Information: A dance.

The mixed dance Bičak is danced in the Petrič region with zurna and tûpan accompaniment. This version was recorded in Petrič.

Translated by: Tatiana Nikolova-Houston from Tantsova samodeynost, 1958.

Translation: Knife

Pronunciation: BEE-chahk

Region: Macedonia

Meter: 13/8

Formation: The hand-hold is with folded in elbows arms.

Steps and Style: The characteristic for this dance is the constant slight springing of the body.

Steps:

MOV 1.

Spusuk and Pribežka. Initial position – Svivka with the R ft.

1	Spusuk with the R ft diagonally to the L forward, with a slight squatting of the L ft.

2	Čuckče with the L ft, low Svivka with the R ft.

3	Step with the R ft to the R, and the L ft lifts up from the ground.

4	Small jump over with the L ft to the R.

5	Small jump over with the R ft to the R.

Note:

The movement is done from the beginning, but with the other ft (the L).

MOV 2.

"Step and behind Svivka." Initial position of the feet – 1st position.

1	Spusuk with the R ft diagonally to the L forward, with a slight squatting of the L ft.

2	Čuckče with the L ft, and a low Svivka with the R ft.

3	Step with the L ft in front of the R ft to the R and when the same foot squats. The R ft takes a position of a behind Svivka.

4	Step with the R ft on place.

Note:

The movement is done with the L ft to the L.

The dance starts from the beginning.

MOV 1

Spusuk and Pribežka."

MOV 2

Spusuk and Pribežka but with the other foot.

MOV 3

Step and behind Svivka.

MOV 4

Step and behind Svivka but with the L foot to the L.

The dance starts from the beginning.

Bičak, as choreographed and described by K. Ruyčev from Tantsova samodeynost, 1958.

The dance Bičak is danced in some villages of the Kumanovsko, West Macedonia. The name comes from the fact, that sometimes ago the dance was done with knives and only by men, but later the dance involved women also and excluded knives.

The dance is developed in two parts.

The first part, with a slower tempo, is danced by women, and the second part where the men come in is faster. They do more squatting.

The character of the dance is playful (teasing). During the whole time of the performance, the body springs. This dance is choreographed for eight women and seven men which hold hands with fold in elbows (6th position).

The music instruments are zurna and tûpan, however it is possible an orkestur za narodni instrumenti. Meter is 9/16 + 5/16.

Women are dressed in a women long shirt from Kumanovo region made of cotton or linen sheet with two wide gore/gusset, long and wide sleeves, embroidered heavily with dark-blue and black wool on the skirts, sleeves, the seams and the collar. Over it is put on a short vest made of white shayak (coarse homespun woolen cloth), decorated on the whole chest area. An apron of dark wine color, 60cm long, 70cm wide, with square decorations on it, and a belt with buckles (paphti). The head scarf is in a light yellow color made of wool or silk fabric. The shoes are old fashioned. On the chest are put decorative jewelry.

Men are dressed in white or black benevretsi (tight homespun Šop men's trousers or breeches) with a little bit of decoration on them. A red colored vest with gajtani (woolen braiding cord for decorating folk costumes) on the seams and the ends, an white shirt with a little bit of embroidery on the sleaves and the chest, a red or dark-wine belt, black kalpak (high-crowned sheep-leather cap worn by men in the Balkans) for the head, and old-fashioned kunduri (shoes).

MOV 1.

Walk with Čukče to the R in front. Initial position of the feet – 1st position.

9/16	On "Raz" and "Dva" – Čukče with the R ft, as the L ft takes position of internal Svivka.

Three

Čukče with spring with the R ft, as the L ft in a small circle takes position of low behind Svivka.

Four	Step with the L ft behind the R ft, as the R ft leaves the ground.

5/16	On "Raz" – step with the R ft to the R, as the L ft leaves the ground.

Two	Step with the L ft next to the R.

The movement can be done also with the other foot to the L. "Walk with Čukče to the L."

MOV 2.

Walk with Čukče to the R. Initial position of the feet – 1st position.

9/16	On "Raz" and "Dva" – Čukče with the R ft, as the L ft takes position of internal Svivka.

Three

Čukče with spring with the R ft, as the L ft in a small circle takes position of low behind Svivka.

Four	Step with the L ft behind the R ft, as the R ft leaves the ground.

5/16	On "Raz" – step with the R ft to the R, as the L ft leaves the ground.

Two	Step with the L ft next to the R ft.

The movement can be done also with the other foot to the L. "Walk with Čukče to the L."

MOV 3.

Squatting with Pribežka.

9/16	On "Raz" and "Dva" – full squatting with jump over of both feet forward.

Three

Step on place with the L ft and coming straight up, as the R ft takes a position of open Svivka.

Four	Step with the R ft forward, as the L ft leaves the floor.

5/16	On "Raz" – step with the L ft forward, the R ft leaves the ground.

Two	Small step with R ft forward.

The movement is done with the other foot, and also with movement to the L and R.

MOV 4.

Squatting with turning around and Pribežka.

