PAJDUŠKA Bulgarian
PRONUNCIATION:	pai-DOOSH-kah
TRANSLATION:	Strangely enough, for all its immense popularity and diffusion, the derivation of its name is still a mystery. It has no other meaning in Bulgarian and Macedonian than the name of a dance called Pajduška.
SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Balkan immigrants in Los Angeles, California. Dick Crum learned Pajduška in 1951 among Pittsburgh Bulgarians and presented it at the Folk Dance Associates Dick Crum Balkan Institute in March of 1956.
BACKGROUND:	Pajduška is one of the most popular dances throughout Bulgaria. Almost every village or town in the country has its own version of the dance. The dance motif described below is a basic Pajduška. It is also known as Pajduško Horo and Pajduškata.
MUSIC:	Nasha Pesen (LP) NP-595, side 2, band 4 "Gjura Beli Belo Platno" XOPO (45rpm) X-309 XOPO (45EP) XEP-309 XOPO (45rpm) X-325 XOPO (LP) XLP-2, side 2, band 5 XOPO (LP) XLP-3, side 2, band 2 XOPO (LP) XLP-4, side 1, band 4 Monitor (LP) MF 348, side 2, band 1 "Gjura Beli Belo Platno" Folkdancer (45rpm) MH 45-3039 NAMA (LP) 1001, side B, band 6 Slavjani Folklore Society Records (LP) Sla 1000, side 2, band 5 or any other Bulbarian pajduško music. Geisler, Richard. "Sitno Paiduško Horo" (sheet music), The Bulgarian Collection, The Village & Early Music Society, 15181 Ballantree Lane, Grass Valley, CA 95949-7633.
FORMATION:	Open cir of mixed M and W with hands joined and held down in "V" pos. End dancers may flourish a handkerchief or place free hand on hip.
METER/RHYTHM:	5/8 (5/16). The rhythm is quick-slow (2 + 3 = 5) and is counted below as two dancer's beats with the second being longer.
STEPS/STYLE:	HOP: This is actually a low hop (or "Lift") where the ball of the ft does not leave the floor. The dance is composed of hop-steps and step-steps. Alternating between the two, first dance 4 hop-steps, 3 step-steps, 2 hop-steps, and 1 step-step. This pattern is sometimes referred to as the "4-3-2-1" pajduška. HANDS AND ARMS: The hands and arms, which are kept extended and not bent at the elbows, swing bwd about 35 degrees on the second beat of each odd-numbered meas (1, 3, 5, 7, 9) and fwd about 35 degrees on the second beat of each even-numbered meas (2, 4, 6, 8, 10). During meas 5, 6, 7, many dancers lean slightly fwd from the hips.
MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION
	INTRODUCTION - None. Leader starts with any musical phrase.
	THE DANCE
1	Facing slightly R of ctr, low hop L with R extended out and down to R in preparation for next bt (bt 1); step R swd (bt 2);
2	Low hop R (bt 1); step L across in front of R (bt 2);
3-4	Repeat action of meas 1-2.
5	Facing ctr, and with a very quick motion of the R leg, step R in front of L twd ctr (bt 1); step L slightly swd (bt 2);
6	Step R in front of L (bt 1); step L slightly swd (bt 2);
7	Step R in front of L (bt 1); step L slightly swd (bt 2);
8	Facing ctr, low hop L (bt 1); step R bwd (bt 2);
9	Low hop R (bt 1); step L bwd (bt 2);
10	Facing ctr, step R in front of L (bt 1); step L in place (bt 2).
	Repeat entire dance from beg.
Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes