Tune Add: Two varsoviennes

Subject: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
From: leeneia
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 10:52 AM

Recently somebody asked for true American western dance tunes, and Mudcatter Stewie mentioned an old dance called the varsoviana (Spanish) or varsovienna (French.)

I enjoy old tunes, so I have found two varsoviennes and made MIDI's of them. I will send them to Joe for posting, and they should appear here soon. I hope some kind person will make and post the abc versions, as well.

Both tunes have the alternate tittle "Put Your Little Foot Right Here." if you search for that on YouTube, you will find two videos which show the courtly way this dance was performed.

The name comes from "Warsaw," and to me the tunes have a European air. They remind us that a good many Germans and Czechs settled in the West.

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
From: CupOfTea
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 11:11 AM

I had only heard the term varsouvienne as a particular dance move. In a waltz, holding both hands, you rotate such that your hands make a window - I think you're looking over your shoulder at yer partner. I haven't danced for ages, and even longer since I had a parther with flashy danc moves. Someon more au courant can, no doubt, describe it better!

Joanne in Cleveland (who just provides music for waltzing)

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 12:42 PM

Much info about "Varsoviana", "Valse Vienne" (etc) is in an old thread.

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 12:50 PM

By way of illustration:
a 2-part Australian version
a 3-part Mexican version

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
From: leeneia
Date: 23 Mar 19 - 03:56 PM

Thanks for the links and the information. Scandinavian? Who would have thought?

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Mar 19 - 01:15 AM

Hello, Joe. I am attaching two American country dances for the Mudcat.

Would you please post them to the thread called Tune Add: two varsoviennes    ?

Thank you.

leeneia

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Click to play (joeweb)

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
From: Mr Red
Date: 25 Mar 19 - 01:59 AM

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.

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
From: leeneia
Date: 28 Mar 19 - 12:10 AM

Thanks for the links, Mr. Red. I enjoyed watching the dancers.

Clearly the varsovienne, like the tango and the waltz, once enjoyed wide distribution - as we see here, from Scandinavia to America to the Phillipines.

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
From: Helen
Date: 28 Mar 19 - 06:16 AM

John Meredith's Folk Songs of Australia and the Men and Women Who Sang Them, Books 1 & 2 include a number of varsoviennas/varsoviannas.

Sally Sloane's tunes include this one:

Sally Sloane's Varsovienna

Subject: RE: Tune Add: Two varsoviennes
From: Helen
Date: 28 Mar 19 - 06:19 AM

From the same site, here is a search for the word "varsovianna"