ČAČAK

Serbian

 
PRONUNCIATION: CHAH-chahk
 
TRANSLATION: From Čačak
 
SOURCE: Dick Crum and Elsie Dunin introduced this dance to folk dancers in the United States.
 
BACKGROUND: Čačak, or Čačak kolo, is the name of many dances found in southeastern Serbia. They are characterized by their fast 2/4 metered music. Čačak dances are often referred to by the town or region from which they come. For instance, Banjski čačak (from Banjska), Godečki čačak (from Godeč), Svrljiski čačak (from Svrljig), and Zaplanjski čačak (from the Zaplanje district) are but a few known to folk dancers in the United States.

Figures 1 through 3 (the "original" Čačak) are often done to a slower 2/4 tempo, as is the stage arrangement performed by the ensemble KOLO (the "5-figure Čačak"). Both the 3-figure and 5-figure versions were taught by Dick Crum. Figures 4 through 8, taught by Elsie Dunin, are usually danced to a faster ("brzi čačak") tempo. Figure 9 was added to this description as a result of the "folk process" in action in the United States and as everyone does it anyway, it may as well be documented!
 
MUSIC: Alcon (LP) C2L1S
Balkan Arts (7" EP) BA 1J
Folkdancer (45 rpm) MH 3022
Folkraft (45 rpm) 1479
Jugoton (45 rpm) SY- 22712
Jugoton (LP) LPY-V-722
Jugoton (LP) LPYV-S-60941
Jugoton (LP) LPYV-S-806
Jugoton (10" LP) LPM-1
Radio-Televizije Beograd (LP) LP 1101
Tanz (45 rpm) SP 23022

RECOMMENDED for Fig 1-3 only - Folkdancer or Tanz

RECOMMENDED for Fig 1-9 - Jugoton LPYV-S-60941

RECOMMENDED for Fig 4-9 only - any other Čačak listed
 
FORMATION:Open cir of mixed M and W with hands joined and held down at sides ("V" pos), or short lines of segregated M and W in short lines of 3 to 6 dancers grasping neighbors' belts with R arm under ("X" pos) and end dancers' thumbs tucked into own belts.
 
METER/RHYTHM: 2/4
 
STEPS/STYLE: LIFT: A low hop in which the ball of the ft does not leave the floor.

THREES: Step R in place with heel slightly out to R (ct 1); step L next to R (ct &); step R next to L (ct 2). A repetition would start to L with L heel turned out.

LIFT-STEP-STEP: Lift on L (ct 1); small step R swd (ct &); step L next to R (ct 2).

The leader calls the figures. The figures progress nicely from 1 through 9 and often leaders call them in that order at first, then call their favorites in mixed order until the end of the music.
 
MEASMOVEMENT DESCRIPTION
 
 INTRODUCTION - According to music.
 
I. JEDAN -- (YAY-dahn), "one" -- (BASIC)
 
1Step R swd (ct 1); step L across in back of R (ct 2);
2Step R swd (ct 1); step L across in back of R (ct 2);
 
3Step R slightly swd (ct 1); Lift on R (ct 2);
 
4Step slightly bwd L (ct 1); Lift on L (ct 2);
 
5Step strongly fwd R (ct 1); hop R bringing L knee high in front and shldrs back (ct 2);
6Step slightly bwd L (ct 1); step slightly bwd R (ct 2);
7Step slightly bwd L (ct 1); Lift on L (ct 2);
 
8Step strongly fwd R (ct 1); hop R bringing L knee high in front and shldrs back (ct 2);
9Step slightly bwd L (ct 1); step slightly bwd R (ct 2);
10Facing ctr, dance 1 set of Threes in place beg L (cts 1&2).
 
II. DVA -- (DVAH), "two" -- (THREES)
 
1Facing diag R and moving to R, run RLR (cts 1&2);
2Run LRL (cts 1&2);
 
3-5Facing ctr, dance 3 sets of Threes in place beg R;
 
6Facing diag L and moving to L, step L (ct 1); step R (ct 2);
 
7-8Facing ctr, dance 2 sets of Threes in place beg L;
 
9Facing diag L and moving to L, step L (ct 1); step R (ct 2);
 
10Facing ctr, dance 1 set of Threes in place beg L.
 
III. TRI -- (TREE), "three" -- (LOOP)
 
1-2Repeat action of Fig I, meas 1-2;
 
3Facing diag R and moving diag R twd ctr, step R (ct 1); Lift on R (ct 2);
4Step L (ct 1); Lift on L (ct 2);
5Sharply turning 90 degrees to face diag L, strong step R across in front of L (ct 1); hop R bringing L knee high in front and shldrs back (ct 2);
 
6Continuing to face diag L, step fwd L (ct 1); step fwd R (ct 2);
7Sharply turning to face ctr, step slightly bwd away from ctr on L (ct 1); Lift on L (ct 2);
8Step slightly bwd R (ct 1); Lift on R (ct 2);
 
9Step slightly bwd L (ct 1); step slightly bwd R (ct 2);
 
10Dance 1 set of Threes in place.
 
IV. ČETIRI -- (CHEH-tih-rree), "four" -- (KICKS)
 
1-2Facing ctr and moving swd R, dance 2 Lift-Step-Steps, beg with Lift on L;
 
3Step R in place as L shoots fwd in a controlled "kick" (ct 1); Lift on R as L heel is jerked back slightly and allowed to "kick" fwd again (ct 2);
 
4Repeat action of meas 3 with opp ftwk;
 
5Repeat action of meas 3;
 
6Dance 1 Lift-Step-Step to L beg with Lift on R;
 
7-8Repeat action of meas 4-5;
 
9-10Repeat action of meas 6-7.
 
V. PET -- (PEHT), "five" -- (STAMPS)
 
1-2Repeat action of Fig IV, meas 1-2;
 
3-4Repeat action of Fig IV, meas 3-4;
 
5Facing slightly R, step R (ct 1); bending fwd slightly from hips, stamp L next to R no wt (ct 2);
 
6Repeat action of Fig IV, meas 6;
 
7Facing slightly L, step L (ct 1), bending fwd slightly from hips, stamp R next to L (ct 2);
 
8Repeat action of meas 5;
 
9-10Repeat action of meas 6-7.
 
VI. ŠEST -- (SHEST), "six" -- (OMIT STAMP)
 
1-7Repeat action of Fig V, meas 1-7;
 
8Repeat action of Fig IV, meas 8;
 
9-10Repeat action of Fig V, meas 9-10.
 
VII. SEDAM -- (SAY-dahm), "seven" -- (LIKE ONE)
 
1-2Repeat action of Fig IV, meas 1-2;
 
3-5Repeat action of Fig I, meas 3-4;
 
6Repeat action of Fig IV, meas 5 moving bwd instead of swd;
 
7-8Repeat action of Fig I, meas 5-7;
 
9Repeat action of Fig IV, meas 8 moving bwd instead of swd;
 
10Repeat action of Fig IV, meas 10.
 
VIII. OSAM -- (OH-sahm), "eight" -- (ONE STAMP)
 
1-7Repeat action of Fig IV, meas 1-7;
 
8Repeat action of Fig V, meas 8;
 
9-10Repeat action of Fig IV, meas 9-10.
 
IX. DEVET -- (DEH-veht), "nine" -- (ALL STAMPS)
 
1-2Repeat action of Fig V, meas 1-2;
 
3Repeat action of Fig V, meas 5;
 
4-5Repeat action of Fig V, meas 7-8;
 
6-10Repeat action of Fig V, meas 6-10.
 

Copyright © 2003 by Dick Oakes