The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #165878   Message #3984463
Posted By: Mr Red
25-Mar-19 - 01:59 AM
Thread Name: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
Subject: RE: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
Also regarded by the Irish as Irish & Scottish and is called "Shoe the Donkey". They regard it as a Mazurka, which is obvious when you see this video. The difference is principally in the use of cross-hand hold, whereas the the French seem to use the "butterfly hold" and move in an "L" shaped trajectory.
And the Scandinavian version uses the "Shoulder & Waist hold" with a lot of swapping sides (very Swedish dance move) Varsovienne.

I have only managed to dance it once in an Irish Set workshop, most Irish dancers regard it much as "Shoot the Donkey". By comparison with Set Dances it is simple but IMNSHO that is its charm. Sets are 4 couples, this is a couple dance.

The Irish even put words to it - Brendon Shine singing

I can't find the the archetypal Irish dancing of it, but the first one I saw involved a lot of "battering". I did find some Varsovienne videos from the (I think) Philippines - possibly from the Spanish influence.

and looking at this Poland, Russia, Germany and heaven knows who else claim it as theirs.