Kokonjeste

KOKONJEŠTE
Serbian

PRONUNCIATION: koh-kohn-YESH-teh

TRANSLATION: From the Romanian word "coconeşte" meaning "in the style of a young nobleman."

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Dick Crum and John Filcich. In the early 1950s, Michael and Mary Ann Herman spread the dance from New York. Jane Farwell brought it to Texas. Rickey Holden described a significantly different version for Folkkraft (LP) LP-53.

BACKGROUND: Kokonješte (also known as kokonješče, kukunješte, kukunješče, and kukunješ) is danced to many different tunes. The one that became most popular, and is associated most with the dance as brought to the United States by Serbs who lived in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is titled "Arapsko (Arabian, as in the horse) Kokonješte.
Dick Crum says, "The term "Kokonješte pattern" is often used by Yugoslav dance specialists with reference to a large group of kolos that share Kokonješte's basic structure. This group includes dances well known to many U.S. and Canadian folk dancers, such as Žikino kolo, Čuječ mala, and U šest."

MUSIC: Balkan Records (45rpm) 576B "Kokonješte Kolo"
NAMA 2 (LP) 1002, side B, band 2, "Kokonješte"
Folk Art (10" EP) LP-107 "Kokonješte"
Folk Dancer (45rpm) MH 1007, side b, "Kukunješče Kolo"

FORMATION: Open cir of mixed M and W with hands joined and held down in "V" pos, end dancers have free hands at small of back.

METER/RHYTHM: 2/4

STEPS/STYLE: Steps are small.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION

1-12 No action during the first "Arapsko" theme.

I. KOKONJEŠTE

1 Facing slightly to R and moving in LOD, run R (ct 1), run L (ct 2),

2 Facing ctr, step R slightly swd with R heel slightly turned outward (ct 1), step L next to R (ct &), step R next to L (ct 2),

3 Reverse action of meas 2 to L with opp ftwk,

4 Repeat action of meas 2,

5-8 Reverse action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.

9-32 Repeat action of meas 1-8 three more times.

NOTE: On meas 1, some dancers exaggerate the two running steps by stepping outward from the ctr on the first and twd the ctr on the second, keeping the ft close together in a zig-zag motion.

II. ARAPSKO

1 Facing slightly to R and moving in LOD, step R (ct 1), step L (ct 2),

2 Facing ctr, step R slightly swd with heel slightly turned outward (ct 1), touch L next to R (ct 2),

3 Reverse action of meas 2,

4 Repeat action of meas 2,

5-8 Reverse action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk,

9-12 Repeat action of meas 1-4.

NOTE: Some dancers like to raise their arms fwd to just below shldr height, elbows relaxed and rounded, during this fig.

Repeat entire dance from beg except that dance alternates to opp dir with opp ftwk.

Copyright © 2004 by Dick Oakes

KOKONJEŠTE Serbian

PRONUNCIATION:	koh-kohn-YESH-teh

TRANSLATION:	From the Romanian word "coconeşte" meaning "in the style of a young nobleman."

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Dick Crum and John Filcich. In the early 1950s, Michael and Mary Ann Herman spread the dance from New York. Jane Farwell brought it to Texas. Rickey Holden described a significantly different version for Folkkraft (LP) LP-53.

BACKGROUND:	Kokonješte (also known as kokonješče, kukunješte, kukunješče, and kukunješ) is danced to many different tunes. The one that became most popular, and is associated most with the dance as brought to the United States by Serbs who lived in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is titled "Arapsko (Arabian, as in the horse) Kokonješte. Dick Crum says, "The term "Kokonješte pattern" is often used by Yugoslav dance specialists with reference to a large group of kolos that share Kokonješte's basic structure. This group includes dances well known to many U.S. and Canadian folk dancers, such as Žikino kolo, Čuječ mala, and U šest."

MUSIC:	Balkan Records (45rpm) 576B "Kokonješte Kolo" NAMA 2 (LP) 1002, side B, band 2, "Kokonješte" Folk Art (10" EP) LP-107 "Kokonješte" Folk Dancer (45rpm) MH 1007, side b, "Kukunješče Kolo"

FORMATION:	Open cir of mixed M and W with hands joined and held down in "V" pos, end dancers have free hands at small of back.

METER/RHYTHM:	2/4

STEPS/STYLE:	Steps are small.


MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION

1-12	No action during the first "Arapsko" theme.

I.	KOKONJEŠTE

1	Facing slightly to R and moving in LOD, run R (ct 1), run L (ct 2),
2	Facing ctr, step R slightly swd with R heel slightly turned outward (ct 1), step L next to R (ct &), step R next to L (ct 2),
3	Reverse action of meas 2 to L with opp ftwk,
4	Repeat action of meas 2,
5-8	Reverse action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.

9-32	Repeat action of meas 1-8 three more times.

	NOTE: On meas 1, some dancers exaggerate the two running steps by stepping outward from the ctr on the first and twd the ctr on the second, keeping the ft close together in a zig-zag motion.

II.	ARAPSKO

1	Facing slightly to R and moving in LOD, step R (ct 1), step L (ct 2),
2	Facing ctr, step R slightly swd with heel slightly turned outward (ct 1), touch L next to R (ct 2),
3	Reverse action of meas 2,
4	Repeat action of meas 2,
5-8	Reverse action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk,
9-12	Repeat action of meas 1-4.

	NOTE: Some dancers like to raise their arms fwd to just below shldr height, elbows relaxed and rounded, during this fig.

	Repeat entire dance from beg except that dance alternates to opp dir with opp ftwk.

Copyright © 2004 by Dick Oakes