The Society of Folk Dance Historians (SFDH)

The Society of Folk Dance Historians (SFDH)

12/8 Dances
By Ron Houston

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BACKGROUND

Information: Joan C. Friedberg published much of this information in "Cultural Change in Traditional Dances of Florina, Greece," translated to and published in Greek in the proceedings of the annual conference of the 1997 International Organization for Folk Arts (I.O.F.A.)(D.O.L.T. in Greek), UNESCO, Athens.

ORIGIN THEORIES

Joan C. Friedberg sees two possible origins:

Additive theory: Alternating bars of 7/8 (S-q-q) and 5/8 (S-q), both common to the Western Greek mainland, where transcriptions often appear thus.
Subtractive theory: Drop a beat from two bars of 7/8 (S-q-q, S-q-q), to derive (S-q-q, S-q). Precedent for this occurs in some Balkan songs, and 12-8 could even have originated from such a song.

DANCES

Dolgoto Oro
Ibraim Odža, by Mile Kolarov and Ljupco Milenkovski in SqSSq (13/16), not SaaSa (12/16). (Or: Slowly, the meter is Sqq (pause) Sq (pause), sounding like SqSSq; fast, SqqSq.
Knojnü Pushküt Nüpür Kulla (The Rifles Sing Among the Houses), from Dibra (Dibür, Debar) region of Albania (Gheg region). Rhythm 12/8 (3-2, 3-2-2). From the private collection of Ian Price, Merriam, Kansas.
Martaneshin S’un e Shtroj (Martanesh Will Not Be Subjugated). Traditional song from North-central Albania. Rhythm alternates between (3-2-2, 3-2) and (3-2, 3-2-2). From Price, Ian, Drita Albanian Folk Ensemble, Los Angeles, California. (1993).
Pušteno, also known as Litos, Levendikos, Kuèlano, Nešo, Bufsko.
Tefik Çanga, popular song in 12/8 (3-2, 3-2-2). From Reineck, Janet, (n.d.) Songs and Dances from Kosovo, Department of Anthropology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California.
Xhamadani I Trimnisü (The Hero’s Jacket), from Northeast Albania (Gheg region), tells of the Albanian hero Mic Sokoli who died fighting the Turks in the 19th Century. Rhythm 12/8 (3-2, 3-2-2). From the private collection of Ian Price, Merriam, Kansas.

PUBLICATIONS

Freut euch des Lebens in Deutsche Volkstaenze: Heft 52/53, Deutsche Volkstaenze aus dem Weichselraum. Horak, Karl. Basel, London, New York: Barenreiter Kassel.
Twelve Reel in Fennessy, Marjorie. Pat Shaw Collection; Book 3 – Dances. London: HS, 1986.
Twelve Reel in Community Manual – Dances 3. English Folk Dance and Song Society. 1954. Progressive Six Reel, Triumph.

DOCUMENTS

Balkan Rhythms, an article.
Bulgarian Rhythm, an article.
International Folk Dance Rhythms, an article.
Irregular Rhythms, an article.
Ron Houston, an article.

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