| Formation | Open circle. Elephant, V-hold & W-hold. |
|---|---|
| Dance Structure | (A + B1 + B2) repeated throughout the music. |
| Music Structure | Part A 4 counts/bar, 4 bar phrases. Parts B1 & B2 2, 2 & 4 counts/bar, 3 bar phrases. The 4 count bars are 9 beats (2+2+2+3). The 2 count bars are 5 beats (2+3). |
| Music Speed | 180 counts/min. |
| Region detail | From Rhodope region. |
| Source | Ester Willems in the Eastbourne International Folkdance Festival, April to May 2009. |
Disclaimer: Mistakes are quite likely in the notes and no guarantees are made as to accuracy. There may be other versions of the same dance or other dances with the same name. Music may differ, particularly in speed, introduction and duration, between performers. The division into parts, bars & counts might not be standard. These notes of the dance are freely distributable (under GPL or CC-by-sa) in so much as the note's author's contribution but the choreography and/or collection were by other people and so their copyright might apply to the dance itself. Better than using notes, go to a dance class where it is taught by Ester Willems.
A dance with a very complex time signature yet which is actually very easy to follow.
The timing is nominally very complex (9/8 9/8 9/8 9/8 5/8 5/8 9/8 5/8 5/8 9/8) comprising a 74 beats minimal repeat sequence. However that is mostly just down to using Western music notation. It is just a mixture of 4 count (ONE two Three four-a) & 2 count (One two-a) bars in which the last count of every bar is longer than the other counts. I count it "1 2 3 4-" x 4, "1 2-, 1 2-, 1 2 3 4-" x 2. Also the dance exactly fits the counts.
For much more detail of the background to the dance, the lyrics etc., buy a copy of Ester's notes booklet.
Style: Gentle. Low soft steps. Stamps are more like lightly placing the foot down. Slightly flexed knees.
Summary: Intro music then once through sequence.
Wait until the main melody starts then wait through 1 complete dance sequence (A + B1 + B2) of music.
Summary: Elephant hold facing acw. Forwards R, L, R, L. Turn to face centre in V-hold in R, L, R side, L close touch. L side, R close, L side, R close touch. All qqqs.
| Start | Facing acw around the circle. L hand on small of own back & R hand holding L hand of person infront (I call this an "elephant hold"). | ||||||||
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| 1 |
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| 2 | Repeat bar 1 (R forwards, L forwards, R forwards, L close). | ||||||||
| 3 |
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| 4 | Like bar 3 but in mirror image to the L (without needing the turning or arms change). I.e. L to the side, R close, L to the side, R touch close. Side steps are about 10-20 cm & all the steps are low & flat. |
Summary: To front W-hold. R side, L close touch (qs) with arms bob up-down. Mirror. R side, L small stamp x 3 (qqqs) with arms bob up-down x 3.
| Start | Facing the centre of the circle. W-hold (get into this during bar 1) with the forearms nearly vertical & slightly infront of the body. | ||||||||||||||||
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| 1 |
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| 2 | Repeat bar 1 in mirror image (L to the side turning slightly cw, L close touch with arms bobbing up-down). | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 |
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There is a down-up bounce from both the knees & the upper arms on every count which has a combined effect of bouncing the forearms (which remain vertical) down-up by about 5 cm.
Summary: Part B1 in mirror image.
As Part B1 but in mirror image ((L side, R close touch), mirror, R side, L small stamp x 3).