Walenki

As you'll have read in the last post, I have been finding out more about this dance. It's "a Russian style dance to an instrumental version of a traditional Russian folksong telling the tale of a young girl wishing to go and see her lover on a cold winter’s day and calling for her “Walenki” (Russian Boots) which have been hidden by her mother. She does not find them, but goes out into the cold anyway knowing her love will keep her feet warm." (HF Dance Instructions).

Here are the lyrics:

Валенки да валенки ой да неподшиты стареньки
Нельзя валенки носить
Не в чем к миленькой сходить
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Ой ты Коля Коля Николай сиди дома не гуляй
Не ходи на тот конец ох не носи девкам колец
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Валенки валенки
Чем подарочки носить лучше б валенки подшить
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Суди люди суди бог как же я любила
По морозу босиком к милому ходила
Валенки валенки эх неподшиты стареньки
Валенки валенки

OK. You want a translation. I found this although I can't vouch for it:

Valenki da valenki
Valenki, valenki
oj da nepodshity, staren'ki
Oh, are not restored and are old
Nel'zja valenki nosit'
It is impossible to wear valenki
Ne v chem k milen'koj shodit'
There is nothing to put on to go to the darling
Valenki, valenki
Valenki, valenki
jeh nepodshity staren'ki
Ehh, are not restored and are old
Valenki, valenki
Valenki, valenki
jeh nepodshity staren'ki
Ehh, are not restored and are old
Oj ty Kolja, Kolja, Nikolaj,
Oh, you, Kolya, Kolya, Nikolay*
sidi doma, ne guljaj
Stay at home, do not walk
Ne hodi na tot konec
Do not go to that street
oh ne nosi devkam kolec
Oh, do not bring rings to the girls
Valenki, valenki
Valenki, valenki
jeh nepodshity, staren'ki
Ehh, are not restored and are old
Valenki, valenki
Valenki, valenki
Chem podarochki nosit'
Instead of carrying gifts
luchshe b valenki podshit'
[b]it is better to restore the valenki[b]
Valenki valenki
Valenki, valenki
jeh nepodshity staren'ki
Ehh, are not restored and are old
Valenki valenki
Valenki, valenki
jeh nepodshity staren'ki
Ehh, are not restored and are old
Sudi ljudi sudi bog
People and God, judge me by
kak zhe ja ljubila
the power of my love:
Po morozu bosikom
during the frost I went barefoot
k milomu hodila
to my darling

Since we are now onto the Folk Song rather than the dance do check out this lovely musical version. Or this incredible version. I bet you you couldn't dance to that!

How about a version that includes the lyrics? Here we go

Well. If you're still here, there's a version with a bass balalaïka and here they tell you how the boots are made! OK Enough!

Back at Glencoe

I have been back to Alltshellach (Glencoe), leading again for HF. I just love this area so much. I suppose there are so many memories from when I led there in my youth.

In the first week I was being 'monitored' by one of the other walking leaders. Having led for HF on four occasions before, this allowed HF to take me off probation. I'm glad to say that it went well.

At Alltshellach I found the Mamores Book where, in the 70s and 80s people had written their attempts at walking the whole Mamore Ridge in a day. These include ten munros:

• Mullach nan Coirean (939 m)
• Stob Bàn (999 m)
• Sgurr a' Mhàim (1099 m)
• Am Bodach (1032 m)
• Stob Coire a' Chàirn (981 m)
• An Gearanach (982 m)
• Na Gruagaichean (1056 m)
• Binnein Mòr (1130 m)
• Binnein Beag (943 m)
• Sgurr Eilde Mòr (1010 m)

In 1977 we started in Kinlochleven at 6am and returned at 10 pm. We did them in reverse order to the above list because, with Binnean Beag and Sgurr Eilde Mor being outliers we decided that the temptation to give up on them at the end of the day might have been too much for us.

I'll never be as fit as that again. Great day out though!

Meanwhile back in 2014...

During the 2 weeks I got to the top of Sgorr Dhonuill (twice), Sgurr Ban, Sgurr Dearg (all on Beinn a Bheithir), Stob Ban and Sgurr a Mhaim via the devils ridge and Meall Breac just across the Corran Ferry.

I also got to walk in Glen Nevis up to Steall, on the West Highland Way, in the beautiful Ariundle Nature Reserve near Strontian, up to Loch Eilde Mor and below the cliffs of Ben Nevis.

Only the first day was wet, otherwise just the odd shower.

Looking North from Sgurr Dhonuil

I met some lovely people and was lucky enough to work with six other really good walking leaders over the two weeks.

Dorothy joined me for the second week. I am hoping this will be a successful formula in future so that we can have a holiday together as well as me leading walks.

HF offer evening entertainment. This might be a talk by a local speaker or something organised by the Walking Leaders. I've been working on a Murder Mystery evening. I tried it out twice at Alltshellach. It seemed to go down well but I'll be revising it based on feedback.

I also called the my first Scottish Country Dance for about 30 years. I'd like to do more of that and I've been investigating a dance called Walenki. Check out this youtube clip but possible incorporating 'stamping' as in this version and extra up and overs as see here.

If you watched all three clips I bet that tune is now stuck in your head. Well I'm getting carried away now so I'll put more about Walenki in another post.

Now I've passed my probation I'm hoping to be able to lead abroad. I do have my Open University Certificate in German although without much use, it gets a bit rusty. However HF really need people who can lead in Italy so I am teaching myself Italian. I'll write that up in another post. Ciao!