The Society of Folk Dance Historians (SFDH)

The Society of Folk Dance Historians (SFDH)

Legnala Dana

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BACKGROUND

Information: A dance.

According to a late 1960s syllabus, attributed to Atanas Kolarovski and much mimeographed by me (Michael Kuharski) in the early 1970s.

Translation: Dana lay down

Pronunciation: LEG-nah-lah DAH-nah

Region: Karvadarči (Varder Valley), Macedonia

Meter: 7/8

Rhythm: 3+2+2 = Slow-quick-quick = Sqq

Formation: Open circle, shoulder hold (T pos), or hands held at shoulder height (W pos) facing LOD. Originally danced in separate lines with W joined by a handkerchief with the M

MEAS

PATTERN

The Dance

1	Moving LOD, step R (S); Step L (qq).

2	Moving LOD, step R, lifting L leg in back of R leg, L calf – touching R calf (S); Raise and lower R heel twice (qq).

3	Moving LOD, step L (S); Step R,L (qq).

4	Facing ctr, step R (S); Raise and lower R heel, L knee bent and lifted in front of R leg (qq).

5	Facing ctr, step fwd on L slightly toward left (S); Bending L knee, step R behind L (qq).

6	Facing ctr, step L (S); Raise and lower L heel, R knee bent and lifted in front of L leg (qq).

7	Facing ctr, step R fwd in front of and close to L (S); Step L in place (q); Step R fwd (q).

8	Facing ctr, step L fwd in front of and close to R (S); Step R in place (q); Step L fwd (q).

LYRICS

Legnala Dana, zaspala, lele Bože,
Vo edna mala gradina.
Vo edna mala gradina, lele Bože,
Pod edno drvo maslinka.

Poduvna veter od more, lele Bože,
Otkrši granka maslinka.
Otkrši granka maslinka, lele Bože,
Udri mi Dana po lice.

Vikna mi Dana, zaplače, lele Bože:
Of lele le le do Boga.
Što bev si slatko, zaspala, lele Bože,
I sladok son si sonuva.

Na son dojdoja tri ludi, lele Bože,
Tri ludi, tri adžamii.
Prvi mi dade zlat prsten, lele Bože,
Drugi mi dade jabolko.
Drugi mi dade jabolko, lele Bože,
Treḱi me mene celuna.

Toj što mi dade zlat prsten, lele Bože,
Niz nego da se provira.
Toj što mi dade jabolko, lele Bože,
Zelen da bide do groba.
Toj što me mene celuna, lele Bože,
So nego da se vekuvam.

Dana lay down and fell asleep, oh Lord,
In a little garden,
In a little garden, oh Lord,
Under an olive tree.

The wind blew from the sea, oh Lord,
And broke off olive twig,
And broke off an olive twig, oh Lord.
It hit Dana in the face.

Dana called out, began to cry, oh Lord,
Oh God,
I had just fallen asleep, oh Lord,
And was dreaming a sweet dream.

In the dream three men came, oh Lord,
Three men, three young lads.
The first gave me a gold ring, oh Lord,
The second gave me an apple,
The second gave me an apple, oh Lord.
The third kissed me.

The one that gave me a gold ring, oh Lord,
He can go crawl through it.
The one that gave me an apple, oh Lord,
May he be green till the grave.
The one that kissed me, oh Lord,
Let me spend forever with him!”

DOCUMENTS

Atanas Kolarovski, an article.
Macedonia, a country.

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