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Happy Folk Dances MICHAEL HERMAN'S FOLK DANCE ORCHESTRA

Dance Directions by Michael Herman, Folk Dance House, New 'fork City Arrangements by Walter Eriksson

SIDE 1 MISIRLOU (Greece·America)

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This dance is often erroneously referred to as the Kritikos: Actually the Mrsirlou, a watered·down version of the Kritikos, originated at a Greek festival in Pitts­burgh. The traditional music was un­available and the Misirlou tune was substituted. In its modified form, the dance became popular with American folk dancers and is now a world-wide favorite .

OPENING FORMATION: No partners are needed. Dancers stand in a circle with elbows bent, little fingers linked. Some­times dancers are linked by holding the ends of handkerchiefs. The circle is broken, with a leader at one end.

PART 1: All face center and step on right foot. Pause slightly.

Point left toe forward. Pause slightly.

Take 3 quick steps, moving sideward to the right, as follows:

Step on left behind right; step on right to side; place left foot down beside right foot and pause.

PART 2: Without dropping hands, all

face to the left, and sweeping right foot forward in an arc, walk to the left straight forward-right, left, right.

Now walk backward 3 steps-left, right, left-and pause slightly.

Face center and repeat dance from beginning.

Greek dancers usually sound oR' with a hissing "SS55SSS" to express joy. Dancers may want to do this to add flavor, but it should not bit overdone.

TEACHING HINT: In teaching the dance, the leader may simplify PART I in this manner:

Step on right foot. Point left toe forward. Now take 3 steps in place-left, right, left. After dancers have done this a few times, they may then take those last 3 ste'ps, not in place, but moving sideward as described in th,e directions above. It is intere$ting to know that this simplifies the dance, whereas teaching the side­ward step without preparation sometimes confuses the dancers and complicates the dance.

MILANOVO KOLO (Serbia)

The word "Kolo" means circle . Kolos are the predominant dance! in Yugo­slavia, and especially in Serbia. So popu-

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lar are they with American folk dancers that periodic KoloJamborees are held in many places from coast to coast, and the

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average American folk dancer knows dozens of different Kolos. This particular one is a circle dance named after Milan, a man's name-thus Milonovo Kola, or "}'lilan's circle." It is extremely easy, even for those wh!? are just beginning to learn folk dancing.

OPENING FORMATION: There are no partners. All hands are joined in a circle, ,,·hich is usually broken, with a leader at one end.

PART 1: Face slightly to the right and, moving around the rim of the circle, s~"p-hop on right foot, then step-hop on left foot.

Face center of circle and step right, on right foot. Step on left foot, placing it down behind right. Take 3 quick. light steps in place-right, left, right.

Tht' pattern is now repeated to the left, a~ follows: Fan: left , step-hop on left foot, then step­hop on right. Step to left on left foot. Place right foot behind left. Take 3 quirk,

slight steps in place-left, right, leCt.

PART 2: Bring joined hands straight for­ward to shoulder level. Move to center of ring, starting on right foot-step­together-step, pause; then with left foot­step-together-step, pause. Now move back yard with the same step, right foot first-step-together-step, pause; then left -step-together-step, pause.

Repeat dance from the beginning.

NOTE that the joined hands in PART must be held straight down-no bent elbows. The body is held erect, almost arrogantly. Shouts of "hey," "hup," or "hi" should accompany the dance. As dancers go to the center of the circle in PART 2" the Serbians sing ditties that are improvised on the spot, and American dancers may do the same. The following St'rbian words and phrases may be added to the repertoire of shouts for Kolos: "\'('selo" . , . "Hupatsup" . , . "Haj, Haj, _ Bozhe Daj" (pronounced "Hi, Hi, Bozhe Di") ... "Ingra Kolo." Some of these calls art" used on this record.

SIDE 2 F ADO BLANQUIT A (Spain)

~Iam' dances arc done to this music thro~~hout the United States, some of th('m composed by individuals, others by groups for performing purposes. The v('fsion given here is the simplest and is esplTiall\' "Tll known in both community and school dancing, particularly in the ('ast('rn part of the LTnited States.

OPENING FORMATION: Couples ar­ranged in a single cirdt", with lady to right of man.

PART 1: All join hands and run, with slIldll light stt"ps, 16 to the kft and I fi to th .. right. (It may also be done with 8 sic",· walking steps in either directioll or " i th Il step-hops.)

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PART 2: All face center and sway in place-right, left, right, left. The music here is an interlude called a "vamp."

Now face partner and, with a right-hand hold, turn in place clockwise with 3 schottische steps-right, left, right, hop on right; Il'ft, right, left, hop on left.

Fact" corner and do 3 schottische steps with corner, holding left hands.

:\0"· face partner and do 3 schottische steps with partner, holding right hands.

Face corner and do 3 schottische steps, holding kft hands. Face center. joining hands tn a sing'" circk, and balance­right, kft, right, Itoft-quickly (in place).

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PART 3: jump with both feet slightly astride. Hop on right foot, bringing left foot across right.

jump on both feet again and bring right foot across left. Do two quick jumps on both feet, facing center on the fint, turn­ing half to the right to face the wall for the second.

Now, facing the wall, jump as above, kicking fint the left, then the right foot. Then jump twice quickly, turning once more half-right to face center Oil the last jump.

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CUE: jump, kick-jump, kick-jump, jump; jump, kick-jump, kick-jump, jump. PART 4: All move slowly to center with 3 walking steps, starting on right foot, and bringing joined hands up; then swing left foot forward. Starting on left foot, move backward the same way with 4 slow walking steps, lowering hands.

Repeat PARon 3 and 4.

Repeat entire dance from beginning.

This record will fit most venions of thil danee.

GIE GORDONS (Scotland)

The Git (or Gay) Gordons is one of those perfect couple folk dances that everybody likes and anybody can do. It is an old­time dance of Scottish origin and is a standard favorite on folk dance programs.

OPENING FORMATION: Couples in circle formation, all facing counterclockwise. Lady to right of man, in Varsovienne position, as in Diagram 1.

PART 1: Both start on left foot and take 4 walking steps forward; in the line of direction (Diagram I).

Without dropping hands, half-tum to the right to face the other way. Man now has left arm around the lady's shoulder, lady standing to man's left (see Diagram 2). Starting with the left foot, take 4 walking steps backward, still in the line of direction.

Without turning around, both start on left foot and take 4 walking steps forward in clockwise' direction (Diagram 3).

Without dropping hands, turn half around to the left to face original direc­tion (counterclockwise). Man's right arm is now around lady's shoulder. Starting on the left foot, all take 4 walking steps

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backward, against the line of direction (Diagram 4).

NOTE: On the last of the" walking steps, the lady does not put her full weight down on right foot, but barely touches it to the ground so that it will be free to start the next figure. Or she may take 2 walking steps followed by a step-together­step which will leave her right foot free.

PART 2: Partnen hold right hands only, with free hands on hips. Lady turns to own right (clockwise), under joined hands, with 4 two-steps or polka steps, as man moves forward behind her with 4 of the same steps (lJiagram 5).

Take ballroom position and do four polka or two-steps around the circle (Diagram 6).

NOTE: If the man gives only one finger to the lady during the right-hand hold in PART 2, and the lady holds that finger with her fist, it will be easier for her to turn.

Scots love to shout "khookh" as they dance, and dancers should be encouraged to give forth this low, guttural sound spontaneously to add to the fun.

Prinled in U. S. A.