179:-like sound). The form of the letkajenkka songs is consistent with traditional jenkka, but where the music is distinctively jenkka, the dance steps are not. Both dances are based on a lightly bouncing and skipping step. A rhythmic component that contributes towards the feel of a letkajenkka and distinguishes a letkajenkka from a regular jenkka tune is a distinctive pattern of either three crotchets / quarter notes followed by a quarter rest or two crotchets / quarter notes followed by a third dotted one in the end of its musical phrases that more or less coincide with the three consecutive hops of the dance steps. Regular jenkkas do not typically feature this rhythm pattern, at least not repeatedly.
201:. This has become by far the most popular of all songs in the letkajenkka genre. It was first recorded by his studio orchestra Rautalanka Oy in August 1963, but was made popular in the October of the same year by a group called Ronnie Krank's Orchestra. His chart topper has been re-recorded approximately a hundred times, and the rights to at least 60 versions of the song are owned by Swedish publisher Stig Anderson. One well known recording of the song is by German musician
25:
979:
917:
253:
transformed into a dance based on the same step, but starting with a left leg lead. This can be seen from the early recordings for TV and in some movies made during the hottest craze. Also many translated lyrics include advice on the steps: "left kick, left kick, right kick, right kick, forward jump, backward jump, hop, hop, hop".
223:
Lehtinen's Letkis made the charts in many
European countries, in Latin America, and even in Japan. There are numerous translations including Russian, Swedish, and Japanese. In 1965, four instrumental versions of the tune reached number one in the Netherlands simultaneously. These were by Stig Rauno,
208:
For versions in other languages, Lehtinen's Letkis was renamed
Letkiss, Let's Kiss, Lasst uns Küssen etc., for easier pronunciation in different languages. The name Letkis has nothing to do with kissing; the idea of kissing was introduced by non-Finnish speakers, who thought that the title of the
252:
from the 1950s. It has been proposed that exchange students returning from the United States to
Finland would have imported the steps of the Bunny Hop to Finland, as they had seen them on the TV show Bandstand. Whereas the Bunny Hop starts with a right foot lead, the Letkajenkka / letkajenkka
425:). There is a scene with people dancing around the pool. The steps are not strictly jenkka, but the music is in the style of letkis. In another scene, Katerina Gogou and Alekos Tzanetakos are dancing a letkajenkka variation as a couple to letkis music. The choreography is John Flery's.
671:
143:
Letkajenkka / letkis is a music genre and a general noun as well as two songs by the same name ("Letkajenkka" and "Letkis") as proper nouns, after which the genre got its name; jenkka, on the other hand, is a general noun, a music and dance genre like waltz.
486:
broke the world record of the letkajenkka line. 1393 persons in blue Nokia shirts stood in line forming the digits "150" when, in a surprise from the management, the music started to play. The previous record of 1354 dancers was held in
677:
308:
The music genre became popular, and many composers around the world started writing letkis music. Examples of non-Finnish letkis music include "La Yenka" (performed by Johnny & Charley Kurt, 1965), Gemelle
Kessler's
315:
697:
422:
220:
Also, contrary to what some magazines and single and long play covers had the world believe, there is no kissing or "smooching" during the
Finnish version of the dance.
701:
269:) so that everyone holds the person in front of themselves by the shoulders or the waist. The steps go as follows (everybody does the same thing):
410:(Sampaguita Pictures, Philippines, 1966, directed by Luciano B. Carlos) features a scene where the song "Letkis" is being played at a club.
147:
The popular music genre and the ensuing dance craze were at their hottest during 1963–1965. Letkajenkka is based on the idea of performing
187:
167:. In the early 1960s some composers thought of writing jenkka tunes for more contemporary bands with more modern instruments, such as
751:
228:
rather than the original
Finnish title. It remained the only Dutch number one to have originated from Finland until 2000, when
89:
61:
724:
108:
602:
338:. Lindström's Letkajenkka was translated and covered in Japanese as Retto Kisu (Jenka) / レット・キス（ジェンカ）, performed by
68:
579:
438:
46:
75:
186:. A Swedish band called the Adventurers recorded it, and it immediately topped the charts in Finland. Later
521:
42:
171:(for a more swing-like jenkka) and amplified instruments like electric guitars, basses, and drums (a more
625:
648:
57:
744:
224:
Gudrun Jankis, The Wild Ones and the Dutch Swing
College Band. All four versions had the English title
190:, a Norwegian artist, recorded a version with lyrics with the bands the Adventurers and the Wild Ones.
