Staro Ratarsko

STARO RATARSKO
Serbian

PRONUNCIATION: STAH-roh rah-TAHR-skoh

TRANSLATION: Old farmer's dance

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Anatol Joukowsky who learned it in Belgrade (Beograd), Serbia, and taught it at the 1958 University of the Pacific Folk Dance Camp (now the Stockton Folk Dance Camp). It is described in his book The Teaching of Ethnic Dance by Anatol Joukokwsky, J. Lowell Pratt and Company, New York, New York, 1965.

BACKGROUND: This dance belongs to the family of kolo dances known as U šest koraka ("in six steps"). The Serbs' forefathers built a rich kingdom during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, then suffered under Ottoman occupation for 370 years (1459-1829). During the Ottoman era, the Serbian Orthodox Church preserved the Serbs' sense of nationhood and reinforced the collective memory of past glory. The church canonized medieval Serbian kings; fresco painters preserved their images; and priests recited a litany of their names at daily masses. Until the nineteenth century, virtually all Serbs were peasants; the small percentage that lived in towns as traders and craftsmen wore Turkish costume and lived a Turkish lifestyle. Until the twentieth century, peasant Serbs lived mainly in extended families, with four or five nuclear families residing in the same house. An elder managed the household and property.

MUSIC: XOPO (45rpm) X-315
Jugoton (LP) C-6211 "Ratarsko Kolo"

FORMATION: Open cir of mixed M and W with hands joined and held down in "V" pos.

METER/RHYTHM: 2/4

STEPS/STYLE: The dance is done with small steps.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION - None.

I. PROMENADE

1 Facing slightly R, step R (ct 1); step L (ct 2);

2 Facing ctr, step R swd (ct 1); close L to R without wt (ct 2);

3 Step swd L (ct 1); close R to L without wt (ct 2);

4 Step swd R (ct 1); close L to R with out wt (ct 2).

5-8 Repeat action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.

9-16 Repeat action of meas 1-8.

NOTE: Throughout Fig I, take small steps and develop a slight tremble of the body with knee flexion.

II. CROSS IN FRONT

1 Facing ctr and moving diag fwd to R, step R, bending knee (ct 1), low hop R with ball of R remaining on floor (ct 2); step L across in front of R (ct &);

2 Pause (ct 1); step R (ct &); step L across in front of R (ct 2);

3 Moving bwd out of cir, step R bwd (ct 1); step L bwd (ct 2); step R bwd (ct &);

4 Step L bwd (ct 1); step R next to R (ct 2).

5-8 Repeat action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.

9-16 Repeat action of meas 1-8.

III. CROSS IN BACK

1 Facing ctr, step R swd, bringing L close to R ankle (ct 1); low hop R with ball of R remaining on floor (ct 2); step L in back of R (ct &);

2 Pause (ct 1); step R swd (ct &); step L in back of R (ct 2);

3 Step R next to L, pointing L fwd (ct 1); step L next to R, pointing R fwd (ct 2); step R next to L, pointing L fwd (ct &);

4 Step L swd (ct 1); step R in back of L (ct 2); step L (ct &).

5-16 Repeat action of meas 1-4 three more times.

Repeat entire dance from beg.

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

STARO RATARSKO Serbian

PRONUNCIATION:	STAH-roh rah-TAHR-skoh

TRANSLATION:	Old farmer's dance

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Anatol Joukowsky who learned it in Belgrade (Beograd), Serbia, and taught it at the 1958 University of the Pacific Folk Dance Camp (now the Stockton Folk Dance Camp). It is described in his book The Teaching of Ethnic Dance by Anatol Joukokwsky, J. Lowell Pratt and Company, New York, New York, 1965.

BACKGROUND:	This dance belongs to the family of kolo dances known as U šest koraka ("in six steps"). The Serbs' forefathers built a rich kingdom during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, then suffered under Ottoman occupation for 370 years (1459-1829). During the Ottoman era, the Serbian Orthodox Church preserved the Serbs' sense of nationhood and reinforced the collective memory of past glory. The church canonized medieval Serbian kings; fresco painters preserved their images; and priests recited a litany of their names at daily masses. Until the nineteenth century, virtually all Serbs were peasants; the small percentage that lived in towns as traders and craftsmen wore Turkish costume and lived a Turkish lifestyle. Until the twentieth century, peasant Serbs lived mainly in extended families, with four or five nuclear families residing in the same house. An elder managed the household and property.

MUSIC:	XOPO (45rpm) X-315 Jugoton (LP) C-6211 "Ratarsko Kolo"

FORMATION:	Open cir of mixed M and W with hands joined and held down in "V" pos.

METER/RHYTHM:	2/4

STEPS/STYLE:	The dance is done with small steps.


MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION - None.

I.	PROMENADE

1	Facing slightly R, step R (ct 1); step L (ct 2);
2	Facing ctr, step R swd (ct 1); close L to R without wt (ct 2);
3	Step swd L (ct 1); close R to L without wt (ct 2);
4	Step swd R (ct 1); close L to R with out wt (ct 2).
5-8	Repeat action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.
9-16	Repeat action of meas 1-8.

	NOTE: Throughout Fig I, take small steps and develop a slight tremble of the body with knee flexion.

II.	CROSS IN FRONT

1	Facing ctr and moving diag fwd to R, step R, bending knee (ct 1), low hop R with ball of R remaining on floor (ct 2); step L across in front of R (ct &);
2	Pause (ct 1); step R (ct &); step L across in front of R (ct 2);
3	Moving bwd out of cir, step R bwd (ct 1); step L bwd (ct 2); step R bwd (ct &);
4	Step L bwd (ct 1); step R next to R (ct 2).
5-8	Repeat action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.
9-16	Repeat action of meas 1-8.

III.	CROSS IN BACK

1	Facing ctr, step R swd, bringing L close to R ankle (ct 1); low hop R with ball of R remaining on floor (ct 2); step L in back of R (ct &);
2	Pause (ct 1); step R swd (ct &); step L in back of R (ct 2);
3	Step R next to L, pointing L fwd (ct 1); step L next to R, pointing R fwd (ct 2); step R next to L, pointing L fwd (ct &);
4	Step L swd (ct 1); step R in back of L (ct 2); step L (ct &).
5-16	Repeat action of meas 1-4 three more times.

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