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Formation: A circle of couples. This may include customers who already know the dance but we do not teach or call the dance during the dance sets at Fezziwig’s.
This choreography by Richard Powers is based on research by the Czech dance historian Frantisek Bonus (1919-1999). It is intended to portray the steps and forms of the original 1830s National Style of Polka from Bohemia, ten years before "polkamania" swept the world.
Prof. Bonus' long and complex collection of figures was intended for stage performance by a professional company. Richard's choreography is still challenging but is a social form danced for pleasure.
Music: Josef Strauss' "Feuerfest Polka" at 104 beats/min (slower than modern polkas).
An especially good recording is by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra on the CD "Ein Straussfest". Telarc CD-80098.
Note: One bar of music equals the time of two walking steps or one polka step. Choreography and description by Richard Powers
© 1986, 2003 Richard Powers |
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Formation: Longways, duple minor country dance set for as many as will. Steps: Polka-step, skip-change step, or jig step (or a brisk walking step!).
First & Second Couple: Right hand star, left hand star. First Couple down the middle (6 steps) Turn as a couple (2 counts) Charge up the set and cast around the second couple into second place. First Couple is now “improper” (on the wrong side) and progressed.
Holding hands along the line, all set twice (Using any setting steps you like: English jeté boureé, Scots pas de bas, Irish rise & grind, etc.)
8 counts: First & Second Couple take hands four and circle half-way around. 8 counts: First & Second Couple “around the house” (Note: There is plenty of time for this last figure and even time for flourishes).
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Formation: A quadrille set is formed like a square dance set. The First Couple (who is in charge of calling the dance) is the couple with their backs to the stage. The second couple is the couple facing the stage (and the First Couple). The Third Couple is the couple on the First Couple’s right; the Fourth Couple is on the First Couple’s left.
The First and Second Couples are the Heads. The Third and Fourth Couples are the Sides. Fortunately for the Sides, the Heads execute each figure of Figures 1, 2, and 3 twice; then the Sides dance the figures twice.
Steps: The travelling step may either be a brisk, musical walk or a temps elevé (polka) step. The chassez can either be the Regency “ballet” chassez or Irish “sevens” or a simple, elegant sliding or galop step. Setting steps may be the English country setting step (Jeté boureé), the Scottish country setting step (pas de bas), or any of the many Regency setting steps you might have learned.
For a full description – with helpful illustrations – of this version of Lancers, see Thomas Hillgrove’s 1863 manual in the Library of Congress’ online collection of dance manuals at HYPERLINK "http://memory.loc.gov/" \o "http://memory.loc.gov/" http://memory.loc.gov/ |
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