This urban Greek dance is performed to a Turkish song with the same name which became popular among Greeks and Armenians. The dance is a simple Sta Dyo (two step) Misirlou-type dance as seen on youtube.com. Presented by Stephen Kotansky in 2010. View the pdf here.
Aloniotikos
Aloniotikos is a three-measure dance from the Village of Alona in Northern Greece. It is also referred to as Cho Cho or Tso Tso and is essentially a Pousteno/Beranche/Leventikos-type dance in 4/4 time. Another common name is Armensko Oro. Presented by Stephen Kotansky in 2010. View the pdf here.
Černevska Ručenica
Source: Belčo Stanev.
Music: 7/16 meter, 1-2-2, counted as 1,2,3, QQS
Formation: Open circle; hands joined in V-pos.
Notes: Belčo mentioned that this dance is based on women’s Ručenica steps and that
the dance is performed at Easter time.
Presented in 2010 by Stephen Kotansky. View the pdf here.
Gajda from Flambouro
This Gaida is from the Roma (Gypsy) town of Flambouro in the Serres region of eastern Macedonia in Greece. It has an interesting 14-ct pattern during the slow music, and adds 2 cts during the fast music. Source: Dancers from Flambouro, Joe Kaloyanides Graziosi, Yvonne Hunt.
Presented by Stephen Kotansky in 2010. View pdf here.
Glaviniška Kopanica
This Kopanica belongs to a group of well known Kopanici from western Bulgaria. Others in this family include: Lamba Lamba, Plovdiska Kopanica, Ludo Kopano, Bistrička Kopanica, et.al. Kotansky based the steps below on several versions of this dance learned over the past 35 years from Stefan Vaglarov, Georgi Kinski, Belčo Stanev, and others.
Presented by Stephen Kotansky in 2010. View pdf here.
Išu Byala Nedo
This women’s dance was learned from Belčo Stanev.
Pronunciation: EE-shu BYAH-la NEH-doh
Music: 11/8 meter, counted 1 2 3 4 5 or Balkan I 2010 Steve’s Dances CD, Band 13
1 2 3 & 4 5, QQSS+ or QQQSS+
Formation: Closed circle; hands joined in escort hold.
Presented by Stephen Kotansky in 2010. View pdf here.
Kcim
This is a solo dance which can also be perfomed as a solo, duet, or in group form. It incorporates
movements out of everyday life in an aesthetically altered way. Learned from Janet Reineck, Dancers of Ensemble Shota, Kosovar Albanians. The title means “jumpy.”
Pronunciation: KTSEEM
Music: 2/4 Balkan I 2010 Steve’s Dances CD, Band 18 Balkan II 2010 Alternates CD, Band 10
Formation: Open circle hands joined in W-pos. Arms bounce up on ct 1 and down on ct 2. There
can be a slight movement of the hips.
Presented by Stephen Kotansky in 2010. View pdf here.
Popova Kerka
Literally, “the Priest’s Daughter,” this dance comes from the area around Florina in Northern Greece. It was presented by Yannis Konstantinou who comes from a family of excellent dancers from Alona. It is an interesting 11-measure dance which reminds me of Zhenska Raka and parts of Nevestinsko Oro
Presented by Stephen Kotansky in 2010. View pdf here.
Vallja E Osman Takës
This dance is also known as Osman Takas (Samandakis in Greek). These steps are based on steps from the Korce region of Southern Albania. Kotansky created this particular arrangement.
Pronunciation: VAHL-yah EH OHSS-mahn TAH-kuhs
Music: 7/8 meter Balkan I 2010 Steve’s Dances CD, Band 4
Formation: Open circle; hands joined in W-pos.
Presented by Stephen Kotansky in 2010. View pdf here.
Vallja E Gjilanit
This crossing dance (Krsteno) also known as Gilanka was observed at a Rom wedding in “Sutka”
Skopje in 1987.
Pronunciation: VAHL-yah EH GYEEL-ah-neet
Music: 6/8 meter Balkan I 2010 Steve’s Dances CD, Band 7 Counted as “1, and, uh, 2 and uh”
Formation: Open circle, arms in W-pos. Leader can change steps at will and others can
choose to follow or not.
Presented by Stephen Kotansky in 2010. View pdf here.
Vasil’arhontissa
This is a Zaghorisios with a fifth measure added during the first two sung verses.
Pronunciation: vah-seel-ahr-HOHN-tee-sah
Music: 5/4 meter Balkan I 2010 Steve’s Dances CD, Band 3
Formation: Circle; hands joined in W-pos.
Presented by Stephen Kotansky in 2010. View pdf here.
Zajko Kokorajko
This version was learned from Dick van der Zwan and is an interesting Krsteno (crossing) dance form from Northern Greece which takes 10½ measures to complete. The music is a version of a famous Macedonian folk song about a foolish rabbit as sung by Alexander Sarievski.
Presented by Stephen Kotansky in 2010. View pdf here.
