Radomirsko Horo

RADOMIRSKO HORO
Bulgarian

PRONUNCIATION: rah-doh-MEER-skoh ho-ROH

TRANSLATION: Dance from Radomir

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Yves Moreau who learned it in April, 1970, from Peter Grigorov, leader of an amateur folk dance group in Sofia. Yves taught it at the 1970 Stockton Folk Dance Camp.

BACKGROUND: Radomirsko Horo comes from the small town of Radomir in the Kjustendil District. Radomir lies in the Šop ethnographic area of western Bulgaria. The name Radomir is of Slavic origin and is derived from rad "care, joy" and mir "peace, world, fame." In 1918, Bulgaria was ruled by Ferdinand of Bulgaria, under whom Aleksandar Stambolijski had been imprisoned for opposing Bulgaria's participation in the Balkan War and its alliance with the Central Powers in World War I. When in September the Allied forces broke into Bulgaria, Ferdinand agreed to release Stambolijski in return for a promise to help restore order in the military. However, Stambolijski instead aligned himself with the uprising and in Radomir proclaimed Bulgaria to be a republic. His supporters then attempted an attack on Sofia. The Radomir Rebellion was stopped when this force was defeated by Macedonian and German tsarists, who also did not retain control for long as Bulgaria had signed an armistice with the Allies by the end of the month.

MUSIC: Balkanton (LP) BHA 734

FORMATION: Short lines, usually mixed M and W (but can be danced in segregated lines to allow M more freedom of movement), with belt hold, R arm under. If dancers not wearing belts, they may hold joined hands low in a "V" pos. Dancers face slightly diag to R.

METER/RHYTHM: 2/4

STEPS/STYLE: The steps found in most dances of the Sop region are light and fairly small, and are executed sharply. The body is erect, the carriage proud. There is much knee flexion throughout the dance, particularly in Fig II.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION - None.

I. FIGURE ONE

1 With wt on L and moving in LOD, rise on L (ct 1); step R (ct &); step L (ct 2);

2 Step R (ct 1); step L (ct 2);

3 Hop L, touching R heel diag fwd to R (ct 1); hop L bringing R across L shin (ct 2);

4 Hop L (ct 1); step R (ct &); step L (ct 2).

5 Facing ctr, jump onto both ft together (ct 1); hop R, bringing L across R shin (ct 2);

6 Moving swd to L, rise on R (ct 1); step L swd (ct &); step R across L (ct 2);

7 Rise on R (ct 1); step L swd (ct &); step R across in back of L (ct 2);

8 Close L to R bouncing three times on heels (cts 1&2).

9-16 Repeat action of meas 1-8.

II. FIGURE TWO

1 Facing ctr, step R fwd (ct 1); bounce on R, touching ball of L next to R (ct 2); bounce again on R, lifting L sharply in preparation for next step (ct &);

2 Step L bwd (ct 1); bounce on L, touching ball of R next to L (ct 2); bounce again on L, lifting R sharply in preparation for next step (ct &);

3-4 Repeat action of meas 1-2, twisting bent R knee slightly across L leg on final ct &.

5 In place, leap R, twisting bent L knee across R leg (ct 1); leap L, twisting bent R knee across L leg (ct 2);

6 Leap R, twisting bent L knee across R leg (ct 1); leap fwd L (ct 2);

7 Hop L, swinging R leg sharply fwd from hip to about knee height and keeping R knee straight (ct 1); leap R fwd (ct 2);

8 Close L to R, bouncing three times on heels (cts 1&2).

9-16 Repeat action of meas 1-8.

Repeat entire dance from beg.

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

RADOMIRSKO HORO Bulgarian

PRONUNCIATION:	rah-doh-MEER-skoh ho-ROH

TRANSLATION:	Dance from Radomir

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Yves Moreau who learned it in April, 1970, from Peter Grigorov, leader of an amateur folk dance group in Sofia. Yves taught it at the 1970 Stockton Folk Dance Camp.

BACKGROUND:	Radomirsko Horo comes from the small town of Radomir in the Kjustendil District. Radomir lies in the Šop ethnographic area of western Bulgaria. The name Radomir is of Slavic origin and is derived from rad "care, joy" and mir "peace, world, fame." In 1918, Bulgaria was ruled by Ferdinand of Bulgaria, under whom Aleksandar Stambolijski had been imprisoned for opposing Bulgaria's participation in the Balkan War and its alliance with the Central Powers in World War I. When in September the Allied forces broke into Bulgaria, Ferdinand agreed to release Stambolijski in return for a promise to help restore order in the military. However, Stambolijski instead aligned himself with the uprising and in Radomir proclaimed Bulgaria to be a republic. His supporters then attempted an attack on Sofia. The Radomir Rebellion was stopped when this force was defeated by Macedonian and German tsarists, who also did not retain control for long as Bulgaria had signed an armistice with the Allies by the end of the month.

MUSIC:	Balkanton (LP) BHA 734

FORMATION:	Short lines, usually mixed M and W (but can be danced in segregated lines to allow M more freedom of movement), with belt hold, R arm under. If dancers not wearing belts, they may hold joined hands low in a "V" pos. Dancers face slightly diag to R.

METER/RHYTHM:	2/4

STEPS/STYLE:	The steps found in most dances of the Sop region are light and fairly small, and are executed sharply. The body is erect, the carriage proud. There is much knee flexion throughout the dance, particularly in Fig II.


MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION - None.

I.	FIGURE ONE

1	With wt on L and moving in LOD, rise on L (ct 1); step R (ct &); step L (ct 2);
2	Step R (ct 1); step L (ct 2);
3	Hop L, touching R heel diag fwd to R (ct 1); hop L bringing R across L shin (ct 2);
4	Hop L (ct 1); step R (ct &); step L (ct 2).
5	Facing ctr, jump onto both ft together (ct 1); hop R, bringing L across R shin (ct 2);
6	Moving swd to L, rise on R (ct 1); step L swd (ct &); step R across L (ct 2);
7	Rise on R (ct 1); step L swd (ct &); step R across in back of L (ct 2);
8	Close L to R bouncing three times on heels (cts 1&2).

9-16	Repeat action of meas 1-8.

II.	FIGURE TWO

1	Facing ctr, step R fwd (ct 1); bounce on R, touching ball of L next to R (ct 2); bounce again on R, lifting L sharply in preparation for next step (ct &);
2	Step L bwd (ct 1); bounce on L, touching ball of R next to L (ct 2); bounce again on L, lifting R sharply in preparation for next step (ct &);
3-4	Repeat action of meas 1-2, twisting bent R knee slightly across L leg on final ct &.

5	In place, leap R, twisting bent L knee across R leg (ct 1); leap L, twisting bent R knee across L leg (ct 2);
6	Leap R, twisting bent L knee across R leg (ct 1); leap fwd L (ct 2);
7	Hop L, swinging R leg sharply fwd from hip to about knee height and keeping R knee straight (ct 1); leap R fwd (ct 2);
8	Close L to R, bouncing three times on heels (cts 1&2).

9-16	Repeat action of meas 1-8.

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