Viking Fire Dance How to with LOTR Dwarves

Viking Fire Dance How to with L.O.T.R. Dwarfs

It is so exciting that a new Tolkien book has been released this year. I could dance for joy! Perhaps a Viking fire dance fit for Hobbit & L.O.T.R. (Lord of the Rings) dwarfs!

Dwarfs

Dwarfs are both real and legendary. Dwarfism is a real condition that affects 1 in 40,000 children. In the fairy tale Snow White, the dwarfs were children whose growth was stunted by working in the mines. In Mythology dwarfs are predominant in German and Norse cultures. Dwarves are the ancient predecessors to the dwarfs.

Vikings and Dwarfs

JRR Tolkien drew on ancient mythology for each character. His dwarfs draw from the Norse mythology of the Vikings. You could say they are short Vikings. When I was asked to do a presentation at Westercon on the dances of Middle Earth (link), I drew on traditional Viking dances for Lord of the Rings dwarfs.

Viking Fire Dance

The dance I researched for Tolkien’s dwarfs was an ancient Viking dance. I found the re-enactment at the Viking museum in Norway. It is like other medieval branle (brawl) dances. The song I used for this demonstration was recommended by the Norwegian Viking museum. It is “Tryzna” By Stary Olsa. The pattern is not complicated.

Viking Fire Dance How to with LOTR Dwarfs

Dancers commence holding hands in a circle.
Together everyone dances a chasse to the left (1-side left foot, 2-close right foot to left foot,)
Dance a single with kick to left (side left foot, 4-kick right foot)
Dance a single with kick to right. (right foot side step and a 6- left foot kick)
Repeat this sequence to the end of the song.

Our film location was at Adventures in dance. Located in in the Woodlawn shopping center in what was once the old Fox Movie Theater in historic Littleton Colorado. Follow the stairs to the super-secret second floor where Adventures in Dance has its home.