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Čačak kolo
By Ron Houston

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Ron Houston

BACKGROUND

Someone lost my entire Cha- notebook (may they eternally roast in Hell) so I have only memories of this dance.

Information: A dance.

Čačak kolo hit the United States in the 1960s.

Translation: Named for the town of Čačak, Serbia

Pronunciation: CHA-chak KOH-loh

Other names: Banjski Čačak, Brzi Čačak, Long Čačak, Seven-step Čačak, Zaplanjski Čačak

Meter: 2/4

Rhythm: It has the 3-2-1 pattern of other Čačaks, but a 17-bar pattern instead of the more usual 10.

Formation: Lines (broken circles): used to be long and segregated but now men and women dance together in short lines with belt hold (or front basket hold if you forgot belts). Leader at R end. Thumbs of free hands (at the ends of lines) tucked in belts.


BARS ACTION

  Introduction.
1-16 An introduction is optional and of variable length at the leader's whim. Me, I like to listen for 16 bars.
 
  The dance.
1 Step to R onto R ft (ct 1), step behind R ft onto L ft (ct 2).
2-3 Repeat action of bar 1, three times in all.
4 Step in place onto R ft (ct 1), kick L ft forward, small and tight (ct 2).
5 Repeat action of bar 4 with opposite footwork.
6 Repeat action of bar 4.
7 Step to L onto L ft (ct 1), step behind L ft onto R ft (ct 2).
8-9 Repeat action of bars 5-6 (2 step-kicks).
10 Repeat action of bar 7 (step-behind).
11 Repeat action of bar 5 (step-kick).
12 Step behind L ft onto R ft (ct 1), hop on R ft (ct 2).
13 Repeat action of bar 12 with opposite footwork.
14-15 Step to R onto R ft (ct 1), step in front of R ft onto L ft (ct 2), step in place onto R ft (ct 1), hop on R ft (ct 2).
16 Repeat action of bars 14-15 with opposite footwork.
 
  Repeat from the beginning. The 17-bar dance won't fit the 16-bar music. Don't worry.

VARIATIONS

You may face to L and dance 6 prancing steps backward during bars 1-3.

You may dance hop-step-steps in place of the step-behinds in bars 7 and 10.

You may run 3 steps to R and 3 steps to L instead of the 2 pas-de-basque.

You may not, however, bother your neighbors.

Imagine, if you will, that this dance could be bought in a bakery. You have a 3-bar lead-in of step-behinds. That's the fancy plate. Then you have 3 step-kicks. That's the largest layer. Then you have a step-behind. That's the frosting between layers. Then 2 step-kicks, more frosting, and 1 step-kick. Finally, you have the 2 back-hops (the decoration on top), and the 2 pas-de-basque (the 2 dolls). Voila! You have a metaphorical wedding cake! Dig in!

Note: in the 1970s, another dance by the name of Zaplanjski Čačak hit the United States. It's sequence is: 3 step-crosses, 3 step-kicks, 2 step-crosses, 2 step-kicks, 1 step-cross, and 1 step-kick. 12 bars in all.

Note: There's also an 8-bar Zaplanjski Čačak, but it's lost with the rest.


REFERENCE


DOCUMENTS


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