Kostursko Oro

KOSTURSKO ORO
Macedonian-Greek

PRONUNCIATION: kohs-TOORS-koh OH-roh

TRANSLATION: Dance from Kostur. Kostur is the Slavic name for the town of Kastoria in Northern Greece near the Albanian and Macedonian borders.

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from John Filcich who learned it from Sveta Kosta, a native of Kastoria (Kostur), now living in the United States. The dance was popular when she was a young girl in Greek Macedonia.

BACKGROUND: Although the original dance title and melody are unknown, Mr. Filcich named the dance for the town of Kastoria (Kostur), located on the shore of the lake by the same name in Greek Macedonia. After World War I, an estimated 1.25 million Turkish subjects of Greek extraction moved to Greece. Within a generation, most of the refugees, who had been townsmen, had been assimilated into their new homeland as farmers, although many drifted to the towns. Today, Greek Macedonia is farmed largely by refugee descendants, and business has been enlivened by the skills learned in the Middle East by these Greek immigrants from Turkey.

MUSIC: Express (45rpm) E-208
Folkdance Underground (LP) FU-1
Folkdance Underground (LP) FU-3
Sperry (45rpm) KB-6101
Sperry (45rpm) E3-KB-6105
XOPO (45rpm) X-317
Folkraft (45rpm) 1561x45-A
Geisler, Richard. "Kostursko Oro" (sheet music), The Yugoslav 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 at shldr level in "W" pos, hands slightly fwd.

METER/RHYTHM: 7/8. The rhythm is quick-slow (3 + 4 = 7) counted here in two dancer's beats with the second being the longer.

STEPS/STYLE: Body is relaxed but proudly erect.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION - None.

THE DANCE

1 Facing slightly R and moving in LOD step R (ct 1); step L (ct 2);

2 Turning to face ctr step swd R (ct 1); step L next to R (ct 2);

3 Step bwd R (ct 1); touch L next to R (ct 2);

4 Step swd L (ct 1); step R behind L (ct 2);

5 Step swd L (ct 1); bring R near the L in a somewhat back-to-front CW circular movement close to the floor before turning to face slightly R and, moving in LOD, step R (ct 2);

6 Step L (ct 1); pivoting to face ctr, touch R next to L (ct 2).

Repeat entire dance from beg.

KOSTURSKO ORO
Macedonia, Greece

Dodek je moma pri majka,
Do tu je bela i crvna.
Do tu je odila šetala,
Mominski pesni pejala.

Mominski pesni pejala,
Mominski ora igrala.
Godi se, zacrnela se,
Oženi se, zakopa se.

A što se svekor svekrva,
Tova je crno crnilo,
A što se dever i zova,
Tova je žolto žoltilo.

A što se mlkita deca,
Tova se sitni zindžiri,
A što je kitka šarena,
Tova je prvoto libe. While a girl lives with her mother,
She is fair and rosy.
She goes walking,
She sings girls' songs.

She sings girls' songs,
Dance girls' dances.
She gets engaged, turns black (unhappy),
Gets married, is buried.

And what are father-in-law, mother-in-law?
They are black ink (unhappiness).
And what are brother-in-law and sister-in-law?
They are yellow dye (sickness).

And what are the little children?
They are little chains.
And what is the many-colored bouquet?
It is her true love (husband).

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

KOSTURSKO ORO Macedonian-Greek

PRONUNCIATION:	kohs-TOORS-koh OH-roh

TRANSLATION:	Dance from Kostur. Kostur is the Slavic name for the town of Kastoria in Northern Greece near the Albanian and Macedonian borders.

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from John Filcich who learned it from Sveta Kosta, a native of Kastoria (Kostur), now living in the United States. The dance was popular when she was a young girl in Greek Macedonia.

BACKGROUND:	Although the original dance title and melody are unknown, Mr. Filcich named the dance for the town of Kastoria (Kostur), located on the shore of the lake by the same name in Greek Macedonia. After World War I, an estimated 1.25 million Turkish subjects of Greek extraction moved to Greece. Within a generation, most of the refugees, who had been townsmen, had been assimilated into their new homeland as farmers, although many drifted to the towns. Today, Greek Macedonia is farmed largely by refugee descendants, and business has been enlivened by the skills learned in the Middle East by these Greek immigrants from Turkey.

MUSIC:	Express (45rpm) E-208 Folkdance Underground (LP) FU-1 Folkdance Underground (LP) FU-3 Sperry (45rpm) KB-6101 Sperry (45rpm) E3-KB-6105 XOPO (45rpm) X-317 Folkraft (45rpm) 1561x45-A Geisler, Richard. "Kostursko Oro" (sheet music), The Yugoslav 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 at shldr level in "W" pos, hands slightly fwd.

METER/RHYTHM:	7/8. The rhythm is quick-slow (3 + 4 = 7) counted here in two dancer's beats with the second being the longer.

STEPS/STYLE:	Body is relaxed but proudly erect.


MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION - None.

	THE DANCE

1	Facing slightly R and moving in LOD step R (ct 1); step L (ct 2);
2	Turning to face ctr step swd R (ct 1); step L next to R (ct 2);
3	Step bwd R (ct 1); touch L next to R (ct 2);

4	Step swd L (ct 1); step R behind L (ct 2);
5	Step swd L (ct 1); bring R near the L in a somewhat back-to-front CW circular movement close to the floor before turning to face slightly R and, moving in LOD, step R (ct 2);
6	Step L (ct 1); pivoting to face ctr, touch R next to L (ct 2).

	Repeat entire dance from beg.