Austrian folk dancing: Encyclopedia - Austrian folk dancing

Austrian folk dancing

Austrian folk dancing (see Austria) is mostly associated with Schuhplattler, Ländler, Polka or Waltz. However, there are other dances such as Zwiefacher, Kontratänze and Sprachinseltänze.

Austrian folk dancing - Types of dance

In Austria, folk dances in general are known as Folkloretänze, i.e. "folklore dances", whereas the Austrian type of folk dance is known as Volkstanz (literally "folk dance").

Figure dancing is a type of dance where different figures are put together with a certain tune and given a name. Round dancing, which includes the waltz, the polka, Zwiefacher etc, involves basic steps which can be danced to different tunes. In folk dancing, the waltz and the polka are in a slightly different form to standard ballroom dancing.

Sprachinseltänze (literally "language island dances") are those dances which are actually by German-speaking minorities (see German as a Minority Language) living outside Austria, but which originate in Austria, e.g. those of Transylvania. One example of this type of dance is the Rediwa.

Austrian folk dancing - List of Austrian folk dances

• Boarischer
• Eiswalzer
• Hiatamadl
• Jägermarsch
• Krebspolka
• Kreuzpolka
• Kuckuckspolka
• Landler
• Lunzer Boarischer
• Mazurka
• Neudeutscher
• Polka
• Poschater Zwoaschritt
• Rediwa (Sprachinseltanz)
• Rheinländer
• Schuhplattler
• Siebenschritt
• Studentenpolka
• Waltz
• Zwiefacher

Austrian folk dancing - Common misconceptions

There are some misconceptions about Austrian folk tradition:

• The Landler from The Sound of Music is not an Austrian folk dance.
• The Chicken Dance is not an Austrian folk dance.
• The song Edelweiss is not an Austrian folk song.

Austrian folk dancing - Folk dance festivals

In Austria, folk dance festivals usually take place as follows: first, everybody gets onto the dance floor and dances the opening round; secondly, a welcoming speech is made, and thirdly, waltzes are danced in blocks, with breaks in between. At the end there is usually a special dance, often with a goodbye song. In Vienna, there are usually four long sets of dances, with long breaks and figure dancing in between. In other parts of Austria it is more usual to have a larger number of shorter blocks (three to five dances each) with shorter breaks between them, and more figure dancing.

Though attended only by a tradition-minded minority, Vienna folk dance events (calendar link: [1]) are carefully organized events often taking place at extraordinary locations. To name a few, there are that of the Alpenverein, the Autumn Dance at baroque Belvedere (palace), the Landler Dances (the traditional music of which bears the rhythm from which in the 19th century the Vienna Waltz music was developed), and the summer dances which take place twice each week during summer holiday season (July & August).

For further details, visit Volkstanz.at (link: [2]).

Austrian folk dancing - Musical instruments

Typical instruments for Austrian folk dance are the Styrian harmonica (a type of accordion), the fiddle, the clarinet, the harp, the flute and brass bands. Dances are often accompanied by the contrabass or the guitar. Unlike modern Austrian folk-pop music, drums are not used.

Austrian folk dancing - Clothing

See: Tracht (traditional clothing)

See also

• Folk dancing and Folk dance
• Tracht (traditional clothing)
• Folk music
• German folk dancing
• Music of Austria

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Austrian folk dancing", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki