Det store afdans(k)ningsbal?

Abstract

The Great (Danish) Dance Ball: Post-National Tendencies in Communal Singing Since the 1990’s, social theorists have identified a number of so-called post-national tendencies which show how the concept of the nation-state have been challenged due to, among other things, the advert of globalization. The article argues that such tendencies have also affected the culture of communal singing in Denmark during the 21st century. Even though the act of singing national songs together is still very much alive to this day, it seems that a growing number of Danish citizens have experienced a growing unease or even embarassment related to the celebration of the nation through national songs (”fædrelandssange”). Taking its departure from various approaches to communal singing, such incidents are registered and discussed in the article. This is also the case for a number of identifiable counter-tendencies, revealing a gap between the two practices of, respectively, celebrating the nation in song and distancing oneself from it. Finally, the article askes whether post-national phenomenons will prove able to challenge and perhaps alter the hegemonic nation-building discourse of communal singing in the future.