Bela Rada

BELA RADA
Serbian

PRONUNCIATION: BEL-lah RAH-dah.

TRANSLATION: Pretty Rada.

SOURCE: Dick Crum, noted dance researcher, introduced this Čačak-type dance in the mid-1950s to folk dancers in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Music, song and dance are fundamental components in any village get-together in Yugoslavia, with dancing taking place in the central square, in the churchyard, or at any level crossroads or meadow. The Serbian people have formed a strong patriarchal way of life in a society where the group is more important than the individual. In Serbia it is customary for a man who wishes to lead a dance to pay the Gypsy violinist or accordionist, and then to name the dance he wishes to lead. Accompanied by this musician, he then gathers a line of dancers, often only other men, to his left. Later on, the women may individually join in after a nod from a man in the line or circle.

MUSIC: Festival (45rpm) KF-EP-109.
Folkdancer (45rpm) MH 45-3023.
Folkraft (45rpm) 1532x45.

FORMATION: Cir or open cir of mixed M and W with joined hands held down at sides in "V" pos.

METER/RHYTHM: 2/4

STEPS/STYLE: Bela Rada is a dance in 5 meas. Because the music is in 8-meas phrases, the dance is "non-concordant" with the music.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION

Festival recording: 1 meas.
Folkdancer recording: 4 meas (8 chords).
Folkraft recording: 4 meas

THE DANCE

1 Facing ctr, step R swd (ct 1); step L in back of R (ct &); step R swd (ct 2); step L in back of R (ct &).

2 Step R slightly swd (ct 1); small hop on R moving slightly fwd and bringing L around in back in a reel-like motion (ct &); step L around in back of R (ct 2); small hop on L moving slightly fwd and bringing R around in back in a reel-like motion (ct &).

3 Step R around in back of L (ct 1); small hop on R moving slightly fwd and extending L low fwd (ct &); step L next to R extending R low fwd in a scissor-kick (ct 2); step R next to L extending L low fwd in a scissor-kick (ct &).

4 Step L around in back of R (ct 1); small hop on L moving slightly fwd bringing R around in back in a reel-like motion (ct &); step R around in back of L (ct 2); small hop on R moving slightly fwd and extending L low fwd (ct &).

5 Step L next to R extending R low fwd in a scissor kick (ct 1); step R next to L extending L low fwd in a scissor-kick (ct &); close L to R lowering heels to floor together (ct 2); pause (ct &).

Repeat entire dance from beg.

DANCE SEQUENCE

4 swd steps
3 step-hops
2 scissor-kicks
2 step-hops
2 scissor-kicks
1 together

Copyright © 2003 by Dick Oakes

BELA RADA Serbian

PRONUNCIATION:	BEL-lah RAH-dah.

TRANSLATION:	Pretty Rada.

SOURCE:	Dick Crum, noted dance researcher, introduced this Čačak-type dance in the mid-1950s to folk dancers in the United States.

BACKGROUND:	Music, song and dance are fundamental components in any village get-together in Yugoslavia, with dancing taking place in the central square, in the churchyard, or at any level crossroads or meadow. The Serbian people have formed a strong patriarchal way of life in a society where the group is more important than the individual. In Serbia it is customary for a man who wishes to lead a dance to pay the Gypsy violinist or accordionist, and then to name the dance he wishes to lead. Accompanied by this musician, he then gathers a line of dancers, often only other men, to his left. Later on, the women may individually join in after a nod from a man in the line or circle.

MUSIC:	Festival (45rpm) KF-EP-109. Folkdancer (45rpm) MH 45-3023. Folkraft (45rpm) 1532x45.

FORMATION:	Cir or open cir of mixed M and W with joined hands held down at sides in "V" pos.

METER/RHYTHM:	2/4

STEPS/STYLE:	Bela Rada is a dance in 5 meas. Because the music is in 8-meas phrases, the dance is "non-concordant" with the music.


MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION

	Festival recording: 1 meas. Folkdancer recording: 4 meas (8 chords). Folkraft recording: 4 meas

	THE DANCE

1	Facing ctr, step R swd (ct 1); step L in back of R (ct &); step R swd (ct 2); step L in back of R (ct &).

2	Step R slightly swd (ct 1); small hop on R moving slightly fwd and bringing L around in back in a reel-like motion (ct &); step L around in back of R (ct 2); small hop on L moving slightly fwd and bringing R around in back in a reel-like motion (ct &).

3	Step R around in back of L (ct 1); small hop on R moving slightly fwd and extending L low fwd (ct &); step L next to R extending R low fwd in a scissor-kick (ct 2); step R next to L extending L low fwd in a scissor-kick (ct &).

4	Step L around in back of R (ct 1); small hop on L moving slightly fwd bringing R around in back in a reel-like motion (ct &); step R around in back of L (ct 2); small hop on R moving slightly fwd and extending L low fwd (ct &).

5	Step L next to R extending R low fwd in a scissor kick (ct 1); step R next to L extending L low fwd in a scissor-kick (ct &); close L to R lowering heels to floor together (ct 2); pause (ct &).

	Repeat entire dance from beg.

	DANCE SEQUENCE

	4 swd steps 3 step-hops 2 scissor-kicks 2 step-hops 2 scissor-kicks 1 together

Copyright © 2003 by Dick Oakes