Bleksäätö

Bleksäätö is a traditional Finnish folk dance from the Häme region, which spans across parts of southern Finland. This style of dance is characterized by its lively and energetic execution, typically performed by a group of people in a line or in a circle.

The dance is marked by a series of quick steps, hand clapping, and sometimes singing. The purpose of bleksäätö is not only to entertain but also to serve as a social gathering, where people typically join in after farm work or during cider production.

Bleksäätö originated in rural Finland, often performed during times of communal labor. Some say that the dance derived from a 17th-century folk dance called "language of the bleck," named after the "bleck" ( Finnish for "to hit" or "to strike"), a colloquial term for the broad side of a two-sectioned ox yoke. The actual origins of the term are unclear, and some believe it may not be directly related to the dance style.

As regional folk dances go, bleksäätö varieties can differ from each other. While the main elements of the dance – its pace, steps, and hand gesture – tend to remain consistent, many bleksäätö performances incorporate their unique cultural flavors.