron and sleeveless
bodice may all be striped. The stockings are coloured, and
low black shoes, often buckled, go with them. A charac-
teristic feature is an embroidered pocket hanging at the
waist. One costume, that of Munsala, East Bothnia, is
chiefly blue, a rare colour in folk costume.

Men's dress is now a fashion of the last century, with either
knee-breeches or trousers, low buckled shoes, and a buckled
belt round the waist. Shirts are white, often richly em-
broidered; leather caps with woollen stitching have taken
the place of the old tall hat of ceremony.

All over the country a lively interest in traditional costume
exists, and a general revival of it for summer festivals has
had a good deal of success. Lovely traditional costumes for
both sexes, long seen only in museums, are reappearing all
over the countryside.

This is the merest resume of a wide and detailed subject,
and the costumes here illustrated should be studied with
the greatest care. Any of these are correct for the dances
given, for, as has been seen, there are very few purely local
dances in this great land.

17

WHERE DANCING MAY BE SEEN

■*<*****«*

Summer During the summer, performances of national
dances take place at the Museum of Seurasaari.
Information from the Curator, Kansallismuseo
(National Museum), Mannerheimintie 34, Hel-
sinki (Helsingfors).

Winter Glasses in national dancing can be seen through
the kindness of the Brage Bureau, Kaserngatan 28,
Helsingfors.

Also, Suomalaisen Kansantanssin Ystavat ; inquire
at Helsinginkatu iib, Helsinki.

18

Plate 2
South Karelia

THE DANCES

TECHNICAL EDITOR, MURIEL WEBSTER
ASSISTED BY KATHLEEN P. TUCK

ABBREVIATIONS
USED IN DESCRIPTION OF THE STEPS AND DANCES

r — right 1 referring to R — right 1 describing turns or

1 — left J hand, foot etc. L — left J ground pattern
G — clockwise G-G — counter-clockwise

For descriptions of foot positions and explanations of
any ballet terms the following books are suggested for
reference :
A Primer of Classical Ballet (Gecchetti method). Cyril

Beaumont.
First Steps. Ruth French and Felix Demery.
The Ballet Lover's Pocket Book. Kay Ambrose.

REFERENCE BOOKS FOR DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES:

The Scottish Country Dance Society's Publications.
Many volumes, from Thornhill, Cairnmuir Road,
Edinburgh 12.

The English Folk Dance and Song Society's Publications.
Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent's Park Road, London

N.W.i.

The Country Dance Book i-vi. Cecil J. Sharp. Novello
& Co., London.

20

POISE OF THE BODY AND HOLDS

The poise of the body should be natural and easy, and
mless otherwise indicated the arms hang freely by the sides.

Different grips. Single hand grasp, double hand grasp,
tross hand grasp, and arms linked are in use but need no
explanation.

Ring grasp. Standing in a ring, dancers join hands and
lold them shoulder high.

Thumb grasp. Usually taken by 2 men who stand r or 1
houlders towards each other. If right they take a thumb
;rasp with r hands, palms together. The grip is made
ound the base of each other's thumb.

Double ring grasp. Each man places r hand in front of
vaist of girl on his right to grasp the next man's 1 hand, and
lis 1 hand in front of waist of girl on his left to grasp the
lext man's r hand. Each woman has her arms above those
>f the men and grasps the next woman's hand so that a
louble ring is formed.

Reel grasp. When dancing clockwise partners face each
>ther and grasp 1 hands across while r hands are placed
>n partner's r shoulder. When dancing counter-clockwise

hands are grasped and 1 hands are placed on partner's
shoulder.

Basket grasp (4 dancers). The 2 men, standing opposite
ach other, grasp their own 1 wrist with their r hand, and
vith their 1 hand grasp the r wrist of the other man so that
he joined wrists make a little square. The two women,

21

standing opposite each other, thread their arms under thi
men's near arms and over the men's other arms to grasj
them from above.

BASIC STEPS

Walking, running, gallop steps, hop steps, Waltz steps ii
3/4 or 2/4, Polka steps and Schottische steps are in use bu
need no explanation.

Mazurka steps. Like the Polka step but danced in 3/4 time,

Jig step, 2/4. Beats
r behind 1 foot, 1

hop forward on right, and
simultaneously 1 foot

swings behind r, 2

hop forward on 1. and

Polska Reel step (pivot) .

