Denjovo Horo

DENJOVO HORO
Bulgarian

PRONUNCIATION: DEN-yoh-voh hoh-ROH

TRANSLATION: Denjov's dance

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Yves Moreau who learned it from a Lovnidol villager, Stefan Stojkov, on a research trip to Bulgaria during the winter of 1969-70 and introduced it to folk dancers in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Denjovo Horo is from the village of Lovnidol near the town of Gabrovo in the north-central part of Bulgaria. The dance is popular in most of the villages in the Gabrovo district and is sometimes referred to as the North Bulgarian Četvorno due to its slow-quick-quick rhythm. The first word of the title refers to a man's name, while "horo" is a basic Bulgarian dance type. The horo, or chain dance, holds a central place in the socio-cultural activities of rural Bulgaria. It is mostly a community dance that, until recently, could be observed every Sunday in the village squares.

MUSIC: Balkanton (LP) BHA-734, side 1, band 6

FORMATION: Mixed lines of M and W with hands joined and held down in "V" pos.

METER/RHYTHM: 7/16. The rhythm is slow-quick-quick (3+2+2 = 7) and is counted below in three dancer's beats with the first being the longest.

STEPS/STYLE: PAS DE BASQUE: Step slightly swd (ct 1); step in front with free ft (ct 2); step back into place with free ft (ct 3). This Pas de Basque is done with somewhat raised knees.
LIFT: A low hop in which the toe does not leave the floor.
The steps are light, small, and sharp.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION - None.

I. BOUNCES

1 Facing slightly R of ctr and moving in LOD, step R (ct 1); lift on R (ct 2); step L across R (ct 3).

2 Facing ctr, step R slightly swd (ct 1); close L to R and bounce twice on both (cts 1,2).

3 Repeat action of meas 2 to L with opp ftwk.

4 Repeat action of meas 2.

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

Repeat Fig I until changed by leader's signal.

II. PAS DE BASQUE

1 Repeat action of Fig I, meas 1.

1-2 Facing ctr, Pas de Basque R.

3 Pas de Basque L.

4 Pas de Basque R.

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

Repeat Fig II until changed by leader's signal.

III. JUMP

1-2 Repeat action of Fig II, meas 1-2.

3 Jump to both ft in place, about shldr width apart, with a low, sharp action and knees somewhat bent (ct 1); pause (cts 2-3).

4 Pas de Basque R.

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

Repeat Fig III until changed by leader's signal.

IV. HEEL TOUCH

Facing ctr, quick lift on L (ct uh of prev meas).

1 Step R swd with wide step, dragging L twd R (ct 1); jump swd R to both with knees bent (ct 2); pause (ct 3).

2 Small leap onto R throwing L leg back and out to L (ct 1); bounce twice on R touching L heel fwd (cts 2,3).

3 Repeat action of meas 2 to L with opp ftwk.

4 Repeat action of meas 2.

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

Repeat Fig IV until changed by leader's signal.

NOTE: Leader may start at beg of any 8-meas musical phrase. The change to the next fig is at the leader's discretion with a wave of the R hand, a whistle, or some other distinctive signal.

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

DENJOVO HORO Bulgarian

PRONUNCIATION:	DEN-yoh-voh hoh-ROH

TRANSLATION:	Denjov's dance

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Yves Moreau who learned it from a Lovnidol villager, Stefan Stojkov, on a research trip to Bulgaria during the winter of 1969-70 and introduced it to folk dancers in the United States.

BACKGROUND:	Denjovo Horo is from the village of Lovnidol near the town of Gabrovo in the north-central part of Bulgaria. The dance is popular in most of the villages in the Gabrovo district and is sometimes referred to as the North Bulgarian Četvorno due to its slow-quick-quick rhythm. The first word of the title refers to a man's name, while "horo" is a basic Bulgarian dance type. The horo, or chain dance, holds a central place in the socio-cultural activities of rural Bulgaria. It is mostly a community dance that, until recently, could be observed every Sunday in the village squares.

MUSIC:	Balkanton (LP) BHA-734, side 1, band 6

FORMATION:	Mixed lines of M and W with hands joined and held down in "V" pos.

METER/RHYTHM:	7/16. The rhythm is slow-quick-quick (3+2+2 = 7) and is counted below in three dancer's beats with the first being the longest.

STEPS/STYLE:	PAS DE BASQUE: Step slightly swd (ct 1); step in front with free ft (ct 2); step back into place with free ft (ct 3). This Pas de Basque is done with somewhat raised knees. LIFT: A low hop in which the toe does not leave the floor. The steps are light, small, and sharp.

MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION - None.

I.	BOUNCES

1	Facing slightly R of ctr and moving in LOD, step R (ct 1); lift on R (ct 2); step L across R (ct 3).
2	Facing ctr, step R slightly swd (ct 1); close L to R and bounce twice on both (cts 1,2).
3	Repeat action of meas 2 to L with opp ftwk.
4	Repeat action of meas 2.
5-8	Repeat action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.

	Repeat Fig I until changed by leader's signal.

II.	PAS DE BASQUE

1	Repeat action of Fig I, meas 1.
1-2	Facing ctr, Pas de Basque R.
3	Pas de Basque L.
4	Pas de Basque R.
5-8	Repeat action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.

	Repeat Fig II until changed by leader's signal.

III.	JUMP

1-2	Repeat action of Fig II, meas 1-2.
3	Jump to both ft in place, about shldr width apart, with a low, sharp action and knees somewhat bent (ct 1); pause (cts 2-3).
4	Pas de Basque R.
5-8	Repeat action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.

	Repeat Fig III until changed by leader's signal.

IV.	HEEL TOUCH

	Facing ctr, quick lift on L (ct uh of prev meas).
1	Step R swd with wide step, dragging L twd R (ct 1); jump swd R to both with knees bent (ct 2); pause (ct 3).
2	Small leap onto R throwing L leg back and out to L (ct 1); bounce twice on R touching L heel fwd (cts 2,3).
3	Repeat action of meas 2 to L with opp ftwk.
4	Repeat action of meas 2.
5-8	Repeat action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.

	Repeat Fig IV until changed by leader's signal.

	NOTE: Leader may start at beg of any 8-meas musical phrase. The change to the next fig is at the leader's discretion with a wave of the R hand, a whistle, or some other distinctive signal.
Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes