Robert Frost
The series continues....
The other night I mixed up Staro Pomaško with a totally different dance, Pomaško Širto. The lady who was programming even got confused and played both dances one after the other, so we could compare them.
Staro Pomaško, in video #1, was first. It is a dance from the Rhodope region in southern Bulgaria, in 7/8 rhythm (slow-quick-quick), almost like a Macedonian lesnoto (along with step-lifts during the vocal part).
Pomaks are Bulgarian Muslims. Most of them live in the southern part of the country.
Pomaško Širto is also a Pomak dance in 7/8. The original music had a very long gaida (bagpipe) introduction; part of it was cut.
Širto is the Bulgarian version of the Greek Syrtos.
If you enjoyed this you may also like:
Dancing in Sevens, Part One
Dospatsko Horo is a very well-known Pomak dance from the Rhodope region..
Variations on the Bulgarian Folk Tune: Dospatsko Horo
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