Indeed, although Nordic dance culture may appear to be unified, it remains diverse, demonstrating geographical differences in presentation and informed by local heritage. On a basic level, this can be observed in the naming and interpretation of specific choreography – the mazurka in Norway was not danced in the same way as the Swedish mazurka and in some Southern regions of Sweden, it was even called the polska.
The latter in particular has been one of the most consistent methods of movement in traditional Swedish dance. Originally, roots are traced to the influence of the Polish courts during the 17th century but today, the polska, or Norwegian pols, continues to be danced socially within certain Scandinavian regions. In the North, this vigorous folkdance has remained the most prominent of all the traditional dances, with individual styles having been passed down through generations and from neighbour to neighbour. Out of several hundred versions, there are considered to be three styles of the polska danced today, predominantly by the Swedish, filtering into their most well-known national dance, the hambo.
For the Norwegians, dance culture also originated from traditional ritual, developing from dances in villages and town squares, with the bygdedans being one of the oldest and most distinctive examples. The basic steps for the bygdedans consisted of a walking move with a running move – termed a springer – but naturally, as with all Scandinavian dances, slight variations between regions have evolved through time. An additional example of the traditional roots of modern dance culture would be the gammaldans, a set of Nordic dances that remain popular today, often even being taught to young children in schools.
It is from within the famously most elegant form of dance however, that Scandinavian dance culture has been able to showcase its pedigree and skill. With Russia achieving enormous success and proudly showcasing its legendary Bolshoi and Mariinksy theatre dancing troupes, Nordic ballet struggled to receive equivalent international acclaim. Increasingly however, over the last two centuries, Sweden, Iceland and Denmark have shown that they also possess a strong and deep-rooted ballet culture. Indeed, the Royal Danish Ballet dates back to 1748 whilst the Royal Swedish Ballet was founded in 1773.

On the Scandinavian Stage: Exploring Nordic dance culture

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