New Moon Bride – (Sacred Circle) [Jenny Deupree]
| Links: | |
| Choreographer: | Jenny Deupree |
| Year: | circa 1995 |
| Form: | Closed Circle (Sacred Circle) |
| Skill: | Easy |
| Energy: | Gentle |
| Hand Hold: | V |
| Music: | Kylä vuotti uutta kuuta by Värttinä on the album Seleniko, 1992 |
| Translation: | The Village Awaits the New Moon |
| Meter: | 9/4 = 3/4 + 2/4 + 2/4 + 2/4 phrased: 1/4 + 2/4 + 2/4 + 2/4 + 2/4 ‘&a 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 |
| Patten: | (L,R) (L,R) (Lp,L) (R,Lp,Lp) p=lift & push w/heel |
| Date Taught: | 9/19/2023 |
| Teacher: | Mary Ellen |
A Sacred Circle dance choreographed by Jenny Dupree, founder of Neskaya Movement Arts Center in the White Mountains of Franconia, New Hampshire. Mary Ellen used to dance there before moving to Colorado.
Värttinä (www.varttina.fi) is a female Finnish vocal folk group (three in the current lineup, four in 1992 for the album Seleniko) with an ever-changing lineup of backup musicians and some rotation of the singers as well. They sing in the Karelian dialect of the Finnish language. I happen to have three of their albums, including Seleniko. If you are keeping score of obscure Finnish tunes for folk dancing, don’t forget that the Tokyo Polka is a robot (vocaloid) version of the Finnish folk group Loituma’s smash modernization hit of the old Finnish folk song Ieva’s Polka (Ievan Polkka) and that’s an “eye” character, not an “ell,” as in Eva’s Polka.
This is an arrangement of an ancient Karelian wedding song. It was sung when the bride was coming into the house of the bridegroom. The song tells how the the village (the whole family of the bridegroom) was waiting for the new moon (the bride). Much of the text is related to lines found in Rune XXV (Wainamoinen’s Wedding Songs) of the great Finnish epic, the Kalavala, first published in 1835.
Stanton’s Sheet Music
The village waited for the new moon. They said my brother would return empty-handed when he was off hunting. They were wrong. The eagle caught the duck.
From the liner notes of “Kylä vuotti uutta kuuta” on Seleniko (some metaphors included in the lyrics 😉)
The Carelian wedding used to last many days with ritual songs for every event. This welcoming song was sung by the groom’s sister as their bridal party arrived to their new home from the bride’s home farm.
By the way, if you take a literal interpretation of “waiting for the new moon,” those poor people would be waiting forever to see the new moon, because the lunar disc is not visible from Earth at that stage. Depending on calendar and culture and location, you could call the Waxing Crescent phase part of the New Moon cycle. The New Moon in this case, of course, is the new bride (duck) the brother (eagle) brought home.
Dance & Music
Lyrics
LyricsTranslate.comKylä vuotti uutta kuuta, miero päivän nousendoa. Miepä vuotin minjoavani, miepä vuotin minjoavani. Nouse sorsa soutamasta, nouse sorsa soutamasta. Nouse ilman nostamatta, ylene ylenemättä. Pole jalka portahilla. Toini poikkipuoliselta. Assu hanhen askelilla, taputa tavin jaloilla Notkuta nuoret nisatki, niin kuin tuores tuomenlatva. Tahi kasvaja kataja, tahi kasvaja kataja. Ken tämän toven valehtii, ken tämän toven valehtii, veijon tyhjän tullehikse, veijon tyhjän tullehikse. Eipä veijo tyhjin tullu. Eipä veijo tyhjin tullu. Eikä ratsu jouten juossu, eika ratsu jouten juossu. Notkuta nuoret nisatki, niin kuin tuores tuomen latva, tahi kasvaja kataja, tahi kasvaja kataja. Kylä vuotti uutta kuuta, miero päivän nousendoa. Miepä vuotin minjovani, miepä vuotin minjoavani. Miepä vuotin minjovani, miepä vuotin minjoavani.The village awaited the new moon The world awaited the sunrise I waited for my sister-in-law I waited for my sister-in-law Rise up, duck, from your rowing Rise up, duck, from your rowing Rise without anyone to raise you Ascend without ascending Place one foot on the steps of the house The other on the threshold Walk with the steps of a goose Tap with the feet of a teal Bow your young necks Like the fresh crown of a bird-cherry Or a growing juniper Or a growing juniper Who was it told this lie, Who was it told this lie? That my brother would return with no-one, That my brother would return with no-one? My brother did not return with no-one My brother did not return with no-one Nor did the steed gallop in vain Nor did the steed gallop in vain Bow your young necks Like the fresh crown of a bird-cherry Or a growing juniper Or a growing juniper The village awaited the new moon The world awaited the sunrise I waited for my sister-in-law I waited for my sister-in-law I waited for my sister-in-law I waited for my sister-in-law