Original text - Engels - Schuhplattler dances are Bavarian and Tyrolean...

Schuhplattler dances are Bavarian and Tyrolean folk dances performed by boys and men who stamp their feet, slap their thighs and heels to the beat of the music. They originated as courtship dances in which the boy sought to impress with a show of vigour and agility. Around 1900, group-dancing (men only) evolved and the steps and movements were gradually standardized and codified.