SITNA ZBORENKA Bulgarian
PRONUNCIATION: SEET-nah ZBOH-ren-kah TRANSLATION: "Sitna" means "in small steps." SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Yves Moreau who learned it in 1966 and subsequently taught it to folk dancers in the United States. BACKGROUND: Sitna Zborenka originated in the village of Senokos, Tolboukhin District. Senokos is located about 15 kilometers northwest of Balčik, close to the beaches and the golf courses Balčik. This village has a good infrastructure and many British residents. Balčik is the site of Marie's Oriental villa, the place where her heart was kept, in accordance with her last wishes, until 1940, when the Treaty of Craiova awarded the region back to Bulgaria. It was then moved to Bran Castle, in central Romania. Today, the Balčik Palace and the adjacent Balčik Botanical Garden are the town's most popular landmarks. MUSIC: Dances of Bulgaria (7" EP) DB-8101, Side 1, Band 2 Sheet Music: Vancouver International Folk Dancers Music Book, Vol. 2., Deborah Jones, 1982.
FORMATION: Short straight lines of no more than 8 dancers holding neighbors' belts ("na lesa") in "X" pos, R arm under. METER/RHYTHM: 2/4 STEPS/STYLE: CHUG: Sharp low scooting hop. ČUKČE: Raise and lower heel of supporting ft, coming down on the beat.
REST STEP (Fig III) can be used at will. Number of repetitions for each figure depends on the whim of the leader.
The dance has a heavy marked knee flexion with the upper body straight and proud.
MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION
1-16 INTRODUCTION - No action. I. BASIC 1 Turning to face L, step L, simultaneously tilting upper body fwd (ct 1); sharp stamp R next to L (ct &); facing ctr again, step R with NO bounces (ct 2); 2 Repeat action of meas 1. 3 Turning to face L, step L, simultaneously tilting upper body fwd (ct 1); sharp stamp with R next to L (ct &); repeat action of cts 1& in reverse direction with opp ftwk (cts 2, &); 4 Step L to L (ct 1); stamp R next to L (ct &); heavy step R fwd (ct 2); sharp "chug" R fwd bringing L in front (ct &). 5-6 Repeat action of meas 4 two more times. 7-8 Walk 4 large steps bwd, L, R, L, R. II. LEAP-STAMP 1-6 Repeat action of meas 1-6, Fig I. 7 Leap L, bringing R knee up sharply and near L (ct 1); leap R, bringing L knee up sharply and near R (ct 2). 8 Repeat meas 7 (cts 1,2); sharp stamp L in front of R and pointed to R (ct &). 9-10 Repeat meas 7-8. 11-12 Repeat action of meas 7-8, Fig I. III. REST STEP 1-2 Repeat action of meas 1-2, Fig I. 3-6 Moving twd ctr, walk 8 large heavy steps starting L. 7-10 Moving bwd away from ctr, walk 8 large heavy steps starting L. IV. BRUSH-STEP 1-2 Repeat action of meas 1-2, Fig I. 3-4 Move fwd with 4 large heavy walking steps, L, R, L, R. 5 Small step L, bringing R ft up in back (ct 1); scuff R heel across in front of L, extending R straight and up (ct &); Čukče L, facing ctr and sending R leg straight and fwd (ct 2); brush R bwd (ct &); 6 Čukče L (ct 1); scuff R fwd, extending R leg (ct &); Čukče L (ct 2); step R in place, lifting L knee (ct &). 7 Prance 4 steps in place, L, R, L, R (cts 1&2&); 8 Stamp L heavily twice, pointing slightly L and simultaneously slightly shake shldrs (L shldr fwd on each stamp). 9-12 Repeat action of meas 5-8. 13-14 Walk 4 large heavy steps bwd, L, R, L, R. Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes