Trakijska Rŭčenica

TRAKIJSKA RŬČENICA
Bulgarian

PRONUNCIATION: trah-KEES-kah ruh-cheh-NEE-tsah

TRANSLATION: Rŭčenica dance from Trakija (Thrace)

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Marcus (Holt) Moskoff, one of this country's finest gajda and gŭdulka players, who learned this dance in Bulgaria. Yves Moreau taught a variant at the 1989 Ventura Statewide Festival in California.

BACKGROUND: This is a 12-meas Rŭčenica in Thracian style. The Thracian region of Bulgaria has many dance variants called by this same name. It is also notated as "Trakijska Râčenica." Owing to their martial reputation, the Thracian tribesmen were much used as mercenaries by the Greek kings of Syria, Pergamum, Bithynia, and other regions. Thracian mercenaries were always in demand, as they were fierce fighters, especially in rocky or hilly regions similar to their homeland. They were however considered a bit expensive at times, and liable to switch sides.

MUSIC: Bitov (7"EP) B-001;
Westwind (7"EP) WRS-1775.

FORMATION: Short, segregated lines with hands joined and held together at shldr height in tight "W" pos with held forearms close together (elbow to elbow).

METER/RHYTHM: 7/8. The rhythm is quick-quick-slow (2-2-3=7) an is written below in three dancer's counts.

STEPS/STYLE: ČUKČE: A low hop in which the heel of the supporting ft is raised prior to the beat and returns to the floor on the beat.
The style of the dance is heavy with knees somewhat bent and ft apart.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION - None or wait 12 meas.

THE DANCE

1 Facing diag R, step R in LOD, bending knees and leaving L in contact with floor (ct 1); pause (ct 2); Čukče on R as L is raised outward in back (ct 3);

2 Continuing in LOD, repeat action of meas 1 with opp ftwk;

3 Facing ctr, step R swd in LOD as hands are brought down to "V" pos at sides (ct 1); pause (ct 2); step L across in back of R, bringing hands up to tight "W" pos (ct 3).

4-6 Repeat action of meas 1-3.

7 Step R twd ctr, bending knees and leaving L in contact with floor (ct 1); pause (ct 2); Čukče on R as L is raised outward in back (ct 3);

8 Repeat action of meas 7 twd ctr with opp ftwk;

9 Step R bwd, bending knees and leaving L in contact with floor (ct 1); pause (ct 2); Čukče R, bringing L out to side (ct 3).

10 Touching L out to L, Čukče R (ct 1); shifting wt to L while leaving R in place, Čukče L (ct 2); step R across in front of L (ct 3);

11 Repeat action of meas 10;

12 Step L swd, bending knees and leaving R in contact with floor (ct 1); pause (ct 2); Čukče L, pivoting slightly to face diag R and bringing R out to R (ct 3).

Repeat entire dance from beg.

TRAKIJSKA RŬČENICA
(Stojne, Stojne, bjala Stojne)
Bulgaria

Stojne, Stojne, bjala Stojne
Zal jubila bjala Stojna
Zal jubila vak'l Ivan
Vak'l Ivan, vak'l ovčar

Dokato se zaljubili
Toj pri stado ne otide
Toj pri stado ne otide
Stadoto si do obidi

Če otide vak'l Ivan
Stadoto si do obidi
Stadoto si do obidi
Na ovčari hljab da nosi

Kučeta go ne pusnali
Ne pusnali, zalali go
Stadoto si razpr'snalo
Ovčari go zarjukali

Če izvadi meden kaval
Ta zasviri žalno, milno
Ta osmiri kučetata
Ta zav'rna sivo stado

Stojna, Stojna, fair Stojna!
Fair Stojna fell in love
With black-eyed Ivan,
Black-eyed Ivan, the black-eyed shepherd.

While they were falling in love,
He didn't go to be with his flock,
He didn't go to be with his flock,
To look over his flock.

Black-eyed Ivan went out
To look over his flock,
To look over his flock,
And to bring bread to the shepherds.

The dogs didn't let him in
And barked at him (kept him away by barking).
The flock scattered
And the shepherds swore at him.

Ivan brought out his honey-sweet kaval
And began to play sweetly, sadly.
He calmed down the dogs
And brought back the grey flock.

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

TRAKIJSKA RŬČENICA Bulgarian

PRONUNCIATION:	trah-KEES-kah ruh-cheh-NEE-tsah

TRANSLATION:	Rŭčenica dance from Trakija (Thrace)

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Marcus (Holt) Moskoff, one of this country's finest gajda and gŭdulka players, who learned this dance in Bulgaria. Yves Moreau taught a variant at the 1989 Ventura Statewide Festival in California.

BACKGROUND:	This is a 12-meas Rŭčenica in Thracian style. The Thracian region of Bulgaria has many dance variants called by this same name. It is also notated as "Trakijska Râčenica." Owing to their martial reputation, the Thracian tribesmen were much used as mercenaries by the Greek kings of Syria, Pergamum, Bithynia, and other regions. Thracian mercenaries were always in demand, as they were fierce fighters, especially in rocky or hilly regions similar to their homeland. They were however considered a bit expensive at times, and liable to switch sides.

MUSIC:	Bitov (7"EP) B-001; Westwind (7"EP) WRS-1775.

FORMATION:	Short, segregated lines with hands joined and held together at shldr height in tight "W" pos with held forearms close together (elbow to elbow).

METER/RHYTHM:	7/8. The rhythm is quick-quick-slow (2-2-3=7) an is written below in three dancer's counts.

STEPS/STYLE:	ČUKČE: A low hop in which the heel of the supporting ft is raised prior to the beat and returns to the floor on the beat. The style of the dance is heavy with knees somewhat bent and ft apart.

MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION - None or wait 12 meas.

	THE DANCE

1	Facing diag R, step R in LOD, bending knees and leaving L in contact with floor (ct 1); pause (ct 2); Čukče on R as L is raised outward in back (ct 3);
2	Continuing in LOD, repeat action of meas 1 with opp ftwk;
3	Facing ctr, step R swd in LOD as hands are brought down to "V" pos at sides (ct 1); pause (ct 2); step L across in back of R, bringing hands up to tight "W" pos (ct 3).

4-6	Repeat action of meas 1-3.

7	Step R twd ctr, bending knees and leaving L in contact with floor (ct 1); pause (ct 2); Čukče on R as L is raised outward in back (ct 3);
8	Repeat action of meas 7 twd ctr with opp ftwk;
9	Step R bwd, bending knees and leaving L in contact with floor (ct 1); pause (ct 2); Čukče R, bringing L out to side (ct 3).

10	Touching L out to L, Čukče R (ct 1); shifting wt to L while leaving R in place, Čukče L (ct 2); step R across in front of L (ct 3);
11	Repeat action of meas 10;
12	Step L swd, bending knees and leaving R in contact with floor (ct 1); pause (ct 2); Čukče L, pivoting slightly to face diag R and bringing R out to R (ct 3).

	Repeat entire dance from beg.