{a) 2/4. When turning to the R in couples or

dancing G-G in a ring, step on to r foot with

a bent knee, keeping weight well over r foot. 1

Push off with ball of 1 foot at same time lifting and

r foot slightly to replace it in the direction in 2

which the movement is being made, the weight

is taken well on r foot.

(b) 3/4. The step on r foot is made on count 1
and held for count 2, and the push from the
ball of the 1 foot on count 3.

N.B. — When travelling G in a ring or
turning to L in couples the weight is on 1 foot
and the push from ball of r foot.

22

Polska Change step to 3/4.

When turning on the spot to the L or if
moving clockwise in a ring, a change of step
is made with 1 foot, then a jump on to r foot
which passes in front of 1 in order to move
further in the direction in which the step is
progressing.

The change of step is made with r foot
when turning to R in 2's or if moving G-G
in a ring.

Polkamazurka step, as in Sjalaskuttan. In 3/8
time. Described as for r foot.

(a) The r foot is moved forward.

(b) Close 1 foot behind r with weight on 1 foot.

(c) At same time r foot swings forward.

(d) Then hop forward on 1 foot bending r
knee so that the r foot is brought back towards
the 1 leg.

Repeat with r foot.

Gliding hops, as in Sjalaskuttan, 3/8.

These steps are danced with gliding hops on
r foot ; the tip of the 1 foot slides close to the
r foot after each hop. 3 hops to each bar of
music.

Polka Heel step, as in Kokar Engelska, 4/4.
Like a Polka step but 1st step is made on the
heel. (Described as for r foot.)

The r foot is kicked backward and then
swings quickly round to the front. Place r
foot forward on the heel, close 1 foot behind
r foot, step forward r foot. Hop on r foot at

23

1 and 2
3

1

2

and

3

and

1
and

2

same time kicking 1 foot back in preparation
for a step forward on the heel to repeat the
step with the 1 foot. 2 Polka Heel steps to
each bar.

N.B. — When danced on the spot the leg
swinging before the Heel step enables the
dancers to turn a little to the opposite side
so that in making a Polka Heel step with the
r foot the heel is placed a little across to the
left side and there is slight contra-body
movement to the R.

and
3 and 4

TANELI

Poor old Taneli (Daniel) is sad, the girls do not like him
because he has only one eye.

Region Suomi (Finland), widespread. Plates 1, 2 and

4(b).

Music Play three times, as written. The first and last

four bars are not used in the actual dance.

Character The interest of this dance lies in the mime
which is described in the title and in the dance
description.

Formation One man (Taneli) and four girls. All face
forward to begin.

O Taneli O

O

*4

fANELl
Allegro

Widespread in Suomi (Finland)

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m -ii i J

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Dance. Play 3 times A

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^j J 1) J It J I) J

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3 6 7 8

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7 7

FIGURE I

i 8 stride jumps, turning to the L on the 2nd,
4th, 6th, 8th jump, so that a complete turn is
made. Feet are jumped about 18 inches apart,
then together, once to each bar.

2 Repeat turning to R.

FIGURE 11

1 Taneli becomes distressed because he can
never see the girls' faces, so he dances twice
as quickly, i.e. 2 complete stride jumps to
each bar. The girls copy him, turning on every
second jump, thus still turning away from him.

figure in

1 Same as figure 1. Taneli gets very dejected
and knees begin to sag. At the end he walks
away, falls on his knees or on to the floor and
surrenders to his grief, but the girls repent
and help him to his feet.

26

MUSIC

Bars
1-8

9-16

1-16

SAHAN KATRILLI. Saw Quadrille

Region Suomi (Finland), widespread. Plates i, 2 and

4(b).

Character Walking steps. Rather stately.

Formation For 4 or more couples standing facing each
other in two parallel lines, each woman on
R of partner (O = woman, □ = man).

4 1

O □ O □

FRONT

DODO
3 2

FIGURE I

1 With hands joined along each line on a level
with the shoulders all move away from the
front with 6 walking steps.

2 All move 3 steps towards the front.

3 Repeat movements of bars 1-3.

4 All move 3 steps away from front.

5 All lean away from the front with toe of foot
nearest front on the ground.

N.B. — Throughout this figure the end
dancers have their hands on their hips, and
dancers start on foot farthest away from the
front.

