Jägaremarsch

JÄGAREMARSCH

(YAY-gahr-eh-marsh)

Skandia CD, tracks 22 through 26

NOMENCLATURE

Credible English Title

Hunter's March.

ETHNO-CULTURAL ATTRIBUTES

Heritage	As recorded, Sweden. See background notes.
U.S. Source
Category	Mixer dance.
Motivation and application	Recreational, non-performance-oriented.

MUSICAL ATTRIBUTES

Type

4/4 march, 3/4 waltz, 4/4 schottische, 2/4 polka, and 3/4 hambopolska.

CHOREOLOGICAL ATTRIBUTES

Function	Couple mixer dance.
Character and form	March is brisk, with feigned pomp.
Footwork	Opposite. Alternating and repetitive.
Specific steps	Walk, waltz, schottische, polka turn, hambopolska turn.
Dance holds	Cross-shoulder hold (partners side-by-side, W at M's R, R hands joined behind W's R shoulder, L hands joined in front). Closed waltz hold (see Appendix A). Shoulder-waist hold (see Appendix A). Simple one-hand hold. Polska hold (see Appendix A).
Formation	Any number of couples in a circle facing LOD (CCW).

THE DANCE ROUTINE

MEASURES	ACTION
track 23 1 - 8	Chorus: Couples in double circle facing CCW, cross-shoulder hold. Walk 32 brisk stweps in LOD (CCW).
9 - 15	With a nod to partner and dropping L hands, W is turned CW away from partner via R hand until she faces RLOD (CW) and then R hand is dropped also. M continues to walk LOD, while W walks RLOD. M may clap and admire the women as they march past.
16	All stop and greet a new partner.
track 23 17 - 48	Figure I: Waltz. In formal waltz hold, make 16 complete turns using waltz step (32 waltz patterns of: turn, step, close - executing ½ turn per waltz pattern).
track 24 1 - 16	Chorus: as above.
track 24 17 - 18	Figure II: Schottische. In open shoulder-waist hold, beginning on outside foot, take 2 schottische steps forward in LOD.
19 - 20	In closed shoulder-waist hold, 2 sets of pivot turns (M: L, R, L, R; W: R, L, R, L), to make 2 revolutions CW, while progressing forward in LOD.
21 - 48	Repeat 17 - 20, Figure II, 3 times. A total of 4 complete schottische patterns.
track 25 1 - 16	Chorus: as above.
track 25 17 - 48	Figure III: Polka. In closed waltz hold, 8 complete turns using 16 polka patterns of: lift,, step (count 1), close (count 1&) , turn (count 2).
track 26 1 - 16	Chorus: as above.
track 26 17 - 48	Figure IV: Hambopolska. See Hambopolska notes. The Skandia CD has music for 4 complete sequences of Forestep open waltz and transition (one-hand hold) with 8 measures of turn (closed polska hold), or for one sequence of open waltz and transition and 29 hambopolska turns, or any other combination which fits within the structure prescribed in the Hambopolska notes.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The "Paul Jones," a common mixer dance form in English-speaking countries, has its counterpart in other lands as well. Throughout Germany and the Scandinavian nations it is called a "Hunter's March," and is danced to a familiar hunter's air which might well have originated in the Black Forest. Most frequently the waltz is the contrasting rhythm to the march, but it is not unusual to include other dance rhythms as well. This Swedish version of the dance includes waltz, schottische, polka, and hambopolska, all of which are variations of the same basic tune.

The listener to this recording is treated to a diversity of Swedish folk instruments: on the waltz the nyckelharpa (key-fiddle), played by Eric Sahlström; on the schottische, the träskofiol (wooden shoe fiddle), played by Assar Bengtsson; and on polka on the accordion and regular fiddle. The hambopolska is played on the very-Swedish fiddles of five folk musicians from Dalarna: Nils Agenmark, Gösta Bäckström, Paul Bäckström, Anders Sparf, and Pål Olle.

Dance Leader Notes

On the Skandia CD, Jägaremarsch spans tracks 22 through 26. Play them straight through and you play the usual Swedish version. Other cultures dance differently to almost the same tune. Swedish musicians may also play differently, sometimes to surprise experienced dancers or accommodate dancers who have yet to learn all the figures. The track for each figure is listed in the Directions.

Most CD players let you pick tracks easily. Play track 22 followed by track 23, repeated many times, and you have music for either; the German Jägermarsch, or a Scandinavian version for, maybe, a Waltz class. With practice, you can choose others.

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