Schuhplattler Dance

“I konn doch ned tanz’n” – unfortunately, this statement is heard more and more often today, even in southern Germany. Especially among younger people, traditional dance forms are increasingly being forgotten. Actually, it is a pity, because especially in Bavaria there is an abundance of folk dances, which are to be discovered in their simple beauty with varied peculiarities.

Bandl dance

In the Bandltanz, people dance with colored ribbons around the so-called Bandlbaum. In many cases, this is a simple pole with a decorative piece at the top, in springtime a maypole is often used Maibaum for dancing around. The blue and white ribbons hanging from the top of the pole are woven in and out of each other by the dancers in a cycle. Due to the constant interplay of braided patterns, this folk dance is probably one of the most beautiful forms of traditional dance art. At the same time, the Bandltanz is also one of the oldest folk dances. Dancing around a tree decorated with ribbons most likely has Celtic origins. In Germany and Austria the dance is proved since the beginning of the 19th century.

Turner

The leno refers to a very quickly turned traditional couple dance. The dancing couple performs a complete turn with two steps and a dab step. Because the centrifugal force would be too great during the fast turn, the dance is not done in the normal dance posture. To make it easier for the lady to hold on, she puts her hands around the neck of her dance partner. At the same time, the dance partner clasps the lady’s back with both hands.

Ländlerdance

The Ländlertanz or Landler is widespread in Bavaria. The common folk dance is usually performed as a couple dance and is classified by the movement rather somewhat slower. In the foreground is the cheerful character, because the dancing is often accompanied by Gstanzl singing, yodeling, clapping or stomping. It is not uncommon for individual dance steps to be improvised.

Schuhplatteln shoe shaking

Schuhplatteln is without a doubt one of the most distinctive Bavarian dance forms. The word “Schuhplatteln” is derived from the fact that the dancer beats rhythmically on the sole of his shoe with his hands. Nowadays, the “Platteln” is practiced in many communities by traditional costume associations for the cultivation of customs.

In the pure Burschenplattler the men perform a kind of courtship dance without a woman, the older version of the Plattler are couple dances. In combination with the Dirndldrahn is plated, while the woman continues to turn in time and is only collected again for the final round dance. While in the past the Plattler moved completely freely to the country melody and showed figures, alternately slapping his thighs, knees and the soles of his feet, clapping his hands and stamping his feet on the wooden floor, today people dance exactly to the music. With the founding of the mountain costume clubs from 1880 onwards, this couple dance developed into a precisely defined show dance, in which synchronous platters and dances are performed to the rhythm of the music. This accuracy is evaluated in the Preisplatteln within the club and in the course of a Gautrachtenfest also across clubs.