Ajšino oro (Albania)

Alternative Names	'Ajšino oro' is the original spelling. 'Ajsino oro' is it reduced to ASCII by missing off the accents.
Formation	Open circle. Varying holds.
Dance Structure	(A + B x 2 + C x 2) repeated throughout music.
Music Structure	4 counts/bar, 4 bar phrases.
Pronunciation	"Eye-sheen-oh oro".
Music Speed	95 counts/min.
Music Name	O moj bukuroshe.
Choreographer	Ciga & Ivon Despotović.
Source	Formally taught it (with the partner parts) by Paja & Madelon Milić in Bognor Regis in 2003 but experienced it (without the partner parts but sometimes with a 4th part) in general dancing in evenings in Zetten & Zevenhuizen festivals in The Netherlands. The definitive notes (women's part only, in Dutch) by Ciga & Ivon Despotović are in 'Doe Dans Basics 3'.

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 Paja & Madelon Milić.

It's nationality is a bit mixed. Ciga lists it as Albanian in Doe Dans Basics 3. The music is reportedly Albanian from Kosovo. The style and name ("oro" rather than "valle") suggest Macedonian. Ciga was Serbian but taught dances in the Netherlands. So probably a Macedonian dance choreographed by a Serbian for the Dutch to Kosova Albanian music! No wonder it gets simply called Albanian.

Typically the women's version is done so that is what I have called the basic versions of Parts A, B & C. The man's version has different arms in Part C and optionally has larger lifts etc.. Since around 2010 in the Netherlands a 4th part has appeared, which involves standing unjoined facing acw around the circle and swaying high raised arms R & L with claps. I have not specifically learnt that part and I don't think it fits well with the other parts so I have not included it in these notes.

Style: Upper body firm & upright. Light steps (for women's/default style) of moderate distance.

Introduction

Summary: Start with the melody.

Two bars of drumming then the melody & dance start.

Part A

Summary: V-hold, facing acw. Lift-steps R, L, R forwards. (L touch infront, L touch side infront, L lift, L back), mirror, original x 0.5. Repeat all on opposite feet.

Start

Facing acw around the circle. V-hold.

1	R lift infront with bent knee.
2	R forwards.
3-4	Repeat counts 1-2 on opposite feet (L lift infront, L forwards).

1-2	Repeat bar 1 counts 1-2 (R lift infront, R forwards).
3	Touch toes of L foot to the ground infront delicately.
4	Repeat count 3 but with the L foot to the side infront.

1	Lift L (it is already infront).
2	L backwards.
3-4	Repeat bar 2 counts 3-4 on opposite feet (R touch infront & side infront).

1-2	Repeat bar 3 counts 1-2 on opposite feet (R lift, R back).
3-4	Repeat bar 2 counts 3-4 (L touch infront & side infront).

5-8

Repeat bars 1-4 on opposite feet (i.e. laterally mirrored but still facing acw around the circle).

Part B

Summary: W-hold, facing centre. R lift & across infront, L in place, R close. L lift & in place, R touch across infront & infront.

Start

Facing the centre of the circle. W-hold.

1	R lift.
2	R across infront, slightly bending R knee.
3	L in place, coming up out of the dip & lifting R.
4	R close.

1	L lift.
2	L in place.
3	Touch toes of R foot to the ground across infront delicately.
4	Repeat count 3 but with the R foot to infront instead of across infront.

Part C

Summary: No hold, hands infront of face, elbows up. Facing centre. R side, L across behind, R side, L lift pivoting 180 deg cw. Mirror.

Start

Facing the centre of the circle. No hold. Hands in front of face with palms facing forwards, tips of fingers nearly touching and forearms in line with eachother. Hands are flat with fingers together.

1	With a slight lean to the L (so R elbow is slightly higher than L) head turned R to look slightly over R elbow, R to the side.
2	L across behind.
3	R to the side.
4	L lift pivoting 180 deg cw to face outwards whilst turning the head to the L and switching the lean.

Repeat bar 1 in mirror image on the opposite feet (which, as facing out, continues the travel in the same acw direction around the circle).

Ending

Summary: Face centre, high V-hold.

When the music of Part A suddenly gets more lively, that signals the end is coming. It goes through only half a Part A. There is then a one beat pause, during which turn to face the centre. Followed by one note, during which dramatically raise arms into a high V-hold.

(Actually in Bognor Regis in 2003, Paja & Madelon disagreed about whether to end with arms up or down - and then swapped their preferences. I guess it was a newly being choreographed ending. It seems to have since settled, at least in UK, on arms up.)

Men's styling

Part A: The lifts when travelling forwards become digging kicks forwards (lift starts with bent knee then the knee straightens with the foot pushing forwards).

Part B: Can exaggerate the dip down on the R across into a squat.

Part C: Totally different arms. Start with R hand in front of (10-20 cm) solar plexus with fingers together, flat & palm facing backwards. L hand likewise but behind the body (but palm also facing backwards). When pivoting to mirror feet, switch the arms to mirror too. Do so by straightening arms at elbows, keeping palms facing backwards then flexing the elbows again but with the opposite arms infront & behind.

Partner version

M on W's R side.

Part A: No difference. (But M has to move back into line & all have to regain hand holds after Part C.)

Part B: At the start, the man releases R hand and turns 180 deg acw to face the woman. Do the steps of Part B x 2 facing without returning 180 deg cw until the end of 2nd Part B.

Part C: M moves to inner circle path on W's L side. They dance in parallel.