DIMNA JUDA MAMO / KOPAČKA

Eastern Macedonia

Kopačka is a dance from the Delčevo-Berovo district about how men work the farm (digging, threshing, etc.). It was taught originally by Atanas Kolarovski when the Macedonian State Folk Ensemble "Tanec" toured the United States in 1956.

Source:	As learned by Tom Deering from Atanas Kolarovski and Pece Atansovski.

Rhythm:	2/4

Recording:	Folkraft - 1565 A

RTB LP 1394

Formation:	Originally men only, now often done in mixed lines of men and women holding belts - L arm over R. Slow part (Dimna Juda Mamo) is still often done in segregated lines.

Style:	Erect and proud. The steps are very precise and quick.

Meas	Ct	SLOW MUSIC and SONG - Dimna Juda Mamo

Instrumental:

1-16	Facing slightly and moving R, 32 walking steps, beginning with R.

17	1	Turning to face center, Step R in place

2	Lift L low in front

18	Repeat meas. 17 with opp. footwork (Step, Lift)

19-20	Repeat meas. 17-18 (Step, Lift, Step, Lift)

Singing:

21-22	Facing slightly and moving R, Four walking steps - R, L, R, L

23-24	Repeat meas. 17-18 (Step, Lift, Step, Lift)

25	Repeat meas. 17 (Step, Lift)

26	Facing slightly and moving L, Two walking steps - L, R

27	1	Facing center, Step to L on L

2	Step behind L on R

28	Repeat meas. 18 (Step, Lift)

29-30	Repeat meas. 17-18 (Step, Lift, Step, Lift)

31-40	Repeat meas. 21-30

Repeat meas. 1-40 until end of slow music.

Meas	Ct	FAST MUSIC and SONG - Derviško viško mome

BASIC STEPS

Hop Step Step R:	With weight on L, slight hop on L after slight bend of L knee, straightening R knee, keeping R foot low to floor (1). Step on R in place (&). Step on L in place with both knees slightly bent (2).	Reverse footwork for Hop Step Step L.

Shuffle Step R:	With weight on L and both knees slightly bent, take three quick steps in place - R,L,R (1,&,2) with a slight leap onto the first step. The aćent should be on third step (Ct. 2), with both knees slightly bent. Do not actually "shuffle" your feet, use nice clean "steps."

STEP 0 (Not done in the choreography, but the simplest form of the dance)

1	Facing center and moving R, Hop Step Step R

2	Hop Step Step R

3-5	Three Shuffle steps in place - R,L,R

6-10	Repeat meas. 1-5 with opp. footwork and direction.

Continued...

KOPAČKA (Continued)

Page 2

Meas	Ct	FAST MUSIC - Continued

STEP 1 - Left Right

1	Facing center and moving R, Hop Step Step R

2	Hop Step Step R

3	Shuffle step R in place

4	Shuffle step L in place

5	1	With weight on L, Leap onto R in place, kicking L foot out sharply to L

2	Hop on R, bringing L across in front of R knee

6	Facing center and moving L, Hop Step Step L

7	Hop Step Step L

8	1	Step to L on L, bringing R foot up behind

2	Hop on L swinging R foot forward

9	Shuffle step L in place

10	Shuffle step R in place

STEP 2 - Forward

1-8	Repeat meas. 1-8 Step 1 (moving slightly back into the line as necessary)

9	Three running steps forward (R,L,R) bending slightly at the waist and thrusting L forward at the end of the last count

10	1	Hop on R swinging L around quickly to L

2	Step on L behind R

STEP 3 - Big Basic

1-4	Repeat meas. 1-4, Step 1

5	1	Leap onto R in place, kicking L foot out sharply to L

2	Hop on R, bringing L across in front of R knee

6	1	Hop on R, Touching L toe to L with heel turned out

2	Hop on R, raise L foot to behind R calf, with slight lift on R

7	1	Step back onto L with a Twist

2	Step back onto R with a Twist

8	1	Turning to face slightly L, Leap to L in place, bringing	R foot up behind

2	Hop on L, swinging R foot forcefully forward and slightly L

9	Bending slightly from waist, continue movement forward and	slightly L with Three quick steps R,L,R (1,&,2)	taking full weight on R on ct. 2

10	1	Hop on R, swinging L foot low around in front to face slightly R

2	Step on L in front of and slightly R of R foot

STEP 4 - Pause

1-3	Repeat meas. 1-3, Step 3

4-5	Pause for two measures with weight on both feet (Shout "He-Ha" on meas. 5)

6-10	Repeat meas. 6-10, Step 3

STEP 5 - Bicycle	(To maintain a 10 measure pattern, the first measure of the "Big Basic" is dropped. This is optional.)

1-8	Repeat meas. 2-9, Step 3 At the end of the last count, take full weight on R, and thrust L foot forward and slightly L in preparation for the next movement

9	Hop on R, continuing the L foot forward, up, back and around (bicycle step)

10	1	Hop on R again, repeating the bicycle movement

2	Step back on R

STEP 6 - Brush Back

1-8	Repeat meas. 1-8, Step 5

9	1	Hop on R, swing L foot high around in front of R

2	Brush floor pulling L toe back, touching just in front of and R of R foot

10	1	Hop on R, bringing L back around and close to R

2	Step on L behind R

STEP 6-A - Heel Touch

Repeat Step 6 substituting a Heel-touch for the toe-brush

Continued...

KOPAČKA (Continued)

Page 3

KOPAČKA SONGS

Slow Dance:

/// Dimna Juda, mamo, grad gradila ///	Dimna Juda built a city

// Na planina, mamo, na Vlaina //	in the mountain, on Vlaina.

// Što je kolje, mamo, pobivala	The posts she drove

Se ergeni, mamo, za glavenje //	were all youths ready to be engaged,

Se ergeni, mamo, za glavenje	were all youths ready to be engaged.

// Što je pliče, mamo, zapličala*	The wands she plaited

Sve devojke, mamo, za mažene //	were all maidens ready for marriage,

Sve devojke, mamo, za mažene	were all maidens ready for marriage.

/// Dimna Juda, mamo, grad gradila ///	Dimna Juda built a city

// Na planina, mamo, na Vlaina //	in the mountain, on Vlaina.

Juda is an evil wood nymph.

*In the dialect of the region, this line (with the same translation) should be

Što je prak e, mamo, zaplik ala

Fast Dance:

/// Derviško viško, mome,	Derviška, girl,

Derviško dušo ///	Derviška, my darling

Rob k e ti bidam, mome,	I will be your slave, girl,

Rob k e ti bidam	I will be your slave

// Rob k e ti bidam, mome,	I will be your slave, girl,

vremi tri godini //	for three years.

Samo da ti vidam, mome,	Just so I can see you, girl,

Samo da ti vidam	Just so I can see you,

// Samo da ti vidam, mome,	Just so I can see you, girl,

Beloto liko //	your fair face.

I da go vidiš, ludo,	Even if you see it, lad,

I da go vidiš	Even if you see it,

// I da go vidiš, ludo,	Even if you see it, lad,

Fajda si nema //	It will do you no good.

Note:	In Macedonian, the "k " is pronounced like a soft asperated K, not like the hard English K.

Dance description by Tom Deering

Presented by Tom Deering