Bulgarian folk dance regions: Pirin (Macedonia)

Courtesy of www.eliznik.co.uk

The Pirin region is part of ethnic Macedonia which is divided between Greece, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. The dances from this Region have closer links with Yugoslav and Greek Macedonian dances than with dances from the rest of Bulgaria. Men and women usually dance separately and if they take part in the same dance the women dance at the rear of the line with a handkerchief held between the last man and the first woman.

There are many dances in 7/8 and often the dances begin slowly and increase in speed. The style is either sustained with a catlike feel, weight being taken onto the balls of the feet slightly behind the beat (hesitation), or is characterised by fast low movements skimming across the ground.

Men's dances include balancing movements with high knee lifts, often in shoulder hold.

Women's style is graceful and light, hands are held in low hold or in 'asymmetrical' W hold in which case the left arm is extended further than the right arm. In certain dances the arms move up and down in time with the music. These movements are stronger and firmer than the jigging of the arms in Northern Bulgaria and Romania.