Dance around Europe 1

Ah, my little Augustine

Bear sleeps

Cousin Peter

Dancing ladybirds

Little frogs

Ritsch ratsch

Sarasponda

Snail, snail

Spring song

The more we get together

Last updated: 24/07/2016 16:26

The songs below are part of ‘Away we go’ Round and about

compiled, adapted, translated and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

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To listen to music from these songs click on title at O

To watch the author sing a song click on the title at:

© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved

You are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the following conditions:

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Your fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.

Ah, my little Augustine O

The tune is an old German waltz melody from 1770, ‘Ach, du lieber Augustin’. It has been used for many other songs such as ‘Did you ever see a lassie?’ ‘The more we get together’ and ‘ I’m a Little Dutch Girl’ among others.

Listen to the German version at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzqJmPGoIW0&feature=related

Ah, my little Augustine, Augustine, Augustine, Ah, my little Augustine, everything’s gone. A man came and took it away in a van, So it’s, Ah, my little Augustine, everything’s gone. La la la la, la la la la, la la la la la la. Ah, my little Augustine, everything’s gone.

Skip round in groups of three first one way and then the other. Still holding hands child A moves through arch made by B and C to find another pair. With left foot in front move weight rhythmically forwards and back swinging hands up and down.

Bear sleeps O

‘Björnen sover’, a ‘don’t wake the sleeping bear’ song is sung in Norway, Denmark and Sweden, another midsummer favourite to dance around the garlanded pole. Sing it in one of the traditional languages above which can quickly be discovered on line. The translation below is a loose one.

The circle holding hands walk quietly round one or more sleeping bears. At the end the bears in the centre give a hearty roar as they chase those fleeing the ring. Those caught become the new bears sleeping in the middle of the circle.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8ENXCpKqFc

Bear is sleeping, bear is sleeping,

in his cosy den.

There will be no danger,

if you pass by quietly,

But you must never, never ever,

trust that bear at all!

Cousin Peter O

Anything goes when Cousin Peter comes a-calling. Copy the actions of everyone’s favourite relative in this miming game sung to a traditional German tune.

Listen at: http://music.napster.com/album/songs.htm?albumid=12290772

Last evening Cousin Peter came, Last evening Cousin Peter came, Last evening Cousin Peter came, To say that he was here’ He doffed his hat to the left and right… x3 To show that he was here. He wiped his shoes upon the mat… x3 To show that he was here. He kicked those shoes off one by one… x3 To show that he was here. He threw his coat up into the air… x3 To show that he was here. He danced about in polka dot socks… x3 To show that he was here. He played he was a great big bear… x3 To show that he was here. He made a bow and said "good bye"… x3 And then he wasn’t there!

Walk round them room and knock on the door, wave with a big smile. Walk around the room stopping to take off hat and doff it to the right and left in turn. As above with a new action for each verse.

Dancing ladybirds O

This Polish game ‘Tańczące Biedronki’ is possibly based on ‘Małe czerwone jabłuszko’ a song written by Dorota Jagiełło.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv0twoeRe6s

Children stand in pairs holding hands in a large circle.

Two ladybirds so enchanting, CLAP! CLAP! }x2 Round in a circle are dancing. CLAP! CLAP! Holding their hands together, Sunny or windy weather. Two ladybirds...... First ladybird is jumping, Now ladybird is stamping. Two ladybirds...... }x2 Both claps their hands together, They’d like to dance forever. Two ladybirds...... Off round the circle walking, Each ladybird is calling.

Pairs skip round with partner on the spot, clapping twice at the end of each of the first two lines. Hold hands in a large circle and move to the right. Jump up and down. Stamp feet. Move in large circle as before. Clap hands with partner. Dance on the spot as in first verse. Follow each other round in one large circle clapping as they go.

Little frogs O

Originally a military march from the French Revolution ‘Au pas camara’/ ‘In step comrade’ was mockingly corrupted by the British to ‘Au pas grenouilles’ / ‘In step little frogs’.

It is said that you cannot be a culturally literate Swede unless you are familiar with this nursery rhyme. Young children traditionally bend their knees frog fashion to dance, not a requirement for older participants with stiff joints! It is a fantastic sight to see a whole village performing this, often around a maypole, for the Midsummer festivities. At Christmas it is danced around the Christmas tree.

Try singing in the Swedish language:

Små grodorna, små grodorna är lustiga att se.

Små grodorna, små grodorna är lustiga att se.

Ej öron, ej öron, ej svansar hava de

Ej öron, ej öron, ej svansar hava de

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on9PLzlY0Ww&NR=1

Dance in one circle or two (one inside the other).

Such little frogs, such little frogs, so wonderful to see. Such little frogs, such little frogs, so wonderful to see. They’ve no ears, they’ve no ears and have no tail behind, They’ve no ears, they’ve no ears and have no tail behind, Ku-ack-ack-ack, ku-ack-ack-ack, ku-ack-ack-ack-ack-a, Ku-ack-ack-ack, ku-ack-ack-ack, ku-ack-ack-ack-ack-a.

Holding hands skip sideways anticlockwise. Flap hands to the side of ears and then behind tail end. Repeat actions. With knees bent and hands on hips jump up and down, one behind the other, round in the circle. Repeat dance moving clockwise

Ritsch ratsch O

This traditional Swedish song is sometimes sung at Christmas time for the St. Lucia festival of light but more often for the Midsummer festivities in June.