27

MUSIC

Bars

A

1-2

3

4-6

7
8

SAHAN KATR1LLI
r\ 1st figure Stately

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16 17

19 20

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25 26

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31

F

w&

tr

FIGURE II

1 Lines move towards each other with 4
steps.

2 Move 4 steps away from each other.

3 Couples standing opposite each other change
places with 8 steps, each couple keeping to
the L.

4 Repeat the movements of bars 9-16, couples
crossing back into places.

figure in

1 1 st and 4th men and 2nd and 3rd women
join hands in a ring and move round to the
L, to pause for a moment in the diagonally
opposite place, so that all the girls are in one

29

B

9-10

13-16

9-i6
G

17-20

Plate 3

Aland (man)

East Bothnia: Munsala {woman)

fru

A

Plate 4
Satakunta

line and all the men in the other. All make
a slight bow to opposite partners.

2 Joining in a ring again and moving in the
same direction, dance to own places.

3 2nd and 3rd men and 1st and 4th women
repeat same movement.

FIGURE IV

1 Each man joins both hands with the girl
opposite and they dance round together on
the spot G-G for 8 steps.

2 Repeat moving G.

3 Repeat movements of bars 25-32 with own
partner.

The dance is then repeated from the
beginning.

21-24

17-24

D
25-28

29-32
25-32

Mote. — This Sahan Katrilli, or Saw Quadrille, is a good
example of the composite dances of Finland. It
is of more interest than some of the numberless
descendants of the once-fashionable Quadrille on
account of its variety of time signatures. Note its
opening in 3/4, a transitional bar in 4/4 taking the
rhythm into a simple 2 \\ beat for the second figure.
Its regulation four figures are still reminiscent of
the ballroom Quadrille.

32

KOKAR ENGELSKA. English dance from Kbkar

Region Kokar, Aland. Swedish-speaking parts of

Finland. Plates 3 and 4(a).

Character Lively.

Formation

For an even number of couples standing in 2
lines, facing each other and about 4 steps away.
Girls stand in L line and men in R line when
looked at from the front.

□

figure i Ring

1 With hands joined and lifted to shoulder
level, all move G in a ring with 8 Polka
Heel steps, starting with the 1 foot.

2 Still keeping hands joined, repeat move-
ments of bars 1-4 moving C-G and end in
2 lines again.

FIGURE 11

Figure

All dance 6 Polka Heel steps in place starting
with 1 foot, girls with arms hanging naturally
by their sides, the men beckoning alternately
with r or 1 hands as if calling the girls who are
refusing.

33

MUSIC

Bars
A

1-4

1-4

B

5-7

2 Change places with partners with 2 Polka
Heel steps. Men have thumbs in armholes,
girls arms akimbo. Each dancer keeps to the
right so that partners pass 1 shoulders and on
the second step each dancer turns to the L to
end in partner's place.

3 Repeat movements of bars 5-8 back to own
place closing in lines and facing in 2's along
each line.

figure in Winding — Polka Heel step

During this figure the girls dance with arms
akimbo and men with thumbs in armholes.
Straight hey on each side, dancers start-
ing 1 foot and passing r shoulders with the
dancers they are facing. If 8 couples dance
they should all be back in their own place by
the end of the 1 6th Polka Heel step. If there
are more or fewer couples they will remain
in the place they reach on the 16th step.

figure iv. Repeat movements of Fig. II

(5-8) (5-8).

figure v. Repeat movements of Fig. Ill

(1-4) (1-4).

figure vi. Repeat movements of Fig. II

(5-8) (5-8).

figure vn. Repeat movements of Fig. I

(1-4) (1-4).

The dance ends with all the dancers hold-
ing hands in a ring with the hands at shoulder
height.

34

KOKAR ENGELSKA

A Lively. M.M. J = 116

From Kokar, Aland

I

np m pUy^^j

Fine.

m

r. r r . t

s

^^i

77»e music sequence runs A A B B, A A B B, A A B B, A A.

35

Region

Character
Formation

SJALASKUTTAN. The Seals' Jump

Kimito, Aboland. Swedish-speaking parts of
Finland. Plates 3 and 4(a).

Somewhat heavy, imitating seals.

For any number of couples standing one behind
the other with inside hand grasp and outside
hand on the hip.

□
>
O

□

>

o

□

>

o

□
>
o

FIGURE I

1 Starting with outside foot 3 Polkamazurka
steps forward.

2 Step on to outside foot and then bring the
feet together with a jump, bending the knees
and pausing to face each other.

3 Repeat the movements of bars 1-4 but on
jump turn away from each other.

4 1 Polkamazurka step with outside foot.

5 Step on to outside foot and jump to face each
other again with feet together and knees bent.

6 Repeat movements of bars 9 and 10 but on
jump turn away from each other.

36

MUSIC

Bars
i-3

5-8

11-12

SJXLASKUTTAN
Well marked. M.M. /= 152.

^m

From Kimito, Aboland

?* 1 0

0'0

Wfp ^-w^

^-iuni/'Hi^n li'f

\ ftJ^r | rf

«!•" * j—hf—'-t

V' ■frfflJ'ffl.frH if

^y

Pn

=§

/"?N

^

^Tn

m

i

gg^

i

i

^

I

l» ^ ..

<i/ j-^ni^nu I, ■

&

s

/7tfj> /w/c* through

37

7 Starting with outside foot 3 Polkamazurka
steps.

8 Step on to outside foot and then jump with
feet together facing partner again.

9 Repeat movements of bars 1-16, 1st couple
leading down the centre away from the front
to end in 2 lines about 4 steps apart — girls
in L line and men in R line when looked at
from the front.

FIGURE 11

Throughout this figure all lift the arms so that
the elbows are on a level with the shoulders,
with the hands hanging slackly down from
the wrists in front of the chest to represent the
fins of a seal.

1 The 2 lines dance towards each other with
3 gliding steps on r foot.

2 Join both hands with partner, elbows still
on shoulder level, and dance once round on
the spot with 3 gliding steps on r foot.

3 Move back to place with 3 gliding steps.

4 Jump with the feet together as long as it
pleases the musician to repeat the last note
of the bar.

5 Repeat the movements of bars 1-4.

6 Lines move towards each other with 4
gliding steps, then jump with feet together,
turning about, men to L and girls to R, to
finish back to back.

38

7 Stand back to back.

8 Jump again with feet together, men to R and
girls to L, to finish facing partner.

N.B. — The jump is made on the last note
of bars 10 and 12.

9 Join both hands and swing once round
G on spot with 6 gliding steps.

0 Let go hands and dance backward with 3
gliding steps as in bar 2.

1 Jump on spot with feet together as long as
it pleases the musician to repeat the last
note of bar 16.

Repeat the whole dance.

11

12

3-H

16

*£ NOTE p>

We beg our readers not to think of regional costumes as fancy
dress. They are held in honour by their wearers as an important
part of their heritage. Respect them. Do not dress dancers in a
make-believe Scandinavian costume for these Finnish dances. You
would be equally justified in dressing a Helston Furry dancer in a
Highland kilt.

The Editor

39

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Burchenal, Elizabeth. — Folk-dances of Finland. G. Schirmer, New
York, 1915. (Tunes and descriptions of 66 dances.)

Gollan, Anni. — Suomalainen Kisapirtti (new edition). V. Soderstrom,
Helsinki, 1946. (Tunes and descriptions of 67 dances.)

Heikel, Yngvar (ed.). — Folkdansbeskrivningar. Publications of Svenska
Litteratursallskapet i Finland, Vol. 268. Helsingfors, 1938.
(Descriptions of 123 dances, and some tunes.)

Krohn, Ilmari (ed.). — Kansantansseja. Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden
Seura (Society of Finnish Literature), Helsinki, 1893. (668 folk-
dance tunes.)

Pulkkinen, Asko. — Suomalaisia Kansantanhuja (new edition). V. Soder-
strom, Helsinki, 1946. (Tunes and descriptions of 56 dances.)

Ranta, Sulho. — Suomalaisia Kansantanhusavelmia. V. Soderstrom,
Helsinki, 1936. (Folk-dance arranged for piano and two violins.)

Sirelius, U. T. — Suomen Kansallispukuja, I and II. Otava, Helsinki,
1 92 1. (Drawings of 16 folk costumes.)

Vahter, Tyyni, and Strandberg, Greta. — Suomen Kansallispukuja.
V. Soderstrom, Helsinki, 1936. (15 national costumes of Suomi.)

Vaisanen, A. O. (ed.). — Kantele- ja jouhikkosavelmid. Suomalaisen
Kirjallisuuden Seura, Helsinki, 1928. (Folk-dance tunes for
kantele and violin.)

/7)
0-2177.-3.1 00

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