LADO: 60 Years of Celebrating Traditional Croatian Music and Dance
Friday, October 9, 2009 at 8:00 PM
Music Center at Strathmore

Programme:

LADARKE
Choreography: Zvonimir Ljevakovi
Music: Emil Cossetto


Until recently, it was customary in central Croatia that at the beginning of summer on Saint John’s feast day, that several ceremoniously dressed young girls called “ladarke” would get together to sing specific traditional songs. They would walk throughout the village and sing these songs in front of each house, and by doing so would wish upon the occupants of that house all good things such as good health, prosperity and a good harvest. The traditions shown in this suite are from the southern area of Zagreb, the capital city.

VALPOVAKO KOLO
DANCE FROM VALPOVO
Choreography: Zvonimir Ljevakovi
Music: Božidar Poto


In this dance you can see an especially interesting short costume made from a special lace called šlinga from a place called Bizovac, not too far away from a better known town called Valpovo.

OLD DANCES FROM THE ISLAND OF KORULA Choreography: Milan and Goran Oreb
Music: Marijan Makar

People loved and still love to dance on the Island of Korula, and this can be seen through the many well-preserved traditional songs and dances performed here today. The combination of Mediterranean and Eastern-European elements has created unique dance and choreographic variations accompanied by distinctive music. What has added to the style of dance on this island is the mixing of village and town dance and music traditions.

“PAVO, COME AND PLAY FOR US” - DANCES FROM BARANJA (8 minutes)
Choreography: Krunoslav Šokac
Music: Josip Duško Topi

In the far northeast part of Croatia, between the Drava and Danube rivers, lies Baranja. In this area of lowlands the lively folk dances and songs are still performed and as such have been well preserved. Until recently they were accompanied by a bagpipe, but now are mostly accompanied by a tamburitza orchestra. Until today, the people of this area called “Šokci” have preserved their distinctive folk costumes and temperamental dances.

TANAC PO SUSACKU
DANCE FROM SUSAK
Choreography: Zvonimir Ljevakovi
Music: Marijan Makar
The northern Adriatic Island of Susak, unique in its sand structure, also has unique women’s national costumes with exceptionally short skirts.

The dance belongs to the family of northern Adriatic island dances also peculiar for their performance in two opposite lines. This act will be performed accompanied by music on a reconstructed old island instrument called mješnice (instrument similar to bagpipes).

MUSICAL INTERMEZZO: The LADO orchestra

PRIGORSKI PLESOVI
DANCES FROM PRIGORJE
Choreography and music: Zvonimir Ljevakovi

Until recently, in the villages near Zagreb, the traditional “Sukačko” dance (dance of the wedding cooks) was danced at most weddings, while the Polka, which many years ago was adopted throughout north western Croatia, is still danced today. The Drmeš, which used to be danced most often on holidays, in Prigorje has a specific regional variation which is referred to as “Drobniica”. During this highly energetic dance, dancers would stop in one place and with quick and tiny movements would shake their entire bodies.

Intermission

„GIRLS, COME AND DANCE IN THE CIRCLE” DANCES FROM THE DRAGANI DISTRICT
Choreography: Mojmir Golemac
Music: Mojmir Golemac and Dražen Kurilovan

The lively songs and dances and well as characteristic colorful costumes of Dragani have been preserved to date. Today, tamburitza bands usually accompany the more traditional double-bass and violins.

PRIMOŠTENSKO KOLO
DANCE FROM PRIMOŠTEN
Choreography and music: Ivan Ivanan

The variations of folklore tradition in Primošten and its inland areas are very interesting and equally incorporate elements of the Adriatic and the Dinaric region. The Adriatic elements are predominant in the women’s costumes and songs while the Dinaric details are predominant in the men’s. This is also true of the circle dance performed with the accompaniment of a drum together with the mješnice (instrument similar to bagpipes).

BUNJEVAKO MOMAKO KOLO
THE BUNJEVCI YOUNG MAN'S DANCE
Choreography: Zvonimir Ljevakovi
Music: Božo Potonik

Across the Danube River in Baka – the north western area of Vojvodina, live the Croatian Bunjevci. Their favorite dance is Momačko Kolo (Young Man's Dance), and in this dance the young men show off their talents and dance prowess by making unique rhythmical sounds, which are achieved by clicking the heels of their boots which have a number of metallic disks attached.

“TAKE THAT PRETTY GIRL BY THE HAND”: LINO LEAP DANCE
Choreography and music: Vido Bagur

The renowned “circle leap dance”, or “Lino” as it is better known, is the most popular folk dance of all the area around the city of Dubrovnik, but is also danced by Croatians in the southern districts of Herzegovina of Neum and Ravno, as well as in apljina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Characteristic elements of this dance include its strength and temperament, the variety and wealth of dance figures and the unique hand holds. The dance is accompanied by the Lijerica which is an old traditional instrument. The ‘kolovoda’ or dance leader is responsible for choosing who dances with whom and is the one who directs the movements of the dance by giving commands in witty verse.

Musical intermezzo: The LADO orchestra

WEDDING DANCE FROM THE PODRAVINA REGION
Choreography: Ivan Ivanan
Music: Ivan Ivanan and Marijan Makar

Through dancing, singing, instrument playing and traditional costumes, the Podravina Wedding suite shows two examples of wedding customs in Podravina: a garland is made for the bride, and then the wedding is started. The main characters are the bride, groom, bridesmaids, elderly ladies of the villages and flag bearers.