Pica de peus

Els esclops de Pau

La dansa-sa

La sardana de l’avellana

La solipanta

Napoleó

Volta cap aqui

 

Last updated: 07/01/2016 20:59

 

The songs below are part of ‘Joan del Rui’ The Catalan collection

compiled, adapted, translated and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

 

To listen to music from these songs click on O

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

 

Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home page

Why a separate Catalan collection?

 

My intention in researching Catalan songs was to add just a small number to my original Spanish collection. However it was obvious from the outset that this region of Spain is a particularly rich source of wonderful music and rhythms and before long I had assembled and translated a dedicated compilation of singing games and dances.

 

Many of these had been accessed on the internet in the form of videos. The dances themselves should be self evident from the directions given but I would urge anyone who would like to introduce these songs in the Catalan language to classes of children to illustrate the dances using these videos as a model to copy on their whiteboards.

I have recently begun to sing these songs on YouTube – mostly in translation as they can be found online in the Catalan language!

 

© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved

 

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

·       you must give the original author credit

·       you may not use this work for commercial purposes

·       for any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the licence terms of this work

·       any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder

 

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


The Catalan Collection

 

Catalan pronunciation

 

Spoken Catalan like Spanish is quite distinctive from spoken English. The more distinctive sounds of letters in the words of the songs are provided to aid pronunciation in the guide below. The letters not listed are pronounced approximately as in English.

 

a        stressed sounds like ah (father)                                               as in pa

a        unstressed sounds like a (sugar)                                             as in porta

e        open sounds like e (met) at the beginning or within a word    as in nen

e        closed sounds like e (they) at the beginning or within a word as in llet

i         sounds like ee (feet)                                              as in nit

e        sounds like ay at the end of a word                     as in leche

o        sounds like oa (boat)                                           as in boca

u       sounds like oo (boot)                                           as in una

b       is silent after m                                                    as in amb

c        sounds like c (acid) before the letters i and e                  as in cel

ç        sounds like c (acid)                                               as in canço

g (before e and i) and j sounds like sh (vision)              as in pàgina jeure

g        sounds like h (hallo) before the letters i and e      as in gente

h       is always silent unless the word is of foreign origin

ll        sounds like lli (million)                                         as in llapis

p       is silent after m                                                    as in llamp

v        at the beginning of a word sounds like b              as in vi

rr      sounds like a Scottish r                                        as in carro

v        sounds like b                                                        as in vaca

s and z  sounds like z (zoo)                                            as in casa zero

u       is silent after g and q                                            as in gue qui

x        at the beginning of a word or after l, n, r sounds like sh as in xarop

 

There are many sites on line that provide help with pronunciations

 

Catalan punctuation

 

Written Catalan like Spanish is distinctive from written English; fewer capitals are used at the beginning of each line of verse, exclamation and question marks are used both at the beginning and end of sentences. However, for familiarity I have usually conformed to the English model when writing Catalan verse.


 

 

Els esclops d'en Pau O

 

The origin of this pulse keeping game is to be found in the rituals of the harvest.

 

Find this dance and a passing game at:

http://blocs.xtec.cat/musicaidansa/2009/02/11/1r-els-esclops-den-pau-i2/

 

 

Directions

Make circles of 4-6 children, place arms on shoulders.

Steadily jump right to the pulse of the music.

On the last phrase jump right, left, right in quick succession.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Els esclops d'en Pau fangaven

Sant Joan triava gran,

Sant Pere  li va al darrere

Amb el tripi, tripi, trap!

Wearing wooden clogs so muddy,

Saint John jumped and jumped along,

And Saint Peter followed after

Going trippy, trippy trap!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 

La dansa-sa O

 

Make up simple dances for partner to copy once the first dance is familiar.

 

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voei61GOleE&feature=related 

 

Make two circles one inside the other each child faces a partner.

 

 

Directions:

Verse 1 Those on the inside place hands on hips and hop skip swinging one foot then the other across body.

Verse 2 Partner does the same.

Verse 3 Partners turn and skip round the ring with hands crossed in front.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Vols ballar la dansa-sa,

la dansa-sa, la dansa-sa?

Vols ballar la dansa-sa,

sense mai parar?

 

Vull ballar la dansa-sa,...

 

Ballem tots la dansa-sa....

Will you dance this dance with me, this dance with me, this dance with me?

Will you dance this dance with me, dance and never stop?

 

I will dance this dance with you....

 

We’ll all dance, away we go....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 


La sardana de l'avellana O

 

The Sardana is a traditional Catalan circle dance.

This children’s version is a balancing game that causes great mirth as they try to bob down without a tumble.

 

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozmvy2PJ3gI

 

 

Directions:  

Stand in a circle holding hands.

