Oxdans (Sweden)

Oxdans

Sweden

These notes ©2016, Andrew Carnie.  There are many many many different versions of this dance. In all cases they mimic the two men having some kind of competition or fight.

Music: MH1055, RCA Victor 20-5309
Meter: 2/4
Formation: Traditionally two men, start facing each other
Introduction: depends on the recording.

Part 1: Intimidation

Bars 1-2: one dancer stands on his toes, with L foot forward and makes an aggressive pose over the other. The other dancer, cowers in fear.
Bars 3-4: repeat bars 1-2, but with the other dancer taking the aggressive pose.
Bar 5-8: repeat bars 1-4
Bars 9-12: repeat the actions of bars 1-8, but in double time
Bars 13-16: repeat the actions of bars 9-12

Part 2: Chorus

(I've described this step the way it seems to be most commonly done, rather than the way it's done in the Faust's video below. The step can either be done with both traveling in the same direction, or traveling in opposite directions. If traveling in the same direction one of the dancers has to do the opposite footwork)
Bar 1:Step R to R, Arms go out to the side (1) Close L next to R (&), Step R to R (2)
Bar 2: Stamp L next to R, bring arms in together touching fists together with elbows out to the side (1), Stamp L again (2)
Bars 3-4: repeat bars 1-2 with opposite footwork, except only stamp once.
Bars 5-8: repeat bars 1-4

Part 3:  Hand Grab

Bars 1-2: Take both hands with other dancer, jump on both feet with R foot forward, pulling L hand back with L elbow bent. Hold
Bars 3-4: repeat bars 1-2 pulling R arm back and putting L foot forward
Bars 5-8: repeat bars 1-4
Bars 9-16: repeat bars 5-8, double time twice.

Part 4: Chorus

repeat part 2 

Part 5:  Elbows

Do the footwork of part 4, but have hands on hips, Hit R elbows against each other, then L elbows etc.

Part 6: Chorus

repeat part 2 

Part 7: Punch

Bars 1-2: Person 1 fake punches Person 2, Person 2 jumps backwards bent over.
Bars 3-4: Repeat bars 1-2 with the other man doing the punching
Bars 5-8: Repeat bars 1-4
Bars 9-12: Repeat bars 1-8 but double time
Bars 13-16: Repeat bars 9-12

Part 8: Chorus

repeat part 2 

Part 9: Head pull

Bars 1-2: Grab the back of the other person's head, and person 1 pulls it down.
Bars 3-4: repeat bars 1-2 with the other man doing the pulling
Bars 5-8: Repeat bars 1-4
Bars 9-12: Repeat bars 1-8 but double time
Bars 13-16: Repeat bars 9-12

Part 10: Chorus

repeat part 2 

Part 11: Making Faces

Bars 1-2: Putting hands in taunting position (eg. wiggling fingers in front of nose or over ears), person 1 taunts person 1
Bars 3-4: Repeat bars 1-2 with person 2 doing the taunting
Bars 5-8: Repeat bars 1-4
Bars 9-12: Repeat bars 1-8 but double time
Bars 13-16: Repeat bars 9-12

Part 12: Chorus

repeat part 2 

Part 13: Slaps

Bars 1-2: Person 1 fake slaps Person 2's face. (Person 2 claps make the slapping noise)
Bars 3-4: Repeat bars 1-2 with person 2 doing the slapping
Bars 5-8: Repeat bars 1-4
Bars 9-12: Repeat bars 1-8 but double time
Bars 13-16: Repeat bars 9-12

Part 14: Chorus

Repeat part 2  except on the last 2 counts twirl around CCW with a jump. Shake hands, and walk off arm in arm

Other variations are possible

Other Notes on the web

• Page 7 of Stockton Folk Dance Camp Syllabus (1952)

Bill and Karen Faust's Fayetteville Video

Other Videos on the Web

Sheet Music

• Burchenal, Elizabeth and Ward Crampton (1908) Folk-dance Music: A collection of seventy six Characteristic Dances of the People of various nations. Boston, G. Schirmer. 

Other Sources

• Bergquist, Nils (1910) Swedish Folk Dances. A.S. Barnes Co.
• Burchenal, Elizabeth (1909) Folk-Dances and Singing Games. New York: G. Schirmer. 
• Duggan, Anne Schley, Jeanette Schlottmann and Abbie Rutledge (1948) Folk Dances of Scandinavia. AS Barnes and Company
• Hall, J. Tillman (1969) Folk Dance. Goodyear.
• Hall, J. Tillman (1963) Dance! A Complete Guide to Social Folk and Square Dancing. Wadsworth Publishing.
• Longden, Sanna - Dances of 7 continents Vol 2, DVD
• Ward-Crampton, Charles (1913) The Folkdance Book. NY: Barnes

Also spelled: Oxendans, Oxdansen