The dance of the vikings

How did the vikings dance? Maybe like in this film? How much do you know about Norwegian dance history? Danseinformasjonen (the national information and knowledge hub for dance arts, supported by the government) which usually does a great work writes that «Ny Norsk Ballett, established in 1948, was Norways first free group.» () It can hardly be seen as anything else than an attempt to erase folk dancing from Norways dance history. Staged hallingdans as well as couple dances were performed at Bergens teater during 1850. We know the hallingdancers got salary for the dancing. Through the 1870s Valdres-Knud did a dance show at the tivoli of Oslo. In the end of the 1800s several free groups evolved with Vestmannalaget organising national dance competitions from 1898. Through the first two decades of the 1900s loads of free dance groups were evolving in Norway participating in several dance and theatre performances at a national level. The history of staged dance arts in Norway is definitely older then Danseinformasjonen claims. But lets have a look at the oldest traces of dance in Norway as well. The krukedans visualised by 2000 years old petroglyphs are probably the oldest traces of dance in Nothern Europe. Of course we can’t be sure about the exact meaning of petroglyphs. The krukedans is today one of the most reknown movements of our «national» dance hallingdans. Olav Trygvasson (ca 963-1000) was king of Norway from 995 to 1000 and a reknown physical virtuos famous for dancing on the oars of the viking ship. Ogmund Krøkedans (ca 1200-1267) was a Norwegian knight whose name (Krøkedans) is the oldest dance move from the halling dance. At the time many took name of what they were doing as a profession or what they were good at. Ogmund helped king Håkon Håkonsson winning the civil war agains Hertug Skule 1239-40. In 1261 he was one of the leaders in the rescue of princess Ingebjørg Eiriksdotter, and operation which took place in Denmark. And in 1263 he was one of the leaders in the battle of Largs in Scotland. (Håkon Håkonsson saga) In 2013 Hallgrim Hansegård was invited to Notodden Blues Festival to try to dance on the oars of a viking ship. It was a stunt without rehearsel, but nevertheless we would like to share this special occasion with you. The fiddlers are Torgeir Straand and Ottar Kåsa. The viking enthusiasts are «Olavs menn» singing «Ormen Lange» named after the ship of Olav Trygvasson, and written by Jens Christian Djurhus (1773-1853). 1) Vilja de høyra kvedet mitt og vilja de ordi tru, om han Olav Tryggvason skal songen her seg snu. - Dansen glymer i halli så dansa me då i ring! (dans då i ring!) Glade rida Noregs menn til hildarting. 2) Kongen han let seg ei snekkje byggja bort på den slette sand; Ormen den lange det største skipet som bygdes i Noregs land. 3) Skipet det bygdes i Noregs land, ut av dei beste emnom: sytti alner og fire til var kjølen imellom stemnom. 4) Forgylte så varo dei stomnane båe bordi dei varo blå, forgylte skjolden i toppen blenkte, så seier soga ifrå. 5) Kongen han ut i høgsetet sit talar til sine drenger: No skal me sigla den salte sjo, det heve eg tenkt så lenge. 6) Bere no då dei herkledi fram, med brynjor og blanke sverdi, så leggja me sidan frå landet ut, så gjeva me oss på ferdi. 7) Modige mælte dei sveinane då; Herre, me vil deg fylgja, anten du fer i strid eller fred, me ottast ikkje svarte bylgja. 8) Frå berget ein gut med boge i hand steig ned så raust å sjå: Jarlen utav Ringerike, så skal eg helsa ifrå. 9) Kongen då til orde tok, fagnad i augo skein: No skal du seia meg namnet ditt, du unge fræge svein! 10) Einar så skal du nemna meg, vel kan eg bogen spenna, Tambs så heiter min glupe boge, han fær vel pili til renna! 11) Høyrer du det du unge mann, vil du med meg fara, så skal du vera min pilesvein, Ormen til å forsvara. 12) Ganga dei så til strandi ned, spræke karar og rauste. Lunnane brosto og jarni skolv då skipet dei drog or nauste. 13) Vundo dei opp sine silkesegel, ut i havet å ganga, (vinden å taka i fanget) så er det sagt at kongen sjølv han styrde Ormen den lange. Disclaimer: The only dance move that we can trace back to the viking era is the krukedans. Kicking the hat is an example of a dance move from halling which came later.