Oxford International folk dance group
Traditional dances from Europe and beyond...
Poseyala Baba
The dance as we know it is a very simple walking dance, is:
Line lead from right, moving right all the time, hands V, starting R, two
steps then two faster steps.
Repeat this twice more
Five steps, then three faster steps making them heavy (like stamps) and
bending the knees slightly while doing so.
Repeat until end of music.
Leader leads the line around the room anywhere that they care to go.
The music and words (in Ukrainian) can be found here. Jessica's Russian friend says this of the song:
"They are singing about an old lady who has hemps seeds and she is
sowing them.
They repeat it a few times.
Then they see a crane and talk about it and say she should put the crane
into a cage.
My friend thought it was a funny song."
Putting the words into Google translate (and guessing that the lines with hyphens are just the way the words are extended in the song) gives:
Folk Ukrainian and South Russian song
Sowed grandma, sowed grandma
Hemp
Sowed beans | (2)
Hemp
Oh, yes hemp!
Hemp-p-p (x3)
Hemp, oh yes hemp. | (2)
How did you get there? (x3)
Crane. Oh crane!
Crane-ane-ane (x3)
Crane, oh yeah crane! | (2)
I catch you | (2)
Crane, oh, yes, Crane!
Crane-ane-ane (x3)
Crane, oh yes crane. | (2)
I put you in a cage | (3)
I'll plant, oh let's plant.
I'll plant-ant-ant (x3)
I'll plant, oh let's plant.
Performed by the Cuban Cossack Choir
Which isn't entirely satsifactory, but seems to agree.