Trojanac

TROJANAC
Serbian

PRONUNCIATION: TROH-yah-nahts

TRANSLATION: A man from the village of Trojan in Western Serbia

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Dick Crum who collected this dance in 1954 from research workers at the Serbian Musicological Institute in Belgrade (Beograd), Serbia.

BACKGROUND: The peculiar five steps of Trojanac and the five measures of melody add interest to this dance from the village of Valjevo in Serbia. Trojanac was seen in the United States in the documentary color film "Yugoslav Village Dances," which toured in 1953. Valjevo is on the bank of the river Kolubara. The houses and little shops date from the 18th century and have remained unchanged since. There are also artisans here such as saddlers, weavers, potters, and even skirt producers.

MUSIC: Fez (45rpm) 701 - this recording speeds up nicely
Folk Dancer (45rpm) MH-3029
Jugoton (LP) SY-1037
Kolo Festival (LP) LP-1504
National (45rpm) N-4518

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

METER/RHYTHM: 2/4

STEPS/STYLE: SYNCOPATED THREE WITH STEPS: Step swd, flexing knees, with heel slightly turned out (ct 1); straighten (ct &); step on free ft next to supporting ft, flexing knees (ct 2); step on free ft next to supporting ft, flexing knees (ct &).
SYNCOPATED THREE WITH BOUNCES: Step swd, flexing knees, with heel slightly turned out (ct 1); straighten knees (ct &); close free ft to supporting ft and bounce on both heels (ct 2); bounce on both heels (ct &).
The ftwk should be kept small throughout the dance.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION - None.

THE DANCE

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

2-5 Facing ctr, dance four Syncopated Three With Steps beg R.

VARIATION I

1 On recordings where the music increases in tempo, substitute Syncopated Three With Bounces (R, L, R, L) in meas 2-5 as the music speeds up.

VARIATION II

1 Some dancers prefer to dance a Syncopated Three With Bounces swd to the R during the first meas rather than the two steps, completing meas 2-5 as in Var I.

NOTE: When Trojanac is followed by a dance called "Svrljiski Čačak," as on the Folk Dancer recording, dancers often dance Var II exclusively.

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

TROJANAC Serbian

PRONUNCIATION:	TROH-yah-nahts

TRANSLATION:	A man from the village of Trojan in Western Serbia

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Dick Crum who collected this dance in 1954 from research workers at the Serbian Musicological Institute in Belgrade (Beograd), Serbia.

BACKGROUND:	The peculiar five steps of Trojanac and the five measures of melody add interest to this dance from the village of Valjevo in Serbia. Trojanac was seen in the United States in the documentary color film "Yugoslav Village Dances," which toured in 1953. Valjevo is on the bank of the river Kolubara. The houses and little shops date from the 18th century and have remained unchanged since. There are also artisans here such as saddlers, weavers, potters, and even skirt producers.

MUSIC:	Fez (45rpm) 701 - this recording speeds up nicely Folk Dancer (45rpm) MH-3029 Jugoton (LP) SY-1037 Kolo Festival (LP) LP-1504 National (45rpm) N-4518

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

METER/RHYTHM:	2/4

STEPS/STYLE:	SYNCOPATED THREE WITH STEPS: Step swd, flexing knees, with heel slightly turned out (ct 1); straighten (ct &); step on free ft next to supporting ft, flexing knees (ct 2); step on free ft next to supporting ft, flexing knees (ct &). SYNCOPATED THREE WITH BOUNCES: Step swd, flexing knees, with heel slightly turned out (ct 1); straighten knees (ct &); close free ft to supporting ft and bounce on both heels (ct 2); bounce on both heels (ct &). The ftwk should be kept small throughout the dance.

MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION - None.

	THE DANCE

1	Facing slightly diag R, step R (ct 1); step L (ct 2).
2-5	Facing ctr, dance four Syncopated Three With Steps beg R.

	VARIATION I

1	On recordings where the music increases in tempo, substitute Syncopated Three With Bounces (R, L, R, L) in meas 2-5 as the music speeds up.

	VARIATION II

1	Some dancers prefer to dance a Syncopated Three With Bounces swd to the R during the first meas rather than the two steps, completing meas 2-5 as in Var I.

	NOTE: When Trojanac is followed by a dance called "Svrljiski Čačak," as on the Folk Dancer recording, dancers often dance Var II exclusively.

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes