Hårgalåten


Hårgalåten (The Hårga Tune)


Count:  48

Wall:  4

Level:  Intermediate – Hambo

Choreographer:  Stig Ekström (SE) July 2013

Music:  Hårgalåten, – Sandra Dahlberg, Album: Här stannar jag kvar


Hambo is a traditional dance that originated in Sweden in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a couple dance in ¾ time, danced to music played with a strong accent on the first beat.
 
Start after 36 counts introduction. Optionally start after 12 counts with a traditional Hambo repetition for 24 counts.
 

Section 1 Left “dalsteg” (step point), right “dalsteg” (step point)

1, 2, 3 Step forward on left, point right over left during count 2 and 3
4, 5, 6 Step forward on right, point left over right during count 5 and 6
 

Section 2 Step, together, step, modified hambo turn (full turn)

1, 2, 3 Step forward on left, close right next to left, step forward on left
The Hambo turn shall be a smooth clockwise turn over three counts travelling forward to 12 o’clock.
4 Turn ¼ right and step forward on right (3 o’clock)
5 Put left in front of right and turn ½ right, move the weight over to left foot at the end (9 o’clock)
6 Turn ¼ right and step forward on right (12 o’clock).
 

Section 3 Forward waltz step, waltz step diagonally backwards

1, 2, 3 Step forward on left, step right next to left, step left in place
4, 5, 6 Turn ⅛ left and step back on right, turn ⅛ left and step left next to right, step right in place (9 o’clock)
 

Section 4 Waltz step diagonally forward, waltz step diagonally backwards

1, 2, 3 Turn ⅛ left and step forward on left, turn ⅛ left and step right next to left, step left in place (6 o’clock)
4, 5, 6 Turn ⅛ left and step back on right, turn ⅛ left and step left next to right, step right in place (3 o’clock)
 

Section 5 Waltz step diagonally forward, backwards waltz step

1, 2, 3 Turn ⅛ left and step forward on left, turn ⅛ left and step right next to left, step left in place (12 o’clock)
4, 5, 6 Step back on right, step left next to right, step right in place
 

Section 6 Cross, side, behind, side, drag, touch

1, 2, 3 Cross left over right, step right to right side, cross left behind right
4, 5, 6 Big step to right on right, drag left towards right, touch left next to right
 

Section 7 Waltz step ¾ turn, waltz step backwards

1, 2, 3 Turn ¼ left and step left forward, turn ½ to left step right next to left, step left in place (3 o’clock)
4, 5, 6 Step back on right, step left next to right, step right in place
 

Section 8 Left twinkle, right twinkle ½ turn

1, 2, 3 Cross left over right, step right to right side, step left in place
4, 5, 6 Cross right over left, turn ½ left and step left to left side, step right in place (9 o’clock)
 

Restart on wall 2 after section 6, 36 counts. Start with a ¼ turn to left and step forward on count 1 towards 6 o’clock.

 
The Legend of Hårga:
 
It’s late on a Saturday night and all the youth in Hårga have gathered to dance in the barn. Suddenly in the middle of a dance the music is interrupted and a new fiddler steps forward from the shadows. He had a large dark hat on his head and beneath it could be seen a pair of ”burning” eyes. The fiddler lifted the violin to his chin and began to play a song that had never been heard. All the young people immediately began to dance to the new melody. But once they started to dance, they could not stop. The dance continued throughout the night and when dawn arrived the fiddler began to walk out of the barn. After him came all the dancers in a line. They could not stop dancing. The sound of the violin forced their feet to continue. While church bells rang in the worship service they disappeared, dancing with the fiddler. A girl remained laying on the dance floor in the barn. No one had listened to her when she warned them of the fiddler, and no one noticed his goat hooves whilst everyone was in the midst of the wildest dance they’ve ever been through.
 
The legend continues with that the fiddler led the dancers up to the Hårga Mountain where they danced until only their bones were left. Some even say that you can still see the marks from the dance ring at Hårga Mountain, and if you are brave enough to venture out one night when there is a full moon, it is said that one can hear the music the devil once played for those who died.
 
Copyright © 2013, Stig Ekström http://linedance.ekstroem.nu
 
Contact: stig@ekstroem.nu