Low German folk dance

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This article deals with the regional characteristics of folk dance in northern Germany.

Dance group from Dithmarschen

Geographical demarcation

The Low German folk dance can be found in the areas of Germany where Low German is spoken, so throughout northern Germany between the Dutch and Polish border and from the border with Denmark to the foothills of the mountain range where the Benrather line forms the southern boundary.

Foreign influences

The Low German folk dance has its own characteristics that distinguish it from other regions in Germany. Dance steps and figures such as the back step or the Hamburg step backwards are typical peculiarities.

A lively exchange took place between the countries bordering the Baltic Sea. In Low German folk dance, as in Sweden, there is the mazurka and the varsovienne , both of which have their origins in today's Poland ( Masuria and Warsaw ).

In addition, dance forms from Holland, France and the British Isles have established themselves in northern Germany, which were often brought with them by travelers, especially seafarers. For example, the reel step comes from Ireland .

The Scottish made a real migration of peoples, who came to Germany via France as Ecossaise and also established themselves in Sweden, Austria and Switzerland or gave their name to dances that had already existed here.

Lore

Many of the popular dances of their time were meticulously collected and recorded by various contemporaries, such as Wilhelm Stahl , Gertrud Meyer, Anna Helms-Blasche and Julius Blasche . In some cases the old dance forms have been lost, but the melody and name have been retained. The dance collectors quickly created new dance forms for these dances. One example is the Geestland Quadrille .

In addition to the old traditions, new dances were created from 1896 at the time of the youth movement , which are also counted among the folk dances today.

Dance styles

The Low German folk dance is characterized by a large variety of dance forms. It is usually danced in pairs, less often as a trio (a boy with two girls).

Couple dances and circle dances

Couple dances and circle dances are also called little colorful ones and danced with any number of couples on the circle line. Some dances require an even number of pairs.

  • window
A circle dance with any number of couples. The dance gets its name from a dance figure in which the intertwined arms of the dancing couples form a kind of window through which the couple can look at each other. After a complete play through, the individual dancers switch to new partners and the dance starts all over again.
  • Finger scottish (chopping block)
A dance with three music and dance parts, all Scottish-sized, with alternating and hopping steps. In the second part, the girl turns around her own axis under the boy's arm, while she holds on to his index finger above her head. The finger Scottish table is also a dance with any number of pairs.
  • Föhrer Kreuzpolka
The dance was created in 1936 during a meeting between the Ring für Heimattanz Hamburg and the dance group from the island of Föhr. Since the Hamburg group consisted only of men and Föhrer only of women, this dance was invented without further ado so that we could dance together.
The dance tells of the mockery of the rich Ostenfelder or Winnerter about the poor village of Rosendahl.
  • Seven jump
A folk dance known in almost all of Germany, sometimes with different variants. The “seven jumps” are always the same. At first it was not only performed as a spring dance, but danced as a traditional dance after the harvest. Later it became a courtship dance. The latter was recorded by Anna Helms-Blasche on Helgoland as Helgoland Söbensprung . In the old days the seven leap was only danced by dancers. Only much later did the seven jump become a couple dance. In the past, the seven leap was danced by adult dancers, today it is used almost exclusively in children's folk dance due to its playful, lively nature and the simple, recurring structure. With the loss of his true background, the seven leap to a children's dance has sunk. However, this began all over Germany around 1870.
  • Sylt audition
A dance with waltz and polka elements handed down from Westerland and recorded by Anna Helms-Blasche. Wilhelm Stahl found this dance in a slightly different form under the name Im Herbst in Keitum. Both dance collectors independently confirm that the dance dates back to the late 18th or early 19th century.

Further examples of couple and circle dances:

  • Buske di Remmer
  • Hunter Scottish
  • Folding dance
  • Lott is dood
  • Stop gallop

Tamping

Tamping is one of the column dances in which any number of columns can be set up one behind the other. The name is derived from the French word tempête (thunderstorm), as this form of dance struck like a thunderstorm compared to the dances established at the time in society. During the dance, two dance columns always stand facing each other and dance the dance sequence together. At the end, the individual columns pass each other and thus arrive at a new counter-column. The dance starts all over again. Ideally, this turns into an endless dance when the columns line up on a circular path. The tampete is suitable as a welcome dance at dance meetings and is occasionally played for this purpose until all columns have danced together.

  • Tampet (also known as Braunschweiger Tampete in southern Lower Saxony )
The tampet known in Northern Germany is largely identical to the traditions of the same name from other regions of Germany, e.g. B. Thuringia. This suggests that this dance has a different origin and has established itself through tradition in northern Germany.
  • Obernkirchen Tampete
  • Tampete dark shadow
  • Urban Tampete

Figaro

  • The beautiful Wulka
  • Little Figaro

Row dances

  • Long line
  • Half moon
  • Funny vörn Dische

Triplets

In the triolets, three people dance together, usually a guy on the right and left flanked by a girl each. Triolets occur as column and circle dances as well as quadrilles (e.g. large triolet).

  • Allemande
  • pear tree
  • Big triolet
  • Alfeld triolet

Two and three pair dances

  • Dölziger Mühle
  • Harvest Dance (Oldenburg)
  • Hack and toe
  • Krüz King
  • Tamsel trio

Counter dances and quadrilles

Counter dances and quadrilles are also called Great Colorful . These dances are by far the most popular dances in northern Germany, followed by the circle dances, the so-called little colorful ones . A dance set consists of four dance couples who line up in a square, front to center. Often, at the beginning and at the end, a beginning or end circle lasting 8 or 16 bars is danced. There are a number of exceptions, however. In terms of tempo, figures and dance steps, dances exist in a multitude of variants and variations.

  • Artländer counterattack
  • Föhringer contra
  • Geestland Quadrille
  • Hetlinger Bandriter
  • Holstein three tour
  • Ratzeburg Four Tour
  • Sauerland Quadrilles
  • Sünnros
  • Tangermünde Quadrille
  • Four-door

Bowling dances

Bowling dances are quadrilles with five couples or four couples and one dancer

  • King Quadrille
  • Eldena cone
  • The fifth boy
  • Henkenhagener cone

Eight couple dances

  • Fourteen-speed
  • Big eight

Cultural maintenance

In addition to the individual folk dance groups based regionally in villages or cities, there are also higher-level associations throughout Germany that work at the state or federal level and act as umbrella associations and forums for the exchange of experiences. In the northern part of Germany, the state working groups in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony are particularly active. In Schleswig-Holstein there is also the regional costume association, which, in addition to folk dance, also takes care of traditional costumes and customs.

literature

  • LAG Tanz Schleswig-Holstein eV (Ed.): Göös op de Deel, Schacht-Audorf, 2004.
  • Eduard Kück and Elfriede Rotermund-Schönhagen: 28 peasant dances from the Lüneburg Heath.

Published as a reprint by the German Society for Folk Dance eV in DGV issue 15 'Heidjers Tanzmusik'.

See also

Web links

  • Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Tanz Niedersachsen eV LAG-Tanz Nds
  • Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Tanz Schleswig-Holstein eV LAG-Tanz SH
  • State Costumes and Folk Dance Association Schleswig-Holstein eV LTV SH
  • German Society for Folk Dance e. V. DGV
  • Ring for Heimattanz eV, Hamburg RfH