1016:
816:
383:
1001:
956:
881:
35:
1011:
698:"VIDEO: Nokialla juhlavat 150-vuotispäivät – henkilökunta teki letkajenkan maailmanennätyksen"
550:
1006:
737:
463:
369:
8:
951:
784:
468:
172:
82:
1021:
538:
472:
433:
213:"kissing". In Finnish Letkis / letkis is merely short for Letkajenkka / letkajenkka, a
152:
931:
335:
229:
387:
377:
936:
319:
168:
966:
436:
and Gyula
Bodrogi perform letkajenkka. The dance also appears in the Polish film
327:
233:
982:
941:
901:
826:
706:
194:
995:
866:
846:
821:
774:
725:
History, discography extracts, and links to
Letkajenkka video and sound files
414:
249:
176:
961:
861:
856:
841:
760:
339:
300:
1–4 may be enhanced by bouncing with the leg opposite to the kicking side.
266:
876:
831:
796:
476:
202:
488:
155:. Traditional instruments for playing the jenkka, a Finnish traditional
946:
896:
262:
214:
156:
282:
kick to the right with the right foot & step back into the middle,
279:
kick to the right with the right foot & step back into the middle,
906:
245:
210:
164:
276:
kick to the left with the left foot & step back into the middle,
273:
kick to the left with the left foot & step back into the middle,
24:
851:
891:
217:
formed by the beginning of the word and adding "is" in the end.
129:
475:) plays the record of the version of Letkiss by Robert Delgado (
446:) and was later released in that version on cardboard record as
138:
916:
886:
806:
789:
779:
729:
500:
482:
in 2015, on its 150th anniversary, the
Finnish telecom company
160:
148:
285:
jump forwards with both feet together (for only a few inches),
836:
811:
483:
132:
421:(Crazy, crazy family) that is directed by Dinos Dimopoulos (
801:
350:
In Finland, the most well-known letkajenkka songs include
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
303:
182:Erik Lindström introduced the genre with his song
993:
244:The steps of Letkajenkka are like the steps of
604:Query for record label Parlophone par 951 (45)
454:). Same tune is also used in Polish tv series
745:
261:The people participating in the dance form a
139:History of the music genre letkajenkka/letkis
519:
978:
752:
738:
627:Query for song title Minne tuuli kuljettaa
564:"This Weeks Newsmakers Around the World".
128:in English and many other languages, is a
650:Query for song title Puhelinlangat laulaa
345:
291:jump forwards three times with both feet,
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
16:Finnish dance; international dance craze
581:Query for record label Sonet t6502 (45)
461:In the final scene of the Italian film
413:There are at least two Letkajenkkas by
994:
733:
458:airing 1965-66 of the same composer.
401:
47:adding citations to reliable sources
18:
13:
653:(in Finnish), Suomen äänitearkisto
630:(in Finnish), Suomen äänitearkisto
607:(in Finnish), Suomen äänitearkisto
584:(in Finnish), Suomen äänitearkisto
14:
1033:
718:
977:
915:
759:
23:
417:that appear in the Greek movie
304:International letkajenkka songs
34:needs additional citations for
691:
664:
641:
618:
595:
572:
557:
513:
288:jump backwards with both feet,
239:
159:, are instruments such as the
1:
506:
419:Mia Trelli, Trelli Oikogeneia
354:Letkajenkka by Erik Lindström
151:music using non-traditional
7:
520:Google Books (1965-04-03).
