The Kontredans Avankat, also referred to as annavankat, (Fr. Avant Quatre) is one of the nine most popular dances of the kontredans that are danced in Seychelles. The others include: Avande (Fr. Avant Deux), Avantrwa (Fr. Avant Trois), Men Gos Men drwat (Fr. Main gauche main droite), Dozado (Dos à dos), Laboulonzer (Fr. La Boulangaire), Galo (Fr. Le galop), Final (Fr. Final) and Galo Final. There are three other slightly different kontredans to the first group and these are: Lansye (Fr. Lancier), Polonez (Fr. Polonaise) and Karyon (Fr. Carillon).
I will attempt, in future posts, to describe each one of these dances in some sort of details.
To fully understand the background to this dance, I recommend that you first read the following posts:
What is the kontredans?
The kontredans is defined as the repeated execution of a predefined sequence of figures, carefully designed to fit a fixed length of music, performed by a group of people, usually in couples. The figures involve interaction with your partner and/or with other dancers. The name derives from the French word ‘Contredance’.
The kontredans consist of a series of elegant, bright and rythmic dances that were once popular all around the Seychelles and that are now unfortunately performed only at special occasions and festivals. It is a social dance, and a partner is always required. The dancers form couples with the lady or danm always located on the right-hand side of the gentleman or kavalye (Fr. Cavalier). The couples then form sets of two couples in two long lines facing each other. The size of the dance floor would usually dictate the length of the lines.
Avankat (Fr. Avant Quatre)
In this post, I will attempt to list all the calls and figures associated the Avankat kontredans and then reproduce the calls for a complete dance together with its embellishments. Please note that the calls and figures are not set in stone. Callers can vary the number of figures to be performed or add extra ones as well as making the dance longer by repeating the calls etc… This results in a few variations of the dance. But in essence, the dance still stays true to its name.
I will also embed or link the dance from YouTube and I apologise for the quality of some of the videos. I could not source any videos that were professionally filmed but look forward to being able to access them soon. Let us first look at the meaning and possible origin of the dance.
Avankat– meaning
Avankat literally means ‘four moving forward’. This is because at some stage during the dance all four dancers, from the two couples that face each other, move forward towards each other to almost touching, and then retreat to their original position. There are two ways to retreat. They can either step backwards facing each other or turn their back to each other and dance towards their original spot.
The Kontredans Avankat got its name because the dominant figure of this kontredans is the avankat!
Historical Background
The Avankat derives from the ‘Avant-Quatre’ which is a figure found in’ La Poule’ which is one of the six dances in the set of the classic ‘Quadrille Français’. The other five dances include:
- Le Pantalon
- L’Ete
- La Trenis named in French after the German dance master Trenitz, who invented a dance figure.
- La Finale
- (La Pastoralle) or Saint-Simonienne
I have, for interest’s sake, included below the full description of ‘La Poule’ from ‘Le Carnet de Bals: http://www.carnetdebals.com/danse-quadrille-francais.html. As expected, the description is in French.
You will notice, when you read through the dance steps below, that, to perform the ‘Avant-Quatre’ the dancers make four steps forward, whereas in the Seychellois Avankat Kontredans, it is the four dancers who dance towards each other and the number of steps they make is irrelevant.
