                               SITNA LISA
                               Macedonia

Source:     As learned by Tom Deering from Pece Atanasovski, at 
            his camp in Otesevo Macedonia, 1976. Sitna Lisa is from
            the Skopje Area.

Rhythm:     7/16 counted:  Slow, Quick, Quick
                             1      2     3
                           3/16 + 2/16 + 2/16

Recording:  JUGOTON LPY-50985 - Zurla & Tapan
            JUGOTON LSY-61392 - Folk Orchestra
            3 Mustafas 3 - Contemporary Folk Orchestra

Formation:  Men and Women in mixed or separate lines, hands joined
            and held forward at shoulder level. Hands are lowered
            for the fast basic. If men are dancing in a separate line,
            the men can hold shoulders throughout.

Step Note:  CUKCE ("Chook-chay"): Lift the heel of the supporting foot
            slightly before the beat, bringing it down on the beat. 
            When a lift is involved, usually the lifted leg is already
            up and in place when the uke is executed.

=======================================================================

Meas  Ct    BASIC FIGURE (Slow)
----  ---   -------------------

1     S     Facing Center and dancing in place, 
            CUKCE on L, Lifting R leg in front of L knee
      q-q   Step on R in place
2     S     CUKCE on R in place, Lifting L leg in front of R knee
      q-q   Touch ball of L slightly to L
3-4         REPEAT meas. 1-2 with opposite footwork.
5-6         REPEAT meas. 1-2 
7-8         REPEAT meas. 1-2 with opposite footwork.
9     S     Turning to face slightly R, CUKCE on L, Lifting R leg
      q-q   Step on R to R
10    S     CUKCE on R, Lifting L leg in front of R
      q-q   Step on L across in front of R

            REPEAT the basic figure until the music speeds up


Shorthand:  In place:   Lift, Step, Lift, Touch 4x; then
            Travelling: Lift, Step, Lift, Step  1x  

            Basic Figure - (Fast)
            ---------------------
            (Same pattern as above with hops and double-steps)
      
1     S     Facing Center and dancing in place,
            Hop on L, Lifting R leg in front of L knee
      q-q   Step on R in place
2     S     Hop on R in place, Lifting L leg in front of R knee
      q     Step on L slightly to L
      q     Step on R in place
3-4         REPEAT meas. 1-2 with opposite footwork.
5-6         REPEAT meas. 1-2 
7-8         REPEAT meas. 1-2 with opposite footwork.
9     S     Turning to face slightly R, Hop on L, Lifting R leg
      q-q   Step on R to R
10    S     Hop on R, Lifting L leg in front of R
      q-q   Step on L across in front of R


            REPEAT the fast basic figure until the end of the music

Shorthand:  In place:   Hop, Step, Hop, Step-Step 4x; then
            Travelling: Hop, Step, Hop, Step      1x  

Variation: During meas. 9-10 of both the fast and the slow basic
figure the dancers can make one clockwise turn when called by the
leader. The stepwork does not change.  
  
Squats & turns: Any of the typical men's squats & turns or leaps &
squats done in other Skopje area dances like Postupano and Cucuk
can be added to Sitna Lisa (see the Cucuk dance notes for details).  
  
Dancing with the music: The basic musical unit is two measures.
Sitna Lisa should be danced such that in a two measure unit the
dancer first lifts one foot then the other, not the same foot
twice in a row (like in a Can-can).  


Dance Description by Tom Deering