A number song can be sung to this tune: 1, 2, 75 6 7, 75 6 7, 75 6 7, 75 6 7,

1, 2, 75 6 7, 75 6 7, 73 etc.

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb6vDEwJKig&feature=more_related

Ritsch, ratsch, filibom bom bom, filibom bom bom, filibom bom bom, Ritsch, ratsch, filibom bom bom, filibom bom bom, filibom! Ma Söderström, ma Söderström, ma Söderström, ma Söderström, And little Rose-Marie. They washed themselves in sea water, in sea water, in sea water, They washed themselves in sea water, in sea water so clear.

Sideways gallop counter clockwise round in a ring holding hands. Walk clockwise round the circle. Stand on the spot and mimic what is sung.

Sarasponda O

Music has been used for hundreds of years to ease the boredom of work and to make time go faster. Sarasponda is thought to be a Dutch folk song that mothers sang to their daughters as they learnt to spin yarn, imitating the sound of the spinning wheel. Sarasponda might translate as ‘Sara spun the’. However some words suggest a possible French origin as the Netherlands were under French rule at the end of the 18^th century and the beginning of the 19th.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNhexZKY0NQ&feature=related

Children sit in a circle with legs crossed. Label children B or S alternately round the circle. B’s keep up a low drone of ‘Boom-da, boom-da’ all the way through the first part, slapping the lap as they chant. On ‘Adoray-oh!’ they join in with S. The S’s slap and clap as below. At the end of each singing each group swap roles

Sarasponda, sarasponda, sarasponda ret set set. Sarasponda., sarasponda, sarasponda ret set set. } x2 Adoray-oh! Adoray boom-day-oh! Adoray boom-day ret set set, Ah say pa say oh! HEY!

Slap both knees in time to the music. Clap three times. Repeat Alternately slap one and then the other knee raising the hand up each time Clap three times. Slap both knees in time to the music. Clap high above the head.

Snail, snail O

A child encouragingly addresses a snail in this song; similar verses are heard throughout Europe. The Polish version below refers to a culinary favourite ‘pierogi’, little Slavic pasta parcels filled with potatoes, onions, cabbage and cheese and often served with vodka!

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLKFXZirODI

Find more Polish songs in Karuzela: The Polish collection at the ‘Singing games for children’ home page.

Directions:

Make two or three circles with hands clasped. Each leader takes the line round the inside of the circle until the group is ‘wound up’.

The leader then turns and retraces steps until all are back in their places.

Snail, snail, come show us your horns, Pasta dumplings you shall have, If not then cabbage will do, For cabbage it will make you stout!

Ślimak, ślimak, wystaw rogi, dam ci sera na pierogi, Jak nie sera, to kapusty - od kapusty będziesz tłusty!

Spring song O

The melody of this famous German song; ‘Alle Vögel sind schon da’ written by Hoffmann von Fallersleben can be traced back to the 15^th century

Listen in German at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TED-O8qSr4c&feature=related

The arrival of migrating birds tells us spring has arrived however many such as those below have overwintered ready to burst into morning song as the first rays of warming spring sunshine appear.

Stand in a space.

All the birds are back once again, Listen to them singing; Whistling, chirping, trilling along, Making music in wondrous song, Spring bursts forth as sound fills the air, Melodies so thrilling. . All the birds how cheerful are they, Nimbly hopping, nesting! Starling, blackbird, chaffinch and thrush, Birds are flocking surely for us, Wishing each a happy year, Bringing all their blessings. . Take to heart the message they bring: Live your lives with pleasure. We would like to be cheerful too, Outside playing like the birds do, Singing, jumping, laughter and fun. All of this we’ll treasure.

Fly with big arm movements around the room making good use of space. Skip in a small circle making hands open and close like beaks. Find a partner, hold hands and skip in around on the spot. Move round the room in pairs holding hands while flapping outside arm. Find a second pair and skip round on the spot. Leader drops hands and takes the line of four off round the room waving to other groups as they pass. Lines join hands in one large class line which moves into one big circle. Skip into the circle and back out again. Circle skips round to the left.

The more we get together O

This cheerful little song is sung to the old German tune ‘‘Ach, du lieber Augustin’.

The lyrics remind us of the value of friendship and teamwork. Children love singing each other’s names, use the names of each group in the third line: ‘There’s Lois and Georgia and William and Dylan’.

Try singing this song in different languages, here it is in Spanish:

Lo mas que nos reunimos, reunimos, reunimos

Lo mas que nos reunimos, seremos felices

Tus amigos son mis amigos y mis amigos son tus amigos.

Lo mas que nos reunimos, seremos felices

Watch a dance at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wa3mNgaLeE&feature=related

The more we get together, together, together, The more we get together, the happier we’ll be. For your friends are my friends, And my friends are your friends. The more we get together, the happier we’ll be. The more we get together..... For sharing is caring and caring is sharing. The more we share together, the happier we will be.

Facing partner hold hands. Swing arms and feet from side to side. Still holding hands swing arms over heads and turn around and through to face partner. Join hands with a second pair and skip round in a circle, left then right. Swap partners to make a new pairing. Continue game.

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