This Danish children’s dance has an amusing background. Reportedly, it mocked a Danish politician with a topsy-turvy career. Its wonderful surprise ending makes it especially fun to teach to the uninitiated! We introduce only the first few verses, and then commence with the dance. It is interesting to see their faces as the dance progresses. The last instruction usually raises an unbelieving cry. Are you intrigued? Let us learn the Syvspring!

Preliminaries

Willing Dancers: There can be any number of dancers since there are no partners, but due to the nature of the dance, it is best to have as large a circle as possible.

Delightful Music: There is a song to accompany the dance, but obviously the words are Danish. You can listen to the entirety here. The chorus runs thus:

1. Har I aldrig set Per Syvspring danse?
   

2. Har I aldrig set Per Syvspring danse?
   

3. Og tror I ej. Han danse kan.
   

4. Men han danser som en adelsmand.
   

It can be roughly translated thus:

1. Have you never seen Per Syvspring dance?
   

2. Have you never seen Per Syvspring dance?
   

3. I think not. He can dance,
   

4. But he dances like a nobleman.
   

The verses progress this way:

1. Og det var en...
   

2. Og det var en, det var to...
   

3. 
   

4. And it was one...
   

5. And it was one that was two... (up to seven)
   

You can find several music tracks by searching “syvspring” at the iTunes store. They offer, in addition to various song recordings, a lively instrumental track by Kristian, Jesper and Jens Peter from their album Harmonikatræffere II.

Shall We Dance?

The dancers join hands to form a circle. This is a cumulative dance; that is, for each successive verse you repeat the chorus and each of the verses that went before. (e.g. To dance verse 4 you will dance the chorus and verses 1-4.)

Chorus

Walk counterclockwise eight beats; then clockwise eight beats.

Skip counterclockwise eight beats; then clockwise eight beats.

Verses

1. 1.Place right hand on right cheek.
   Variation: Touch your right heel to the floor.
   

2. 2.Place left hand on left cheek.
   Variation: Touch your left heel to the floor.
   

3. 3.Go down on your right knee.
   Variation: Still with hands on cheeks.
   

4. 4.Go down on your left knee.
   Variation: Still with hands on cheeks.
   

5. 5.Release hands. Rest your chin on your left knuckles, with your elbow on the ground.
   

6. 6.Rest your chin on your right knuckles, with your elbow on the ground.
   

7. 7.Variation: Touch your forehead to the floor.
   

8. 8.Somersault!
   

Were you surprised? Needless to say, when I dance the Syvspring, I let the little boys do the tumbling! If you are a visual learner, stop by Hugo’s International Folk Dance for an instructional video. His version includes all of the variations mentioned in the above instructions.

Illustration: Circle Dance. Helen Caswell.

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