MACEDONIAN FOLK DANCES (ORA)

Macedonian folk dances have an important place in the Macedonian folklore and musical tradition. Through its traditional folk dances and songs, Macedonian people express their feelings, joys and sorrows. Depending on the style, the choreography and customs associated with them, can be divided into western, southwestern, southern, northern and eastern dances. We also distinguish ritual and secular dances. Ritual dances are dodolian, rusalian, kolede dances and others. Secular dances include those related to the life and work of people, such as: fighting, wedding, harvest, love dances etc.

Macedonian dances are numerous and varied. Usually they are played during weddings, feasts, church gatherings and all kinds of celebrations. The music for these dances is performed on accordion, drum, clarinet, violin, bagpipe, tambura, zurla, kaval, tarabuka, dyre, as well as other folk and traditional instruments.


Macedonian folk dances are usually played from left to right, but there are some exception.

These are some of the most famous folk dances:


Pajdushko (drunk) - traditionally, this is a male dance, but more recently, it's also played by women.

Pravo (straight) - easy dance that usually everyone knows to play.

Teshkoto (hard, heavy dance) - male dance from the western part of Macedonia which shows the separation of the migrant workers from their families.

Aramisko - a male dance that shows the courage and youthfulness of the youth in the fight against tyranny.

Nevestinsko (bridal) - female dance when the bride plays her last dance in her parents' home and the first in her new home, in the house of the groom.

Kopachka - a masculine dance that expresses the perseverance of people working in the field. Namely, after a long daylight work in the field and after coming home, people continue to play tirelessly.

Tresenica - a woman's dance that shows the waving and threading of their costumes in the wind in the spring months.

Drachevka - mixed, male-female fast dance.


Macedonian dances abound with choreographic movements such as semi-turning, kneeling, jumping, hopping, banging, cross-step, side step, knee-playing and many others.

The change in rhythm occurs in more plumes, usually from slow to fast.

The most common beats are: 2/4 and 7/6 (3,2,2), (3/4, 3/8, 4/4, 6/8, 5/16 (2,3), 7/16 (2 , 2,3), 8/16 (3,2,3), 9/16 (3,2,2,2), (2,3,2,2), 11/16 (2,2,3, 2,2) and (3,2,2,2,2), 122/16 (3,2,2,2,3), 13/16 (3,2,3,2,3), 18/16 (2,2,3,2,2,2,3) and 22/16 (2,2,3,2,2,3,2,2,2).