Dancing Through the Alphabet: Letter Y

Today's dance is a close relative of Jove (or Yove ) Malaj Mome, a very popular tune from the Shope region of Bulgaria.. The music sounds very similar, although the choreography is different. In Bulgarian transliteration the character Й transliteration can be either a "j" or a "y" (j in Bulgarian has a y sound).  The dance is Yovino Horo.

The rhythm is a combination of 7/16 and 11/16.  Compound rhythms are quite common in Bulgarian folk dances.

Jova is a female name in Bulgaria.



The next video is Jove Malaj Mome so you can compare the two dances. The rhythm is the same, the music and steps are slightly different, and there is singing.  There is something very charming about Bulgarian folk songs.  They can make the most commonplace events sound special.  The lyrics describe a stuck-up young woman at a dance looking for a rich man from Sofia. She's definitely looking for upward mobility.

If these guys look familiar, and you are a regular reader, you'll recognize them as the "Bonding Folkdance Class" from China.



The bonus video this week is a reading of the poem "Advice" by Bill Holm as interpreted by the magician Tom Verner. There is a little surprise at the end.



If you enjoyed this you may also like

The Balkan Buy One Get One Free Special: Dances With Compound Rhythms

The Women of Bulgarian Folk Songs

A Family Resemblance: Theme and Variations


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