494:
471:, the protagonist Adriana (
311:Lasciati Baciare Col Letkis
10:
1038:
676:(in Greek), archived from
975:
924:
913:
817:Dances of Universal Peace
767:
323:
384:fi:Minne tuuli kuljettaa
357:Letkis by Rauno Lehtinen
256:
444:Marriage of Convenience
428:In the Hungarian movie
197:followed with his song
346:Original Finnish songs
439:Małżeństwo z rozsądku
957:Ring a Ring o' Roses
464:Io la conoscevo bene
423:el:Ντίνος Δημόπουλος
393:Puhelinlangat laulaa
265:(that can also be a
236:reached number one.
43:improve this article
952:Participation dance
711:, December 12, 2015
469:Antonio Pietrangeli
467:(1965) directed by
702:MTV News (Finland)
549:has generic name (
523:Billboard magazine
473:Stefania Sandrelli
402:In popular culture
193:Half a year later
989:
988:
932:Barmaley Fountain
452:Polish Let's Kiss
448:Polski Let's Kiss
370:fi:Georg Malmstén
367:At the Jenka Show
336:nl:Pieter Goemans
332:Ploem Ploem Jenka
119:
118:
111:
93:
1029:
1017:Dance in Finland
981:
980:
937:Circumambulation
919:
754:
747:
740:
731:
730:
712:
710:
695:
689:
688:
687:
685:
673:San Palio Cinema
668:
662:
661:
660:
658:
645:
639:
638:
637:
635:
622:
616:
615:
614:
612:
599:
593:
592:
591:
589:
576:
570:
569:
561:
555:
554:
548:
544:
542:
534:
532:
530:
517:
325:
318:
169:wind instruments
124:, also known as
114:
107:
103:
100:
94:
92:
51:
27:
19:
1037:
1036:
1032:
1031:
1030:
1028:
1027:
1026:
992:
991:
990:
985:
971:
967:Bernhard Wosien
920:
911:
763:
758:
721:
716:
715:
704:
696:
692:
683:
681:
680:on May 23, 2012
670:
669:
665:
656:
654:
647:
646:
642:
633:
631:
624:
623:
619:
610:
608:
601:
600:
596:
587:
585:
578:
577:
573:
563:
562:
558:
546:
545:
536:
535:
528:
526:
518:
514:
509:
497:
442:from 1966 (en.
404:
398:
375:Helsinki-letkis
361:Doin' the Jenka
348:
328:David Tukhmanov
314:
313:, "Leaf Fall" (
306:
263:Conga-like line
259:
242:
203:Roberto Delgado
141:
115:
104:
98:
95:
52:
50:
40:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1035:
1025:
1024:
1019:
1014:
1009:
1004:
1002:Finnish dances
987:
986:
983:List of dances
976:
973:
972:
970:
969:
964:
959:
954:
949:
944:
942:Ecstatic dance
939:
934:
928:
926:
922:
921:
914:
912:
910:
909:
904:
902:Thabal chongba
899:
894:
889:
884:
879:
874:
869:
864:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
827:Ganggangsullae
824:
819:
814:
809:
804:
799:
794:
793:
792:
782:
777:
771:
769:
765:
764:
757:
756:
749:
742:
734:
728:
727:
720:
719:External links
717:
714:
713:
690:
663:
640:
617:
594:
571:
556:
511:
510:
508:
505:
504:
503:
496:
493:
430:Patyolat akció
403:
400:
396:
395:
390:
388:fi:Toivo Kärki
380:
378:fi:Toivo Kärki
372:
364:
358:
355:
347:
344:
305:
302:
298:
297:
293:
292:
289:
286:
283:
280:
277:
274:
258:
255:
241:
238:
195:Rauno Lehtinen
140:
137:
117:
116:
31:
29:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1034:
1023:
1020:
1018:
1015:
1013:
1012:Circle dances
1010:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1000:
999:
997:
984:
974:
968:
965:
963:
960:
958:
955:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
930:
929:
927:
923:
918:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
867:Kurdish dance
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
791:
788:
787:
786:
783:
781:
778:
776:
773:
772:
770:
766:
762:
755:
750:
748:
743:
741:
736:
735:
732:
726:
723:
722:
708:
703:
699:
694:
679:
675:
674:
667:
652:
651:
644:
629:
628:
621:
606:
605:
598:
583:
582:
575:
568:. 1965-05-01.