Walk round steadily and on ‘gana’ and ‘poll’ squat down then immediately rise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


La sardana de l'avellana,

Pica de peus i balla de gana.

La sardana del Ripoll,

Mata la puça i deixa el poll.

Circle round, round the hazel nut tree,

Feet dancing by, dip down with a bent knee.

Dancing round the hazel tree,

Kill all the fleas then the lice will leave.

 


 

 

La solipanta / pallari pica foc O

 

These two songs sung together make a great contrast both in timing and movement.

 

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qn79sXdTDc

 

A line of Joans stand side by side opposite a line of partner Peres.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Ai, la solipanta, que n’és un gran ball,

Que camini en Pere, que vagi avançant,

Que faci una camada per sobre en Joan.

Ah, the solipanta, it is a great dance,

It’s Peter who’s walking, just watch him advance,

Then he’ll lift up a foot that will pass over John.

 

Refrain

Ai, la solipanta, que n’és un gran ball,

Que la balli en Pere i també en Joan,

Ai, la solipanta, que n’és un gran ball!

}x2

 
Pallari pica foc pallari pica foc,

El tio tio tio,

Pallari pica foc, pallari pica foc,

El tio del ninot.

 

Ah, the solipanta, it is a great dance,

And they danced in circles, both Peter and John,

Ah, the solipanta, it is a great dance!

Hot feet are flying past, hot feet are flying past,

Just see-o, see-o, see-o,

Hot feet are flying past, hot feet are flying past,

Just see them spark like fire.

 

Ai, la solipanta, que n’és un gran ball,

Que s’ajupi en Pere, que volti en Joan,

En Pere que salti, que rodi en Joan.

Ah, the solipanta, it is a great dance,

It’s Peter that crouches as John turns around;

Then old Peter jumps up and he skips over John.

Refrain

 

Ai, la solipanta, que n’és un gran ball,

Que en Joan s’ajupi, que marxi en Pere,

Que faci camades per sobre en Joan.

Ah, the solipanta, it is a great dance,

It’s John who is crouching for Peter’s advance.

First the right foot, then left foot will pass over John.

Refrain

With arms stretched out to the side rock gently from one foot to the other. Each Pere walks toward Joan who crouches down. Pere swings a right foot over their partner.

 

 

Rock as before.

Skip round on the spot in line.

Rock again.

 

Hold hands and skip sideways to the right and then to the left.

 

 

 

 

Rock as before.

Each Joan walks towards and round crouching Pere, then squats down for Pere to jump over. Joan returns back to the line.

 

 

 

Rock as before.

Repeat movement of first verse but swing first right then left foot over squatting partner.

 

 

 

 


 

 


 

Napoleó O

 

Sieges and blockades were common tactics used by Napoleon’s armies. The city of Girona suffered two sieges one in 1808 and a longer one in 1909. After failing to defend Girona Spanish troops were sent to Barcelona to break the blockade.

Mocking songs and dances helped to keep up spirits of the hungry inhabitants.

 

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acN6Z3hOEw0

 

 

Directions:

Stand in lines of five to eight hands on shoulders.

First time sing the song all the way through as the leader of each group weaves in and out of other lines leaving plenty of space.

When ‘xup!’ is sung all bend knees together.

At subsequent singings miss out a word and substitute with a bent knee dip e.g. “Napoleó tenia cent….”,“Napoleó tenia….”,“Napoleó ….”,“Na….”. Last time sing all the way through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Napoleó tenia cent soldats,

Napoleó tenia cent soldats,

Napoleó tenia cent soldats,

Marxant al mateix pas.

Allioli, allioli, xup!

Allioli, allioli, xup!

Allioli, allioli, xup!

Allioli i xupaxup!

One hundred soldiers had Napoleon,

One hundred soldiers had Napoleon,

One hundred soldiers had Napoleon,

March on and keep in step.

Olive oil, and garlic dressing, chup!

Olive oil, and garlic dressing, chup!

Olive oil, and garlic dressing, chup!

Olive oil and chupa-chup!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 

Volta cap aquí O

 

A Catalan bird scaring song, traditionally danced around a bonfire on the eve of St. John.

 

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZFfqSfcLd4

 

 

Directions:

Stand in a circle. Walk round holding hands between verses.

Make four little running steps to the right, clap hands four times. Turn and repeat to the left. Second time run round on the spot then clap hands four times. Repeat in the opposite direction. Continue repeating this sequence but change claps; slap knees, slap floor then other parts of the body.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Volta cap aquí, pica, pica, pica, pica,

Volta, cap allà, pica, pica, amb la mà.

Run around this way, let’s go tippy, tippy, tappy.

Run around that way, let’s go tip tap with our hands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

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