9/16	On "Raz" and "Dva" – leap on place with both feet simultaneously, as the body turns to the L in 180 degrees with squatting.

Three

Stand upright and a step on place with the L ft, as the R ft takes a position of open Svivka.

Four	Step with the R ft forward, as the L ft leaves the ground.

5/16	On "Raz" – step with the L ft forward, as the R ft leaves the ground.

Two	Small step with the R ft forward.

The jump-overs from MOV 3 and MOV 4 can be substituted with small steps in slower tempo.

MOV 1.

First Figure – 24 bars.

1-24	With an subsequent performance of MOV 1 "Walk with Čukče to the R forward," the girls come from the bottom of the stage and make one full circle, as on the 24th bar they must be at the bottom of the stage facing the audience. (Figure 1).

MOV 2.

Second Figure – 8 bars.

1-4	With MOV 1 "Čukče to the L forward" and MOV 2 "Walk with Čukče to the L," the girls move to the L.

1-2	With MOV 3 "Squatting with Pribežka" the men come out from the two front side-stages in direction of the girls, with their R hands waving handkerchiefs, and the L put on the waist. ( Figure 2).

3-6	The men turn around their L shoulder with 180 degrees holding themselves in a straight line and move with the same movement forward. (Figure 3).

7-8	The men once again separate themselves into two groups and with movement "Squatting with Pribežka" they move to the girls.

5-8th

The girls make the MOV 1 "Walk with Čukče to the R forward’ and MOV 2 "Walk with Čukče to the R." On 8th bar the men hold the hands of the women at the end of the line. (Figure 5).

MOV 3.

Third Figure – 8 bars. Initial position of the feet – 1st position.

1-8

All dancers make MOV 1 "Walk with Čukče to the R forward" and MOV 2 "Walk with Čukče to the R." When making the movement, everybody moves forward. With their movement, they make a semi-circle, open toward the bottom of the stage. On the 8th bar, everybody turn back to the R with backs to the audience. (Figure 6).

MOV 4.

Forth Figure – 8 bars.

1-8	The girls make subsequently MOV 1 "Walk with Čukče to the R forward" and MOV 2 "Walk with Čukče to the R," as they move in a circle in a CCW, toward the bottom of the stage. (Figure 7). On the 8th bar, the girls have to be in a semi-circle at the bottom of the stage.

1	The men come away from the girls and with MOV 3 "Squatting with Pribežka" and move toward the center of the stage to make one straight line for the last bar. (Figure 5).

2-5	The men turn to the R facing the audience still on the first time of the 2nd bar and with MOV 3 "Squatting with Pribežka" they move forward. (Figure 7).

6	The men do MOV 4 "Squatting with turning around and Pribežka" separating themselves as each one of them turns around himself. During the turning around, the men wave the handkerchiefs holding them in their R hands.

7	With MOV 3 "Squatting with Pribežka" the men move toward the girls. (Figure 8)

8	The men make MOV 4 "Squatting with turning around and Pribežka" and hold hands among the girls. (Figure 9).

MOV 5.

Fifth Figure

1-8	Everybody do MOV 1 "Walk with Čukče to the R forward" and MOV 2 "Walk with Čukče to the R." During the performance of this movement, they move to the R. (Figure10).

MOV 6.

Sixth Figure

1-2

The three men in the center move from the semi-cirlce with MOV 3 "Squatting with Pribežka" and move forward toward the bottom of the stage. (Figure 11). The L of the dancers make subsequently the MOV 1 "Walk with Čukče to the R forward" and MOV 2 "Walk with Čukče to the R" continuing their movement to the R – the girls, among whom are the men, hold hands.

3

The four men who are on the sides of the semi-cirlce, separate themselves and two-by-two with MOV 3 "Squatting with Pribežka" move after the first three men. (Figure 11). During the performance of the movement, the men wave the handkerchiefs holding them in their R hands. The men from the threefold continue to move forward with MOV 3 Squatting with Pribežka." At the same time, the girls with MOV 1 "Walk with Čukče to the R forward" continue to move toward the same direction. (Figure 11).

4	Men with MOV 3 "Squatting with Pribežka" continue their movement forward. The girls perform MOV 2 "Walk with Čukče to the R."

5	The three men make MOV 4 "Squatting with turning around and Pribežka." The two couples of men make MOV 3 "Squatting with Pribežka." The girls make MOV 1 "Walk with Čukče to the R forward."

6

The triple of men, now turned on the 5th bar facing the audience, making MOV 3 "Squatting with Pribežka". The two end men wave handkerchiefs moving forward. The girls make MOV 2 "Walk with Čukče to the R." The two couples of men also make MOV 4 "Squatting with turning around and Pribežka" facing the audience.

7	All men make MOV 3 "Squatting with Pribežka."

8	The men make MOV 3 "Squatting with Pribežka." The girls make MOV 2 "Walk with Čukčee to the R" and on "two" of the 5/8 time they make step with the L ft forward, in order to get in line with the two couples of men. (Figure 12).

Thus set, everybody finish with a bow.

From the front R side-stages three men come out, and the rest of the performers, separated into two groups come out from the front R and L side-stages.