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Serbian dances
Dancing tradition in Serbia is represented by various styles of dance, commonly called Kolo. The word originates from the Slavic word meaning a 'wheel,' circle, or circuit. Kolo is a collective dance, where dancers hold each other's hands in either a V or W formation, making a chain or a union. It is danced by all ethnicities and religious groups both in Serbia and other regions of the Balkans. Other terms such as Oro and Tanac are also used especially in regions of today's southeastern Serbia. Different forms of dance originated in different parts of Serbia, each shaped by local traditions, historical influences, and regional legacies. These dances also reflect interactions with other ethnic groups, migration patterns, changing governments, and cross regional influences.
Kolo is danced at gatherings, festivals, weddings and other celebrations. It is danced in all regions of the country, both in urban and rural areas, and by all social groups. A large repertoire of Kolo dances is preserved and performed through the so-called Cultural Artistic Societies (Kulturno Umetnicka Drustva, also known as KUD), while a smaller number is danced in participatory dance practice in contemporary Serbia. These dances are often stylized and performed on stage in full traditional costume. Kolo is also danced internationally by folk groups and at dance events, sometimes with new musical arrangements and dance motifs.
Kolo was added to the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for Serbia in 2017.
It is also known as Kolo u tri koraka (Kolo in three steps), Kolo u šest (Kolo in six) or Kolo u šest koraka (Kolo in six steps). This is the most popular Kolo, originating from Šumadija region in central Serbia. Colloquially in Serbia when people say "Let's dance kolo" they refer to this particular dance, and most do not know it by the name Kolo u šest or Kolo u tri.
It is a laterally symmetrical dance. Whatever is danced to the right, is repeated on the left. Although it is a symmetrical dance there is a tendency to cover more ground to the right than the left. The basic pattern involves moving to the right in either 3 or 6 steps, using any number of motifs, hopping in the same spot, moving to the left and hopping at the same spot, all the while bouncing.
It is danced in the formation of a closed or open kolo. The hands are connected and hang by the body or under the arms. The first dancer in the kolo (kolovodja) has a special role in setting the motifs and the direction. The last dancer is called kec and might have had a role in keeping the kolo form, though this is no longer the case. There are many variations to the steps and the dancers have a lot of leeway, heavily improvising. Typical step motifs include basic triple step, cross step, cheat step-crossing, hop up and hop down.
The dance has 8 measures (4 to the right, 4 to the left). The musical phrasing also has 8 measures, so that the dance and music rhythm overlap. It is characterized by a lively melody in major scale often featuring a 2
4 or 3
4 time signature, with the exception of Žikino kolo that is in either 3
4, 3
8, or 7
16 time signature. Rijetko or Retko Kolo (rarified or thinned) is the name for the Kolo danced to a slower melody typical for the southwest of Serbia.
There are different variations that are danced to different melodies. Some of the better known ones are:
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Serbian dances
Dancing tradition in Serbia is represented by various styles of dance, commonly called Kolo. The word originates from the Slavic word meaning a 'wheel,' circle, or circuit. Kolo is a collective dance, where dancers hold each other's hands in either a V or W formation, making a chain or a union. It is danced by all ethnicities and religious groups both in Serbia and other regions of the Balkans. Other terms such as Oro and Tanac are also used especially in regions of today's southeastern Serbia. Different forms of dance originated in different parts of Serbia, each shaped by local traditions, historical influences, and regional legacies. These dances also reflect interactions with other ethnic groups, migration patterns, changing governments, and cross regional influences.
Kolo is danced at gatherings, festivals, weddings and other celebrations. It is danced in all regions of the country, both in urban and rural areas, and by all social groups. A large repertoire of Kolo dances is preserved and performed through the so-called Cultural Artistic Societies (Kulturno Umetnicka Drustva, also known as KUD), while a smaller number is danced in participatory dance practice in contemporary Serbia. These dances are often stylized and performed on stage in full traditional costume. Kolo is also danced internationally by folk groups and at dance events, sometimes with new musical arrangements and dance motifs.
Kolo was added to the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for Serbia in 2017.
It is also known as Kolo u tri koraka (Kolo in three steps), Kolo u šest (Kolo in six) or Kolo u šest koraka (Kolo in six steps). This is the most popular Kolo, originating from Šumadija region in central Serbia. Colloquially in Serbia when people say "Let's dance kolo" they refer to this particular dance, and most do not know it by the name Kolo u šest or Kolo u tri.
It is a laterally symmetrical dance. Whatever is danced to the right, is repeated on the left. Although it is a symmetrical dance there is a tendency to cover more ground to the right than the left. The basic pattern involves moving to the right in either 3 or 6 steps, using any number of motifs, hopping in the same spot, moving to the left and hopping at the same spot, all the while bouncing.
It is danced in the formation of a closed or open kolo. The hands are connected and hang by the body or under the arms. The first dancer in the kolo (kolovodja) has a special role in setting the motifs and the direction. The last dancer is called kec and might have had a role in keeping the kolo form, though this is no longer the case. There are many variations to the steps and the dancers have a lot of leeway, heavily improvising. Typical step motifs include basic triple step, cross step, cheat step-crossing, hop up and hop down.
The dance has 8 measures (4 to the right, 4 to the left). The musical phrasing also has 8 measures, so that the dance and music rhythm overlap. It is characterized by a lively melody in major scale often featuring a 2
4 or 3
4 time signature, with the exception of Žikino kolo that is in either 3
4, 3
8, or 7
16 time signature. Rijetko or Retko Kolo (rarified or thinned) is the name for the Kolo danced to a slower melody typical for the southwest of Serbia.
There are different variations that are danced to different melodies. Some of the better known ones are: