Let's get the important part out of the way first:
The Highland Mazourka is not a mazurka.
It is, however, a delightful example of the nineteenth-century tendency to transpose dances from one time signature to another. In this case, typical polka mazurka sequences have been transposed from 3/4 time to 4/4 time with a bit of extra hopping added to fill out the music, which should be of the Scottish strathspey style. The polka mazurka itself consisted partly of polka (2/4) steps transposed to 3/4 time. Confused by all these shifting time signatures? Fear not; all will be made clear below!
Background
The Highland Mazourka was probably not particularly widespread or popular. It appears to have been the composition of a particular Scottish dancing master: David Anderson of Dundee. As far as I can tell, it was published only in a later edition of his ballroom guide, which went through at least three editions, each one larger than the previous. It did not appear in the "New and Complete" edition, which was at least the second and can be dated to c1884 from internal evidence. It does appear in the "New, Enlarged, & Complete" edition, likely the third or later, which J. F. and T. M. Flett dated to c1886 in their invaluable history, Traditional Dancing in Scotland (1964). It may have appeared in later editions as well, but at the moment, I only have access to those two. Taken in combination, I would suggest that the dance was probably created around 1885.
The pertinent Anderson publications:
- The complete ball-room guide : containing favourite figures for 13 sets of quadrilles, 19 circle and miscellaneous dances, upwards of 60 original and selected country dances, Scotch reel dances, trebles, &c., ball-room etiquette, hints on dress &c. D. Anderson, Professor of dancing, Dundee. New and complete edition; c1884. Does not contain the Highland Mazourka.
- The new, enlarged, & complete ball-room guide : containing favourite figures for 15 sets of quadrilles, 20 circle and miscellaneous dances, upwards of 70 original and selected country dances, 10 dances for evening parties, Scotch reels, Trebles, Grand Marches, &c., also, ball-room etiquette, hints on dress &c. D. Anderson, Professor of dancing, Dundee. New, Enlarged, & Complete edition; c1886. First known publication of the Highland Mazourka, pp. 82-83.
Interestingly, Anderson credited the dance as "arranged by" himself, perhaps because the step-sequences are so standard and the order of them so typical that it hardly qualifies as a creative work.
There is no specific tune for the Highland Mazourka. It can be danced to any strathspey tune with an appropriate repeat structure (32 bars). Strathspey and schottische are musically connected, so in the absence of a convenient strathspey recording or live musician to play one, schottische music will also work, at the cost of some of the Scottish flavor of the dance.
Reconstruction
The starting position is a standard close ballroom hold, as in other turning dances. The gentleman begins with the left foot first, the lady with the right. Anderson recommended a four-bar introduction for the dancers to ready themselves before starting the dance.
The Highland Mazourka is composed of different arrangements of two one-bar step-sequences:
- along line of dance: slide-close-hop-hop
- half-turn: slide-close-slide-hop
Part one of the dance consists of alternating sideways and turning sequences for sixteen bars:
1b Slide-close-hop-hop (along line of dance)
1b Slide-close-slide-hop (half-turn)
2b Repeat leading with second foot to complete turn
12b Repeat all of the above for a total of four complete turns
Part two of the dance consists of a series of three sideways sequences and one turning sequence, repeated to fill another sixteen bars:
1b Slide-close-hop-hop (along line of dance)
1b Slide-close-hop-hop (along line of dance)
1b Slide-close-hop-hop (along line of dance)
1b Slide-close-slide-hop (half-turn)
4b Repeat all of above to complete turn
8b Repeat all of above for a total of two complete turns
After these thirty-bars total, the sequence would repeat again from the start, omitting the introduction. Anderson also allowed "doubling", as in the schottische, though he does not seem to have admired it:
Note.--The first part can also be done eight times, and the second part four times, but the former is more suitable.
I agree with Anderson; the shorter sequence is more pleasant.
Performance and reconstruction notes
1. The sliding steps are invariably described as to fourth position, which I believe indicates that Anderson wished the dancers to at least turn out the feet and possibly to turn the entire body slightly to face line of dance, not all the way to a side-by-side position, but enough that both dancers are moving forward. The steps go along line of dance in parallel, not directly toward one's partner. I find that looking in the direction of travel accomplishes this fairly effortlessly.
2. Closes are to fifth position behind.
3. The hops on the sequence traveling along the line of dance are done on the trailing foot and include using the lead foot as an ornament: on the first hop, the lead foot should be brought in to the leg "before", meaning in front of, or between the two dancers. On the second hop, the lead foot is moved "behind". In the turning sequence, during the final hop, the free foot is brought up in front of the leg. Anderson does not specify that the toes should be pointed downward (raised 3rd/5th position), but I think one can deduce it from general nineteenth-century dance style.
4. The turning sequence is a low-impact version of the first half (the balancé) of the standard schottische, performed turning, more-or-less as described here. Note that Anderson describes the free foot as being raised in front rather than behind.
Connection to polka mazurka
The sequence moving along the line of dance is the "mazourka step" of the polka mazurka, done with an extra hop to fill the fourth beat of the measure:
"mazourka step" in three: slide-cut-hop
Highland Mazourka in four: slide-cut-hop-hop
The turning sequence is the other half of the polka mazurka, the polka redowa step, stretched out over four counts:
polka redowa in three: slide-cut-leap (often performed with a hop on the upbeat)
Highland Mazourka in four: slide-cut-leap-hop
The first part of the dance is thus a 4/4 time polka mazurka. The second part of the dance merely extends the sequence to three bars along line of dance one bar turning, as in the first part of the "La Koska" variant, which also includes both an extended sequence and a shorter one, though in the opposite order. The parallel continues in the York and Glide Mazurka (the fourth variation described here), from America, also one/turn and three/turn sequences. Other than being in strathspey time, this is a completely typical dance following a very common pattern for the late nineteenth century.
Compare:
polka mazurka: slide-cut-hop slide-cut-leap
La Koska part one: slide-cut-hop x3 slide-cut-leap (followed by polka mazurka)
York: slide-close-slide-cut slide-cut-leap
Glide Mazurka: slide-close-slide-cut x3 slide-cut-leap
Highland Mazourka p1: slide-close-hop-hop slide-cut-leap-hop
Highland Mazourka p2: slide-close-hop-hop x3 slide-cut-leap-hop
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Anderson's original text
Highland Mazourka
Arranged by D. Anderson, Teacher of Dancing, Dundee
Any Strathspey time will suit, played moderately. First part is played once over, 4 bars being allowed to let the dancers get ready, then each part is played over twice.
Stand as in the other Round Dances, gentlemen commencing with left foot, ladies with right.
Gentlemen step out in 4th position with left foot.
Bring right foot up behind in 5th position.
Swing two round the ankle--before and behind--with left foot; and at same time hop on right. This counts 4.
Then step out with left foot to 4th position.
Bring right up behind in 5th position.
Step out again with left in 4th position.
Hop on left, making a half turn to right with the hop; and at same time bring right foot up in front of left leg. This counts 4.
Then step out in 4th position with right foot.
Bring left foot behind in 5th position.
Swing two round the ankle--before and behind--with right foot; and at same time hop on left. This counts 4.
Then step out in 4th position with right foot.
Bring left foot up behind in 5th position.
Step out again with right in 4th position.
Hop on right, making a half turn to right with the hop; and at same time bring left foot up in front of right leg. This counts 4.
This part is done four times.
SECOND PART.
Gentlemen step out in 4th position with left foot.
Bring right foot up behind in 5th position.
Swing two round the ankle--before and behind--with left foot; and at same time hop on right. This counts 4.
Repeat other twice from beginning.
Then step out with left foot in 4th position.
Bring right foot up behind in 5th position
Step out again with left in 4th position
Hop on left, making a half turn to right with the hop; and at the same time bring right foot up in front of left leg.
Then step out in 4th position with right foot.
Bring left foot up behind in 5th position.
Swing two round the ankle--before and behind--with right foot; and at same time hop on left.
Repeat other twice with right foot.
Then step out with right foot in 4th position.
Bring left foot up behind in 5th position.
Hop out again with right in 4th position.
Hop on right, making a half turn to right with the hop; and at same time bring left foot up in front of right leg.
This part is done twice.
Ladies--same, beginning with opposite foot.
Note.--The first part can also be done eight times, and the second part four times, but the former is more suitable.
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This post is for the dedicated students of Edinburgh Victorian Dance Weekend, who were the first to learn the Highland Mazourka from me on August 4, 2024.
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