Folk dance from Denmark

Gärdeby Gånglåt (Gerdeby Walking Tune)
Niels Mejlhede Jensen, Bøgeløvsvej 4, 2830 Virum, Denmark. e-mail (web master)

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Dance description:

 

Gärdeby Gånglåt (Gerdeby Walking Tune)

  • Dance of many couples, a mixer where you get a new partner.
  • Slow walking steps and side steps ( 2 steps per bar = left + right)
  • The dance is in 2 sections: a, b :
    • a: bar 1-8: walking forth and back
    • b: music a  repeated: side steps on both sides, ending with change of partner
    • a+b are continued to the rest of the music
All the different gånglåt tunes are danced the same way, so the dance gånglåt does not mean a specific title of melody.

 

Gärdeby Gånglåt (=Gärdebylåten)  (Gerdeby Walking Tune) - mixer dance of many couples
bar 1-2 walking forward anticlockwise in line of dancing All couples walk calmly forward in the line of dancing, 2 steps per bar, gent starts with his left foot, lady with her right.
bar 3-4 walking backwards anticlockwise While walking all turn, facing partner, and walk backwards, still in the same direction in the line of dancing, i.e. anti clockwise.
bar 5-6 walking forward clockwise Now all walk forward in the opposite direction in the line of dancing, i.e. clockwise (back to where you came from).
bar 7-8 walking backwards clockwise Again: all turn facing partner to continue the walk backwards.
bar 1 in
repetition		 side steps towards each other The couple now stand apart and both go two side steps (gent: right left) towards each other, maybe with a little shy greeting nod of the head (like: "nice to get acquainted").
bar 2 in
repetition		 side steps away from each other Two side steps apart again.
bar 3-4
repetition		 change place 4 steps to change place with the lady turning in the front of the gent, and shift hands, so that the lady now is to the left of the gent.
bar 5
repetition		 side steps towards each other Then from this opposite side: again two side steps towards each other,
bar 6
repetition		 side steps away from each other and away from each other.
bar 7-8
repetition		 change place and change partner The farewell move: while the two start to change back to their original place the lady turns clockwise around under arms and over, ready to get a new partner coming forth. When you get to be experienced in gånglåt you may even find a short moment to say farewell with a beautiful curtsy (still holding hands) on the last beat ("it was indeed nice meeting you").
(After this warm farewell you are a little shy to right away say hello to the new  partner, until bar 1 in repetition).

The dance is repeated as long as pleased.
 

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