567:
560:
552:
540:
525:
524:
516:
512:
502:
499:
498:
492:
490:
485:
480:
478:
474:
470:
466:
465:
459:
457:
453:
449:
445:
441:
440:
435:
434:Mari Törőcsik
431:
426:
424:
420:
416:
415:Mimis Plessas
411:
409:
399:
394:
391:
389:
386:
385:
381:
379:
376:
373:
371:
368:
365:
362:
359:
356:
353:
352:
351:
343:
341:
337:
333:
329:
321:
317:
312:
301:
295:
294:
290:
287:
284:
281:
278:
275:
272:
271:
270:
268:
264:
254:
251:
250:novelty dance
247:
237:
235:
231:
227:
221:
218:
216:
212:
206:
204:
200:
196:
191:
189:
185:
180:
178:
177:boogie woogie
174:
173:rock 'n' roll
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
150:
145:
136:
134:
131:
127:
123:
113:
110:
102:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67:
63:
60: –
59:
58:"Letkajenkka"
55:
54:Find sources:
48:
44:
38:
37:
32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
1007:Group dances
962:Sacred dance
882:Pontic Greek
871:
761:Circle dance
693:
682:, retrieved
678:the original
672:
666:
655:, retrieved
649:
643:
632:, retrieved
626:
620:
609:, retrieved
603:
597:
586:, retrieved
580:
574:
565:
559:
527:. Retrieved
522:
515:
481:
462:
460:
456:Wojna Domowa
455:
451:
447:
443:
437:
429:
427:
418:
412:
407:
405:
397:
392:
382:
374:
366:
360:
349:
340:Kyu Sakamoto
331:
310:
307:
299:
260:
243:
234:Bomfunk MC's
230:"Freestyler"
225:
222:
219:
211:sounded like
207:
198:
192:
183:
181:
146:
142:
125:
121:
120:
105:
99:October 2007
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
877:Mayim Mayim
872:Letkajenkka
832:Ghost dance
797:Ballu tundu
705: [
547:|last=
477:Horst Wende
240:Description
184:Letkajenkka
153:instruments
126:Letkajenkaa
122:Letkajenkka
996:Categories
947:Folk dance
897:Tarantella
507:References
491:in 1995.
408:Jamboree66
406:The movie
215:diminutive
157:folk dance
69:newspapers
1022:Bunny hop
907:Tresenica
566:Billboard
539:cite book
316:‹See Tfd›
296:(repeat).
246:Bunny Hop
188:Jan Rohde
165:accordion
852:Khorovod
847:Karikázó
785:Assyrian
684:July 27,
634:July 29,
611:July 29,
588:July 29,
529:July 27,
495:See also
489:Kokemäki
432:(1965),
324:Листопад
925:Related
892:Tamzara
862:Körtánc
822:Faroese
657:27 July
363:(trad.)
320:Russian
232:by the
226:Letkiss
130:Finnish
83:scholar
887:Syrtos
807:Cachua
790:khigga
780:An dro
501:Jenkka
267:circle
199:Letkis
161:violin
149:Jenkka
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
837:Halay
812:Dabke
775:Adana
768:Types
709:]
484:Nokia
450:(en.
326:) by
257:Steps
209:song
133:dance
90:JSTOR
76:books
857:Kolo
842:Hora
802:Berd
700:, *
686:2010
659:2010
636:2010
613:2010
590:2010
551:help
531:2010
330:and
248:, a
163:and
62:news
479:).
342:.
334:by
175:or
45:by
998::
707:fi
543::
541:}}
537:{{
322::
205:.
135:.
753:e
746:t
739:v
553:)
533:.
112:)
106:(
101:)
97:(
87:·
80:·
73:·
66:·
39:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
