Hanter-dro is a native Breton dance from pays vannetais. As the gavotte, this is a dance where the dancers stand firmly and it is a “feet dance” (unlike many vannetaises dances like ridées or an-dro that can be considered as arm dances). Literally, the Breton word “hanter-dro” means about-turn in French. Sometimes named hanterdañs, then it means half-dance.
Hanter-dro is danced in chain, traditionally with men and women alternatively. The round is held by the hand, men having their arms over the women’s one they frame. In our folk-dances, as it rarely has as many men as women, the alternation is not necessarily respected and the position of the arms is more left arm from below, right arm over.
The arms do not move during the dance. The body is slightly turned to the left. This dance is very similar to the Bulgarian Pravo, except of course it comes from France and travels to the left! Dance notes…
