Edith Sitwell
Spa towns are known for healing thermal and mineral springs, used to treat many different ailments. Doctors in Europe often prescribe spa treatments; unfortunately this practice is not commonplace in the United States. The name "spa" originated from a town of the same name in Belgium.
Today's post features music and dance from spa towns in Bulgaria and Serbia.
Video #1 is of the Bulgarian folk dance Staro Bansko Horo (old dance from Bansko). Bansko is a town in southwestern Bulgaria (Pirin region). It is best known for its ski resorts, however the nearby village of Banya is the place where you find the spa and the hot mineral springs.
The music is typical of the Pirin region, in 7/8 meter (pineapple-apple-apple) with vocals and tarambuka accompaniment.
Video #2 is another dance from Bulgaria: Sandansko Horo, from the town of Sandanski, also in the Pirin region. The rhythm alternates between 9/16 and 13/16.
Sandanski is a popular resort town with many mineral springs and is one of the warmest places in Bulgaria.
Video #3 is the popular dance Niska Banja from Serbia (from the town of the same name) Banja means "bath" in Serbian, and you can wash away your aches, pains and worries at the local spa.
Niska Banja is another odd-rhythm dance. It is in 9/8. Although there is a choreography specific to this dance, we dance Devetorka to it.
If you enjoyed this you may also like:
Bulgarian Dances Named After Cities and Towns
Dances With Compound Rhythms
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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