Strandžansko Horo I

STRANDŽANSKO HORO I
Bulgarian

PRONUNCIATION: STRAHN-dzhahn-skoh hoh-ROH

TRANSLATION: Dance from Strandža

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Marcus (Holt) Moskoff who learned it from the Strandža Folklore Ensemble in the town of Burgas on the Black Sea during the summer of 1978. Marcus taught it at the 1981 Totem Folkdancers Festival.

BACKGROUND: The music of Strandža has connection with the folklore of Thrace but it also has its own local color. The old-time ritual melodies are richer in their asymmetric measures. Young women's spring songs that accompany their calm dances during the long Lent period when the big horo dances are not allowed, are especially beautiful. The ancient ritual "fire dancing" on live coals during St. Constantin and Elena celebration has been preserved in Strandža. The Strandža Mountains have a rich and diverse flora and fauna, unique within Europe. One of the reasons for the abundance of flora and fauna in Strandža is the area's geographical location at a bio-geographical crossroad between the European and Asian continents.

MUSIC: XOPO (LP) X-LP-5, side B, band 1

FORMATION: Lines of mixed M and W holding neighbors' belts in "X" pos, R arm under.

METER/RHYTHM: 2/4

STEPS/STYLE: The "low hop" is a raising and lowering of the heel only.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION

1-16 No action during instrumental music.

I. FIGURE ONE (vocal)

1 Facing ctr, step R swd (ct 1); step L across in back of R (ct 2);

2 Step R swd (ct 1); step L across in back of R (ct 2);

3 Step swd R (ct 1); low hop R, raising L in place (ct 2).

4 Repeat acton of meas 3 to L with opp ftwk.

5 Repeat action of meas 3.

6-10 Repeat action of meas 1-5 to L with opp ftwk.

II. FIGURE TWO (instrumental)

1 Facing diag R and moving CW in LOD, step R, bending knee slightly (ct 1); low hop R, raising L slightly (ct 2);

2 Continuing in same dir, step L, bending knee slightly (ct 1); low hop L, turning to face ctr and swinging R around in a low arc (ct 2);

3 Step R twd ctr (ct 1); step L twd ctr (ct 2);

4 Step R twd ctr (ct 1); low hop R, swinging L fwd (ct 2);

5 Turning to face diag R, jump to both ft together but with L somewhat fwd (ct 1); turning to face ctr, jump to both ft apart with L slightly fwd (ct 2);

6 Low hop R, raising L up in front (ct 1); step L bwd (ct 2);

7 Step R bwd (ct 1); low hop R (ct 2);

8 Step L bwd (ct 1); low hop L (ct 2);

9-16 Repeat action of meas 1-8.

Repeat entire dance from beg.

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

STRANDŽANSKO HORO I Bulgarian

PRONUNCIATION:	STRAHN-dzhahn-skoh hoh-ROH

TRANSLATION:	Dance from Strandža

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Marcus (Holt) Moskoff who learned it from the Strandža Folklore Ensemble in the town of Burgas on the Black Sea during the summer of 1978. Marcus taught it at the 1981 Totem Folkdancers Festival.

BACKGROUND:	The music of Strandža has connection with the folklore of Thrace but it also has its own local color. The old-time ritual melodies are richer in their asymmetric measures. Young women's spring songs that accompany their calm dances during the long Lent period when the big horo dances are not allowed, are especially beautiful. The ancient ritual "fire dancing" on live coals during St. Constantin and Elena celebration has been preserved in Strandža. The Strandža Mountains have a rich and diverse flora and fauna, unique within Europe. One of the reasons for the abundance of flora and fauna in Strandža is the area's geographical location at a bio-geographical crossroad between the European and Asian continents.

MUSIC:	XOPO (LP) X-LP-5, side B, band 1

FORMATION:	Lines of mixed M and W holding neighbors' belts in "X" pos, R arm under.

METER/RHYTHM:	2/4

STEPS/STYLE:	The "low hop" is a raising and lowering of the heel only.


MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION

1-16	No action during instrumental music.

I.	FIGURE ONE (vocal)
1	Facing ctr, step R swd (ct 1); step L across in back of R (ct 2);
2	Step R swd (ct 1); step L across in back of R (ct 2);
3	Step swd R (ct 1); low hop R, raising L in place (ct 2).
4	Repeat acton of meas 3 to L with opp ftwk.
5	Repeat action of meas 3.

6-10	Repeat action of meas 1-5 to L with opp ftwk.

II.	FIGURE TWO (instrumental)
1	Facing diag R and moving CW in LOD, step R, bending knee slightly (ct 1); low hop R, raising L slightly (ct 2);
2	Continuing in same dir, step L, bending knee slightly (ct 1); low hop L, turning to face ctr and swinging R around in a low arc (ct 2);
3	Step R twd ctr (ct 1); step L twd ctr (ct 2);
4	Step R twd ctr (ct 1); low hop R, swinging L fwd (ct 2);
5	Turning to face diag R, jump to both ft together but with L somewhat fwd (ct 1); turning to face ctr, jump to both ft apart with L slightly fwd (ct 2);
6	Low hop R, raising L up in front (ct 1); step L bwd (ct 2);
7	Step R bwd (ct 1); low hop R (ct 2);
8	Step L bwd (ct 1); low hop L (ct 2);

9-16	Repeat action of meas 1-8.

	Repeat entire dance from beg.
Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes