Klapperstycket (Sweden)

Klapperstycket

Sweden

These notes ©2018, Andrew Carnie. This is an Engelska from Skane in Sweden. We learned it from Nancy Bannister who learned it from Ami Kinnison. Nancy has notes written in Swedish that suggest the dance was described by Mandelgran in 1864, but there may be evidence of the dance from records in the 1820s or 30s.

Music:

• traditional tune: http://www.folkwiki.se/Musik/294 (Sv L Skane nr.541)
• But we dance it to a recording of Soldier's Joy

Meter: 2/4
Formation: Couple facing couple in groups of 4
Introduction: depends on the recording, usually a few bars.

Part 1: Circles

Bars 1-8: holding hands down in circle of 4, Circle L 16 steps, starting with L foot
Bars 9-16: Still starting with L foot, Circle R 16 Steps

Chorus:

Bars 1-8, Drop hands and face partner: Do 8 reel steps in place, starting by stepping back on L foot. (Reel step: Step on L behind R (1), hop on L, chugging slightly forward, while bringing R foot up and around (2); repeat with opposite footwork). Mens arms are held akimbo. Women hold their skirts or put hands on hips. [If reel steps are too energetic for the dancers, they could do step-sways, where you fall onto L to L, and swing R foot across in front]
Bars 9-16: Turn partner both hands CW, walking 8 steps. Clap on count 1 before joining hands with partner.
Bars 17-32: Repeat bars 1-16 with facing corner, except turn CCW on bars 9-16. 

Part 2: Stars

Bars 1-8: R hand star for 16 steps, start L foot
Bars 9-16: Turning inwards to face the opposite direction, do a L hand star for 16 steps. Starting L foot.

Repeat Chorus

Part 3: Thumb wrestle

Bars 1-8: Men take fist in fist with thumbs free (the position where you thumb wrestle), and W join R hands underneath. Then R hand star in this position for 16 walking steps starting L. The menThumb wrestle and make faces at each other throughout. [The making faces may be a choreographic conceit rather than traditional]

Bars 9-16: Repeat bars 1-8, but holding L hands.

Repeat Chorus

Part 4: Basket

Bars 1-16: Men hold hands behind W's backs and W rest hands on M's shoulders, do a 32 count Buzz step (down beat Rida step) circling CCW, the first L step is a preparatory & count.

Tucson Video

Lyrics to Ja' har va't i Höja

from http://www.folkwiki.se/pub/cache/Ringdans_efter_Enninger__c807ef.pdf
Ja' har va't i Höja,
Ja' har va't i Starby
Ja' har va't i Källna
ä Grydevads kru

Där fick vi kaffe
Där fick vi göka
Där fick vi pileknäckare sju
Ä' de' lik' nånting
Ä de' lik nånting
att sju [ileknäckkare sa i go' ro

Ja' har druckit sju pileknäkare
Ja' kan dricka sju än -nu

Ami's translation:

I have been to Hoja, I have been to Starby, I have been to Kallna and Brydevands Bar.
There we drank some coffee and there we drank some snapsar, and there we drank some fileknippare too.
Should it be like this, should it be like this. My man drinks too much and gets drunk like a pig.
We drank fileknippa six and there we can have another six.