Bourée Pastourelle - La Pastourelle de Saint Gaultier (France) ~ Folk Dance Musings

Bourée Pastourelle
La Pastourelle de Saint Gaultier
France

These notes ©2017, Andrew Carnie. Originally taught in the US by Louise and Germain Hebert, who learned it from from Pierre Panis and Paul Bouard in the 1960s.

This dance is from Poulingy-Notre Dame in Lower Berry.

Music: Rhythme 4002; Barclay 820138; Echos de L'hexigon
Meter: 3/8
Formation: Circle of 6-10 couples. start with M on L, all facing into the center. No hands
Introduction: Depends upon the recording.

Part 1: Avant Deux

Bars 1-2: Men advance into the center with two Bourée steps (W: RLR, LRL; M: LRL, RLR), women stand in place
Bars 3-4: Women advance into the center with two Bourée steps, while M back out of the center with two Bouree steps
Bars 5-6: Repeat bars 3-4, with M advancing and W retiring.
Bars 7-8: Repeat bars 3-4
Bars 9-10: Repeat bars 5-6
Bars 11-12: Repeat bars 3-4
Bars 13-14:Repeat bars 5-6
Bars 15-16: Repeat bars 3-4, except W makes a 1/2 CCW turn (pull L shoulder back) to end with backs to the center.

Part 2: Chaine (Grand R & L)

Bars 1-2: Take R hands with partner and exchange places with two bourée steps extending to full length of the arm on bar 2
Bars 3-4: Take L hand with next and exchanges places with two bourree steps as in bars 1-2.
Bars 5-8: Repeat bars 1-4
Bars 9-16: Repeat bars 1-8

Part 3: Avant Deux- Shoulders

Bars 1-4: Using 4 bourée steps advance towards next partner touching R shoulders and retire back.
Bars 5-8: Repeat bars 1-4, except touch L shoulder's with partner
Bars 9-16: Repeat bars 1-8

Part 4: Souricière (Mouse trap)

Throughout this part woman does bourée steps in place, except in bars 13-16
Bars 1-4: M dances around current partner, staring by passing L shoulders and dancing CCW around her and in front of her onto the next woman CCW.
Bars 5-8: Repeat Bars 1-4 with next woman
Bars 9-12: Repeat Bars 1-4 with next woman but end facing out of the center with this third woman on your L. Grab M's L and W's R hands, down
Bars 13-14: M dance forward and W back up, turning as a couple in a CCW direction 1/2 way to end facing in.

Part 5: Avant deux - all in

Bars 1-4, everyone advance into the circle with two bourée steps, and then back out for two bourée steps.
Bars 5-8: repeat bars 1-4
Bars 9-12: repeat bars 1-4
Bars 13-14: repeat bars 1-2
Bars 15-16: W turn under M's R CCW to end on the outside, M turn a 1/2 to face out.

Part 6: Pastourelle

Bars 1-2: Women take R hand in R hand with next man CW around the ring. Swing hands to M's R, W's Left, then R, while doing basic bourée steps in place.
Bars 3-4: Woman turns under joined hands CCW, while man directs her to his R. Woman pulls R shoudler back to start
Bars 5-8: Repeat bars 1-4 with the next man in CW direction
Bars 9-12: Repeat bars 1-4 with the next man in CW direction
Bars 13-14: Repeat bars 1-2 with the next man in CW direction
Bars 15-16: Women repeat bars 3-4, but men dance out and turn a 1/2 turn CW to face out in a single circle.

repeat entire dance from the beginning
Depending upon the recording, there may be enough music to do a promenade with partner (M on the inside holding hands with partner). W can do a CW turn under M's arm during this promenade. If performing on stage, if each couple does this in turn it has a nice effect. You can also use this figure to exit from the stage.

Tucson Video

Other notes on the web

Other sources

Casey, Betty (1981) International Folk Dancing USA. Doubleday and Company
Stockton Folk Dance camp (2002) VHS video
Society for International Folk Dancing (1966). A Selection of European Folk Dances Vol 3: Pergamon Press

Sheet Music

Also called:Bouree

Folk Dance Musings

Sunday, 2 July 2017