Oj devojko dušo moja (Macedonia)

Alternative Names	'Oj devojko dušo moja' is a Latin alphabet transcription by Paul. 'Oj devojko duso moja' is it reduced to ASCII by missing off the accents. 'Oy devoyko dusho mohya' is an English transcription.
Formation	Open circle. W-hold.
Dance Structure	((A1 + A2 + B1 + B2) x 2 + (C1 + C2)) repeated throughout the music.
Music Structure	3 counts/bar, 7 beats/bar, 4 bar phrases.
Music Speed	105 counts/min.
Source	Paul Mulders at the 2010 Eastbourne International Folkdance Festival.

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 Paul Mulders.

A gentle & relatively simple northern Macedonian dance done to a beautifully yearning love song. (The song itself is in Serbian.)

The music counts "ONE-A Two Three", i.e. 3 counts with the first one longer. This is conventionally written in Western music notation as 7 beats grouped as 3+2+2. Parts C1 & C2 are done to the instrumental in the music. The song is in Serbian (it is from north Macedonia which is near Serbia).

It is an easy dance to lead & follow despite it looking quite long when written out fully as below. This is basically just 2 Triple Steps, 3 walking steps & close without weight done with different ornamentations. Part A1 it is done to the R with the walks like a Grapevine with the common arm work. Part A2 is that mirrored. Part B1 is it done with a turn in the Triple Steps and end like a Grapevine without arm work. Part B2 is that mirrored but the turn moved to the walking steps. Part C1 is it done plain to the R. Part C2 is that done again on the other foot.

(N.B. Being Dutch, 'Paul' is pronounced more like the English 'Powell' than an English 'Paul'.)

Introduction

Summary: 8 bars.

Wait through 8 bars of Part C music.

Part A1

Summary: To the R in R & L Triple Steps. R side, L across behind with arms down. R side with arms up, L close.

Start

Facing acw around the circle. Weight on L foot. W-hold.

1	R forwards.
2	L forwards.
3	R forwards. (Some dancers consider this bar to be 3 plain walks because it is one step per count but I consider it to be a Triple Step because those counts are of different lengths giving it a slow-quick-quick timing.)

Repeat bar 1 on the opposite feet (Triple Step forwards starting with L foot).

Facing the centre of the circle, R to the side.

2-3

Feet	L across behind.
Hands	Down to V-hold.

Feet	R to the side.
Hands	Up to W-hold.

2-3

L close without weight transfer.

Part A2

Summary: Part A1 mirrored.

As Part A1 but in left-right mirror image on opposite feet (to the L in L & R Triple Steps; L side, R across behind with arms down; L side with arms up, R close without weight transfer).

Part B1

Summary: Part A1 but turn 360 deg cw in Triple Step & no arm work.

Start	Facing acw around the circle. Weight on L foot. W-hold.
1-2	As Part A1 bars 1-2 (R & L Triple Steps) but releasing hold, turning 360 deg cw during the steps & regaining W-hold. This turn is done whilst continuing to progress acw around the main circle.
3-4	As Part A1 bars 3-4 (R side, L across behind; R side, L close) but without the arms going down & up (they stay in W-hold).

Part B2

Summary: Part A2 but turn 360 deg acw in bar 3 & no arm work.

Start	Facing acw around the circle. Weight on L foot. W-hold.
1-2	As Part A2 bars 1-2 (L & R Triple Steps).
3	Release hold, turn 360 deg acw in 2 (R & L) steps (same timing as Part A2 bar 3) & regain W-hold.
4	As Part A2 bar 4 (L side, R close).

Paul sometimes described the turn as 3 steps instead of 2 steps but that makes no difference to the actual steps, just whether considers the final step (bar 4 count 1) to be the final step of the turn or after the turn.

Part B2 Simplified

Summary: Part B1 mirrored.

A simplification (suggested by Sally Fletcher) is to make it Part B symmetrical by turning in the Triple Steps rather than bar 3 in Part B2 to match Part B1.

Part C1

Summary: Part A1 but no arm work keep & facing & travelling R.

Start	Facing acw around the circle. Weight on L foot. W-hold.
1-2	As Part A1 bars 1-2 (R & L Triple Steps).
3-4	As Part A1 bars 3-4 but continue facing acw around the circle and travelling forwards (so it becomes R forwards, L forwards, R forwards, L close without weight transfer) and without the arms going down & up (they stay in W-hold).

Part C2

Summary: Part C1 on opposite feet.

As Part C1 but on opposite feet (L & R Triple Steps, L forwards, R forwards, L forwards, R close without weight transfer) yet still facing & travelling acw around the circle.