VRANJANKA

Serbian

 
PRONUNCIATION: VRAHN-yahn-kah
 
TRANSLATION: From Vranje
 
SOURCE: Dick Crum introduce the dance described below to folk dancers in the United States. Dennis Boxell and Anatol Joukowsky also introduced dances by the same name.
 
BACKGROUND: The dance comes from Vranje, a town in southern Serbia. The most popular tune for the dance is Šano Dušo, meaning "Shana, dear." It is also danced to the tune Belo Lenče.
 
MUSIC: Folkdancer (45rpm) MH 45-3020 (Šano Dušo);
Folkraft (45rpm) 1493x45 (Šano Dušo);

XOPO (45rpm) X-314 (Šano Dušo);
Monitor (LP) MF 356, side 1, band 1 (Šano Dušo);
Festival (LP) FLP-1505 (Belo Lenče);
Festival (45rpm) FEP-101 (Belo Lenče);
 
FORMATION: Open cir of mixed M and W with hands joined and held up in modified "W" pos: hands extended fwd at shldr level with arms gently curved.
 
METER/RHYTHM: 7/8, sometimes played stangely in 3/4), the slow-quick-quick rhythm (3-2-2=7) noted in dancer's counts below as 1,2,3.
 
STEPS/STYLE: The body, leaning bwd slightly to conteract the extended arms, is relaxed, the flexing of the knees giving a lnguorous feeling to the shldrs and arms.
 

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

 
  INTRODUCTION
 
  None.
 
  THE DANCE
 
1 Step R swd (ct 1), rise slightly on R as L is brought in front of R (ct 2); step L across in front of R (ct 3);
2 Step R swd with heel slightly turned out to R, body facing slightly L, and at same time flex R knee (ct 1); touch L ft slightly fwd to L and flex knees twice (cts 2,3);
3 Repeat action of meas 2 to L with opp ftwk;
4 Repeat action of meas 2;
5 Step L in place (ct 1); step on ball of R in back of L (ct 2); step L in place (ct 3).
 
  Repeat entire dance from beg.
 

Copyright © 2003 by Dick Oakes