Strumička Petorka

STRUMIČKA PETORKA
Macedonian

PRONUNCIATION: stroo-MEECH-kah peh-TOR-kah

TRANSLATION: Dance in fives from Strumica

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Bora Gajicki, former lead dancer with Ensemble "Kolo," who arranged traditional steps for this dance. Bora taught it at the 1976 San Diego State University Folk Dance Conference, the 1976 Stockton Folk Dance Camp, and at the 1979 Laguna Festival.

BACKGROUND: This dance is an arrangement of steps from the area around the town of Strumica at the foot of the Gradeska Mountains in southeast Macedonia. The word "petorka," meaning "in fives," refers to both the 5/8 meter as well as the five times that the pattern is danced. Strumica is the largest city in eastern Macedonia, near the Novo Selo-Petrič border crossing with Bulgaria. Macedonia remained in Yugoslavia until 1991, when it declared its independence as the Republic of Macedonia.

MUSIC: Borino Kolo (LP) BK-576
Jugoton (LP) LPYV-S-60941

FORMATION: Segregated lines of M and W (although mixed lines are permissable) with joined hands held at shldr height in "W" pos.

METER/RHYTHM: 5/8. The rhythm is quick-slow (2+3 = 5) and is counted in two dancers beats with the second being the longer.

STEPS/STYLE: When the leg is lifted fwd, the knee is extended but slightly bent, and the toe is somewhat pointed.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION - None.

DANCE PATTERN (D)

1 Facing diag R and moving to R in LOD, bounce on L raising extended R to R in LOD (ct 1); step R (ct 2);

2 Repeat action of meas 1 to R with opp ftwk.

3 Step R on ball of ft (ct 1); step L, bending R knee with R ft up in back (ct 2);

4 Still facing diag R, but moving bwd in RLOD, bounce on L, leaving R in the pos in which it was held at the end of meas 3 (ct 1); step R bwd (ct 2).

5 Bounce on R, raising extended L to R in LOD (ct 1); step bwd L (ct 2);

6 Step R bwd on ball of ft (ct 1); step L bwd, turning to face ctr (ct 2);

7 Rise on ball of L, raising extended R fwd (ct 1); pause (ct 2).

8 Releasing neighbors' hands, and beg a complete CW turn to the R, step R (ct 1); continuing CW turn, step L as body faces out away from ctr (ct 2); continue the CW turn as the body pivots on the L to face twd ctr in preparation for the first ct of the next meas.

9-15 Repeat action of meas 1-7;

16 Still facing ctr, step R next to L, bringing joined hands down to sides (ct 1); step L next to R, bringing hands up to "W" pos.

INTERLUDE

1 Lowering joined hands to "V" pos and moving to R, step R (ct 1); step L next to R, bending knees slightly (ct 2);

2-3 Repeat action of meas 1 three more times.

DANCE SEQUENCE TO THE ABOVE RECORDINGS

1 Lowering joined hands to "V" pos and moving to R, step R (ct 1); step L next to R, bending knees slightly (ct 2).

2-3 Repeat action of meas 1 three more times.

D-D (2)
I (1)
D-D-D-D-D (5)
I (1)
D-D-D-D-D (5)

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

STRUMIČKA PETORKA Macedonian

PRONUNCIATION:	stroo-MEECH-kah peh-TOR-kah

TRANSLATION:	Dance in fives from Strumica

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Bora Gajicki, former lead dancer with Ensemble "Kolo," who arranged traditional steps for this dance. Bora taught it at the 1976 San Diego State University Folk Dance Conference, the 1976 Stockton Folk Dance Camp, and at the 1979 Laguna Festival.

BACKGROUND:	This dance is an arrangement of steps from the area around the town of Strumica at the foot of the Gradeska Mountains in southeast Macedonia. The word "petorka," meaning "in fives," refers to both the 5/8 meter as well as the five times that the pattern is danced. Strumica is the largest city in eastern Macedonia, near the Novo Selo-Petrič border crossing with Bulgaria. Macedonia remained in Yugoslavia until 1991, when it declared its independence as the Republic of Macedonia.

MUSIC:	Borino Kolo (LP) BK-576 Jugoton (LP) LPYV-S-60941

FORMATION:	Segregated lines of M and W (although mixed lines are permissable) with joined hands held at shldr height in "W" pos.

METER/RHYTHM:	5/8. The rhythm is quick-slow (2+3 = 5) and is counted in two dancers beats with the second being the longer.

STEPS/STYLE:	When the leg is lifted fwd, the knee is extended but slightly bent, and the toe is somewhat pointed.


MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION - None.

	DANCE PATTERN (D)

1	Facing diag R and moving to R in LOD, bounce on L raising extended R to R in LOD (ct 1); step R (ct 2);
2	Repeat action of meas 1 to R with opp ftwk.
3	Step R on ball of ft (ct 1); step L, bending R knee with R ft up in back (ct 2);
4	Still facing diag R, but moving bwd in RLOD, bounce on L, leaving R in the pos in which it was held at the end of meas 3 (ct 1); step R bwd (ct 2).
5	Bounce on R, raising extended L to R in LOD (ct 1); step bwd L (ct 2);
6	Step R bwd on ball of ft (ct 1); step L bwd, turning to face ctr (ct 2);
7	Rise on ball of L, raising extended R fwd (ct 1); pause (ct 2).
8	Releasing neighbors' hands, and beg a complete CW turn to the R, step R (ct 1); continuing CW turn, step L as body faces out away from ctr (ct 2); continue the CW turn as the body pivots on the L to face twd ctr in preparation for the first ct of the next meas.
9-15	Repeat action of meas 1-7;
16	Still facing ctr, step R next to L, bringing joined hands down to sides (ct 1); step L next to R, bringing hands up to "W" pos.

	INTERLUDE

1	Lowering joined hands to "V" pos and moving to R, step R (ct 1); step L next to R, bending knees slightly (ct 2);
2-3	Repeat action of meas 1 three more times.



	DANCE SEQUENCE TO THE ABOVE RECORDINGS

1	Lowering joined hands to "V" pos and moving to R, step R (ct 1); step L next to R, bending knees slightly (ct 2).
2-3	Repeat action of meas 1 three more times.

	D-D (2) I (1) D-D-D-D-D (5) I (1) D-D-D-D-D (5)
Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes