Created by: Filip Petkovski
danceinmacedonia@gmail.com
The first video excerpt is derived from the documentary movie "Žito za Narodot" (Grains for the People), produced by "FIlmsko Skopje" in 1947. It features dancers from the surrounding of Skopje, possibly the village of Rashtak, performing the dance "Postupano."
The second video excerpt is derived from the documentary movie "Vo Izbori za Novi Pobedi" (From Elections to Victory), produced by "Filmsko Skopje" in 1947. It features dancers from the surrounding of Skopje performing a "slet"- a Yugoslav type of organized bodily exercises/performances that often included folk motifs. In this specific "slet," the dancers are imitating a harvest. Next is a Turkish or Albanian dance from Western Macedonia, followed by a Vlach's women dance, a Romani women's dance, a women's dance possibly from the Prespa region and finally, a performance of Užičko Kolo that became popular in Yugoslavia at the time.
The third video excerpt is derived from the documentary movie "Niz Pirinska Makedonija" (Across Pirin Macedonia), produced by "Vardar Film" in Skopje in 1948. It features a formal event devoted to Jane Sandanski, somewhere in the Pirin region (Bulgaria).The female dancers perform a choreographed dance that is atypical for the region, followed by a men's dance that could possibly be Maleshevsko oro.
The fourth video excerpt is derived from the documentary movie "Pred Oktomvriskite Festivali" (Before the October Festivals), produced by "Vardar Film" in 1948. The first dance is performed by the Rusalii group from the surrounding of Gjevgjelija; Teshkoto, performed by the dance group from the village of Lazaropole; Crnogorka, performed by the dance group "Kocho Racin," an Albanian dance, performed by the dancers from the dance group from the village of Romanovce; Chifte Chamche, performed by (Turkish?) dancers from the surrounding of Bitola; Romani dance performed by dancers from the surrounding of Veles, Crpi voda Jano begaj doma, performed by a children's dance group from the surrounding of Skopje; a women's dance, performed by the dance group from the village of Tearce in the surrounding of Tetovo; Postupano, performed by the dancers from the dance group from the village of Rashtak.
The fifth video excerpt is derived from the documentary movie "Jugoslavenski Narodni Plesovi" (Yugoslav Folk Dances), produced by "Jadran Film" in 1948. The first dance is entitled "Nemska Igra" but locally known as Povrateshko, performed by a dance group from the village of Lazaropole, followed by Postupano, performed by the dance group from the village of Rashtak and finally, Teshkoto, performed by the dance group from the village of Lazaropole.