La Poule
| 8 mesures d’introduction. – 32 mesures dansantes, répétés deux fois. 1° Traversés. – 8 mesures |
| Le cavalier n°1 et la dame n°2 changent de place en passant épaule droite à épaule droite et reviennent à leur place en se donnant la main gauche. |
2° Balancé. – 4 mesures |
| Sans avoir quitté la main gauche de la dame n°2 =, le cavalier n°1 donne main droite à main droite à sa dame, et la dame n°2 donne main droite à main droite à son cavalier. Le cavalier et la dame de chaque couple, ainsi placés en face l’un de l’autre, épaule droite à épaule droite, glissent le pied droit sur le côté droit et rapprochent le pied gauche du talon droit, puis ils glissent le pied gauche sur le côté gauche et rapprochent le pied droit du talon gauche ; ils glissent encore le pied droit, rapprochent le pied gauche, puis glissent le pied gauche et rapprochent le pied droit. |
3° Demi-Promenade. – 4 mesures |
| Le cavalier n°1 et la dame n°2 se quittent la main gauche ; le cavalier et la dame de chaque couple sans se quitter la main droite vont prendre la place de leurs vis-à-vis et se quittent la main droite. |
4° Deux Avant-Deux. – 8 mesures |
| Le cavalier n°1 et la dame n°2 font 2 fois quatre pas en avant, quatre pas en arrière. |
5° Avant-Quatre. – 4 mesures |
| Les deux couples font quatre pas en avant et quatre pas en arrière. |
6° Demi-Chaîne anglaise. – 4 mesures |
| Les deux couples, pour revenir à leurs places, font une demi-chaîne anglaise comme il a été dit dans la première figure. |
7° Contre-Partie. – 32 mesures |
| Le cavalier n°2 et la dame n°1 répètent ce qui vient d’être dit pour le cavalier n°1 et la dame n°2. |
Some YouTube links to La Poule
The links below offer you a range of versions of La Poule. The versions from the Quadeloupe are interesting to follow through. There are some parts that are very close to our Avankat. (I regret that some of the links have advertisements, please just skip ads)
Quadrille Français La Poule
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWKZEgkCzdQ
Quadrille Guadeloupéen ; La Poule · music only
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIYLCyPoIKM
Quadrille Guadeloupéen à la Française 3ème Figure -La Poule.
Espérence Baie Mahaultienne “QUADRILLE 3eme figure LA POULE” Deux Versions
Espérance Baie Mahautienne est une association de danse folklorique de la Guadeloupe, opérant sur la commune de Baie Mahaut. Elle nous présente sur cette vidéo la troisième figures du quadrille intitulé “la poule” Il faut savoir qu’il existe quatre figures dans le quadrille guadeloupéen
Madi et Kéra : La Poule de Marie-Galante.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_K-2JJ-ZIw
Marie-Galante is a dependency island of Guadeloupe, a French overseas region in the Caribbean.
Some link to Avant Quatre- Français
Avant Quatre du Tregor – Danse Bretonne
Avant Quatre de Legé
Avant Quatre de Paimpol
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Links to Avankat of Seychelles
Two couples dancing the Avankat at the National Museum
Seychelles Brian Matombe – Bell.avi
Avankat– The calls associated with the kontredans.
Below are the typical calls and figures that are traditionally associated with the avankat, excluding all the embellishments. As mentioned earlier, the length of the dance varies greatly among callers who may also add extra figures or who may even change the sequence of the figures.
The calls- Maloumbo
Kavalye a vo plas, serse vo danm. Cavaliers cherchez vos dames et prenez place.
This call requests the gentlemen to find their partner and take their position on the dance floor. The dancers find their way on to the dance floor and all ladies position themselves on the right-hand side of the gentlemen. Two lines of couples are created with all dancers from both lines facing each other. Once on the floor, the dancers may start to gently move to the rythm of the music while waiting for the caller to start the dance. When all is ready the caller then starts:
Danm vire, kavalie frape vo men/ tour demi ron. Dames virez, cavaliers frappez vos mains et dames fait demi-tour.
The gentlemen clap their hands while the ladies turn clockwise and then anti-clockwise in front of them. Just before the musical phrase is over, the gentlemen and the ladies hold hands, to waist height, and form a small circle and dance by themselves, turning clockwise and then anti-clockwise, while staying in their position.
Tigalo Madanm adrwat. Mesdames fait des petits pas aux galop et passez à droite du cavalier
Ladies, make short steps and move to the right hand side of your partner .
Travers senn Anglez (lasenn/demisenn anglez). Formez la chaîne Anglaise
At the end of the figure, above, without breaking the rythm, the gentlemen perform the senn Anglez by using their left hand to hold on to the ladies’ right hand and then they both raise their hands above head level. And, with their ladies in front of them, they leave their original spot and cross over to the other end where the other couple is.
The opposing couple also performs the same figure.
Lasenn/demisenn Fransez. Chaîne Française
They then perform lasenn Fransez, or chaîne Française by returning to their original spot. The ladies will be continuously swirling in front of the gentlemen during this process, with the gentlemen still holding the ladies’ hand over her head. The gentlemen may leave the arm hanging loose or rest on their hips. The couple at the other end also does the same movement and complete the same figure. This figure loosely resembles a chain, hence the name lasenn (Fr.chaîne).
Lasenn de Danm. La chaîne des dames.
This call literally means to form the ‘Ladies chain’. The Ladies from each couple perform a full figure of eight by weaving towards the other couple’s spot, using small quick steps and holding the sides of their skirt, turning around the gentleman and return to her original spot. During that time the gentlemen acknowledge the ladies and dance in their location and do not move from their spot. If this figure is to be done twice then the caller calls ‘ fer redouble’ or ‘redoublez’.
Balanse. Tournez
This figure is most of the time performed at the end of the second figure of lasenn de danm. As soon as the ladies arrive back at their original spot, they ‘fall’ into the open right arms of the gentlemen and they both ‘spin’ clockwise, and at the end of the phrase, the caller will call, arrier devire or vire devire, meaning to spin anticlockwise. The gentlemen hold the ladies with his right arm around the ladies’ waist and the ladies hold the gentlemen with their left arm just below his shoulder. At the same time the gentlemen hold the ladies’ right hand with his left hand, holding her hand up and as if they are going to dance a waltz, although the steps are very different from that of a waltz.
Annavan kat. Avancez les quatres.
The caller asks the two couples to dance forward. As soon as the balanse figure is done, the gentlemen hold the right hand of the ladies using their left hand and hold them about shoulder high and dance towards each other. Once they are close enough to almost touching each other, both couples turn their backs to each other and dance back to their original spot. They repeat this figure once more. Sometimes when the couples perform the second figure, they step forward facing the other couple but move backwards, whilst still facing the other couple. They may also decide to dance backwards towards each other.
Travers Senn Anglez (lasenn/demisenn Anglez). Formez la chaîne Anglaise
Lasenn/demisenn Fransez. Chaîne Française
Lasenn de Danm. La chaîne des dames.
Balanse. Tournez
Annavan kat. Avancez les quatres.
(The above set of phrases may be repeated a few times depending on the caller)
Ron salon. Formez une ronde.
Upon hearing this call all dancers form a circle. They all hold hands with the gentlemen and ladies in alternate position i.e., one gentleman then one lady and so on. They form a large circle and all dancers face inside the circle. But sometime one dancer may decide to face out. All this is done within one musical phrase. Sometimes while forming the ‘ronde’ the caller may also call out ‘atrap lanmen san delase– meaning hold hands and do not let go. The caller may also call our ‘ronn agos/ronn adrwat, requesting the dancers to dance a few steps to the left and then a few steps to the right, before closing the circle.
Frenm balon. Fermez la ronde
This call asks the dancers to close the circle, and they all make short steps towards each other, and then the caller calls out…
…en, de, trwa arrier. Un, deux , trois, ouvert la ronde
…asking the dancers to open the circle by dancing outwards while still facing inward. Once the circle is fully open the caller asks the dancers to repeat once more.
May may a gos/ may may a drwat. Croisez les bras gauches/droits
As soon as the circle is fully open, the gentlemen ‘hook’ their right arm underneath the right arm of the ladies on their left, linking arms at the elbow and circle around each other using hopping steps for half a musical phrase. Then, gentlemen ‘hook’ their left arm underneath the left arm of the ladies on their right, linking arms at the elbow and circle around each other using hopping steps for the next half of the musical phrase. At the end of this figure, they merge straight into the promenad.
Pronmenad galo- Fait la promenade au galop
The gentlemen hold their partner as if dancing the waltz and dance clockwise for the duration of one phrase and then anticlockwise for the next phrase. The steps the couples make though are faster that those of the waltz. The caller may decide to repeat this figure. When the phrase is about to end, the gentlemen let go of their partner and allow them to turn on their own while holding their right hand above their head like they would do in lasenn Anglez. They then all bow towards the onlookers and the dance stops.
The calls for a Complete Avankat Kontredans Dance.
Please note that the length of the dance and the frequency of the calls vary from callers- komander– to callers. I have attempted to reproduce below a popular version from Brian Matombe. You will notice that the sequence of the figures is slightly different to the one detailed above. This complete dance calls also include the embellishments.
Embellishments
Please note also that calls that are purely embellishments as in italics. The Kontredans would be very boring, like the classic quadrille, if it were not for the verbal embellishments. They are calls that are merely ‘fillers’ and not meant for specific figures. They are not essential to carry the overall line of the melody (or harmony), but serve instead to decorate that line/ figure (or harmony) . They provide added interest and variety and give the performer the opportunity to add more life and expression to the dance.
Most embelishements are added when the figure is long, creating a ‘lull’ between the calls. For example, when performing lasenn de danm (Fr. La chaine des dames) which is a long figure and there is a wait before the next figure, it is therefore an ideal space to insert an embellishment.
.
The Avankat Kontredans Calls of Brian Matombe – Bell.avi
Frap ou lanmen kavalye
Frap ou lanmen kavalye
Danm vire kavalye frape
Ron demi ron
Pti galo madanm adrwat
Tyonbo lanmen demisenn an Anglaise
Demisenn an Anglaise/ Demisenn an Fransez
Lasenn de danm
Embellisement- anbelisman
Fer redouble
Embellisement- anbelisman
Pti galo madanm adrwat
Rotinn balance roule
Vire devire
Pti galo madanm adrwat
Ti galo rwa la balans
An avan le kat
An avan le kat menm
Ankor enn fwa le kat
Pazapa- madanm adrwat
Tyonbo lanmen demisenn an Anglaise
Demisenn an Anglaise/ Demisenn an Fransez
Pti galo madanm adrwat
Larg ou lanmen pou lasenn de danm
Anbelisman
Fer redouble
Anbelisman
Demisenn an Anglaise/ demisenn an Anglaise
Demisenn an Fransez
Rotinn balance- roule
Vire devire
Pti galo madanm adrwat
Danm vire kavalye frape
Ron demi ron
Pti galo madanm adrwat
Tyonbo lanmen demisenn an Anglaise
Demisenn an Anglaise/ Demisenn an Fransez
Pazapa- madanm adrwat
Larg ou lanmen pou lasenn de danm
Anbelisman
Fer redouble
Anbelisman
Rotinn balanse- roule
Vire devire
Pti galo madanm adrwat
An avant le kat
An avant le kat menm
Ankor enn fwa le kat
Pti galo madanm adrwat
Krwase sase
sase rwa la balans
sase rwa la kadans
Ti galo daplon mademwazel
Larg ou lanmen pou lasenn de danm
Anbelisman
Fer redouble
Anbelisman
Rotinn balanse- roule
Vire devire
Pti galo madanm adrwat
Pti galo rwa la kadans
An avant le kat
An avant le kat menm
Ankor enn fwa le kat
Pti galo madanm adrwat
Demisenn an Anglaise/ demisenn an Anglaise
Demisenn an Fransez
Pti galo madanm adrwat
Lasenn de danm
Anbelisman
Fer redouble
Anbelisman
Rotinn balanse- roule
Vire devire
Pti galo mademwazel
Tenez vous de la, tyonbo lanmen, Ron salon
Ron salon
Redouble ron
Gos drwat kavalye
Frenm balon san delase
Enn, de, trwa, ayer/ frenm balon
Ankor enn fwa le ron
Enn, de, trwa, ayer
May may agos, may may adrwat
Fer redouble
Anbelisman
Pronmnad galo
______
Post Author’s note:
I have to advise that I am in no way a specialist in music and dance and rely on my own knowledge and limited research to produce this post. I look forward to any contribution that will make this post more accurate and comprehensive.
Sources
The booklet ‘ Lanmisik ek Ladans Traditionnel Seselwa- Ladans Salon / Kanmtole’ has greatly assisted me in this project. Any contribution that would assist in correcting or making these posts more comprehensive will be greatly appreciated.
Carnet de Bals:
http://www.carnetdebals.com/danse-quadrille-francais.html
YouTube
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