Zaječarka

ZAJEČARKA
Serbia

PRONUNCIATION: ZAH-yeh-chahr-kah

TRANSLATION: Dance named for Zaječar. Zaječarka, Sarajevka, Niševljanka, and Bitoljka were composed in celebration of the liberation of Bitola from the Turks.

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Dennis Boxell. Dick Crum, Rickey Holden, and George Tomov also have taught this dance.

BACKGROUND: Zaječar is a large town in central Serbia, about 11 kilometers from the border with Western Bulgaria. Zaječar is the center of a large minority of Romanian-speaking "Vlachs." Bitola, in South Macedonia, was formerly called Monastir city. It is a commercial and industrial center for the surrounding agricultural area. Bitola was a major agricultural center in Roman times. Later settled by Slavs, it became a bishopric in the 11th century. In 1395, the Turks conquered Bitola, which became an important military and commercial center in the 15th and 16th centuries. The city suffered much damage during the Balkan Wars (during which the Serbs took it from the Turks) and in World War I. Bitola is noted for its numerous mosques, churches, and a former Turkish market.

MUSIC: Folkraft (45rpm) 1532x45 B
Folk Dancer (45rpm) MH 1013 A

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

METER/RHYTHM: 2/4

STEPS/STYLE: PAS-DE-BASQUE: Step L^R swd (ct 1); step R^L across in front, in back, or next to L^R (ct &); step L^R back in place, bending knee slightly (ct 2).
STEP-TOUCH: Step R^R (ct 1), close and touch L^R next to R^L without taking wt (ct 2).
Note that Dick Crum taught the second Fig with the hands raised which is meant to be characteristic of the movements of the Vlachs.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

THE DANCE

I. Fast Part

1 Facing slightly and moving R, run R (ct 1), run L (ct 2),

2-4 Turning to face ctr, three PAS DE BASQUE steps (R,L,R),

5-8 Repeat action of meas 1-4, reversing dir and ftwk.

II. Slow Part

9 Facing slightly and moving R, walk R (ct 1), walk L (ct 2),

10-12 Turning to face ctr, three STEP-TOUCH steps (R,L,R),

13-16 Repeat action of meas 9-12, reversing dir and ftwk.

Repeat entire dance from beg.

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

ZAJEČARKA Serbia

PRONUNCIATION:	ZAH-yeh-chahr-kah

TRANSLATION:	Dance named for Zaječar. Zaječarka, Sarajevka, Niševljanka, and Bitoljka were composed in celebration of the liberation of Bitola from the Turks.

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Dennis Boxell. Dick Crum, Rickey Holden, and George Tomov also have taught this dance.

BACKGROUND:	Zaječar is a large town in central Serbia, about 11 kilometers from the border with Western Bulgaria. Zaječar is the center of a large minority of Romanian-speaking "Vlachs." Bitola, in South Macedonia, was formerly called Monastir city. It is a commercial and industrial center for the surrounding agricultural area. Bitola was a major agricultural center in Roman times. Later settled by Slavs, it became a bishopric in the 11th century. In 1395, the Turks conquered Bitola, which became an important military and commercial center in the 15th and 16th centuries. The city suffered much damage during the Balkan Wars (during which the Serbs took it from the Turks) and in World War I. Bitola is noted for its numerous mosques, churches, and a former Turkish market.

MUSIC:	Folkraft (45rpm) 1532x45 B Folk Dancer (45rpm) MH 1013 A

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

METER/RHYTHM:	2/4

STEPS/STYLE:	PAS-DE-BASQUE: Step L^R swd (ct 1); step R^L across in front, in back, or next to L^R (ct &); step L^R back in place, bending knee slightly (ct 2). STEP-TOUCH: Step R^R (ct 1), close and touch L^R next to R^L without taking wt (ct 2). Note that Dick Crum taught the second Fig with the hands raised which is meant to be characteristic of the movements of the Vlachs.

MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	THE DANCE

I.	Fast Part

1	Facing slightly and moving R, run R (ct 1), run L (ct 2),
2-4	Turning to face ctr, three PAS DE BASQUE steps (R,L,R),
5-8	Repeat action of meas 1-4, reversing dir and ftwk.

II.	Slow Part

9	Facing slightly and moving R, walk R (ct 1), walk L (ct 2),
10-12	Turning to face ctr, three STEP-TOUCH steps (R,L,R),
13-16	Repeat action of meas 9-12, reversing dir and ftwk.

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