Balkan and Middle Eastern Dance/Music Rhythm Gallery

Ethnic Dance Connection (EDC2)

Dancing As a Second Language

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Balkan and Middle Eastern Dance/Music Rhythm Gallery

Rhythm Gallery

Enjoy learning about Balkan & Middle Eastern Dance/Music Rhythms and listening to some unusual ethnic folk music while you're visiting www,ethnicdance.net or surfing elsewhere on the web!

Some of these examples of rhythms are linked to music clips on this site. Over time, we'll get all the examples online. Why not listen to and learn about this exciting music while you're reading this page or surfing the web.

Contributors: Paul Collins, Dennis Boxell

Your options are:

Click an individual song name (below) to play it or,
Click the jukebox (left) to play the entire playlist.
Click this icon for pop-up windows with lyrics. Sing-along!
Click this icon for pop-up windows with information.
Click Here for a pdf of Balkan & Middle-Eastern Rhythms
Click Here for the Music Gallery Page

Requirements: RealPlayer and Pop-Ups Allowed (for lyrics & info)

If you're going to surf the net for a while, as long as RealPlayer is running, your music selection(s) will continue to play - even if you leave this website. The jukebox playlist and the by country playlists are in alpha order by song. Use RealPlayer controls as you would use CD player controls, ~~You can shuffle the playlist and you can also scan the selected playlist in order to play each clip for 20 seconds.~~

The RealPlayer is a free download and you can install it on your computer in minutes. Download and install this media player from: http://www.real.com

GROUP 1	[Q = 1/2 beat = &, S = 1 full beat = 1] (Q=Quick, S=Slow)
Meter	Counting Method 1	Counting Method 2	Examples
2/4	SQQ (Mixed Pickles)	1-2&	U Sest (Serbia), Syrtos (Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria), Sirto (Bulgaria), Pravoto or Lesnoto Oro (Macedonia), Kjucek (Bulgaria), Cocek (Serbia)
	QQS	1&-2	Kokonjeste Kolo (Serbia), Kukunjesko Horo (Bulgaria), Crnogorka (Macedonia)
		1&-2	Ovcepolska Potrculka (Macedonia), Kopacka (Macedonia)
		1&-2&	Sopsko Horo 2/4 (Bulgaria)
		1&-2&	Trite Puti 2/4 (Bulgaria)
		1&-2&	Pravo Trakijsko 2/4 (Bulgaria)
3/8	SSS	1-2-3	Zikino Kolo (Serbia)
5/4	SQQSSQQ	1-2&-3-4-5&	Zagorisios (Epirus, Greece)
6/8	SSSSSS	1-2-3-4-5-6	Zikino Kolo (Serbia, sometimes also played 7/8), Bojerka (Bosnia), Hora Mare Moldovaneasc (Romania) Tsamikos (Greece)
8/8	SQSQS (Get Your Papers Here)	1&-2-3&-4-5&	Invirtita (Transylvania, Romania), Sokacko Malo Kolo (Banat)
	QSQSS	1-2&-3-4&-5&	Ca La Breaza (Romania)

GROUP 2	[Q = 2 beats = 12 S = 3 beats = 123] (Q=Quick, S=Slow)
Meter	Counting Method 1	Counting Method 2	Examples
5/8	QS	12-123	Mori Odajo (Macedonia), Sarakina (Agean Macedonia) Dragaicuta (Romania)
5/16	QS	12-123	Pajdusko (Macedonia, Bulgaria), Baiduska (Greece), Rustemul, Paidusca, Cimpoi (Romania)
7/4	1-2-3-4-5-6-7	123-12-12	Maskoto (Macedonia), Tris Fores (Agean Macedonia)
7/8	SQQ	123-12-12	Pravoto or Lesnoto Oro (Macedonia),Cupurlika (Macedonia), Kupurlika (Bulgaria), Syrtos Kalamatianos (Greece), Cupi Kosturcanki (Macedonia), Sirto (Bulgaria),
7/16	1-2-3-4-5-6-7	12-12-123	Eleno Mome (Bulgaria, Macedonia)
	QQS	12-12-123	Racenica (Bulgaria), Katanka (East Serbia, Bulgaria), Potrcano (Macedonia), Cigancica (Macedoina, East Serbia)
	SQQ	123-12-12	Cetvorno Horo , Panagyursko, Dobro Nevesto, Ripna Maca (Bulgaria), Momirul (Romania)
9/4	QQQS	12-12-12-123	Kumovo Oro (Macedonia)
9/8	QQQS	12-12-12-123	Devetorka (Macedonia, Bulgaria), Niska Banja (Serbia), Karsilimas (Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey), Kjucek (Bulgaria) Varnensko (Bulgaria), Sareni Corapi (Macedonia}, Dzangruica (Pirin, Bulgaria)
	QSQQ	12-123-12-12	Fatise Kolo (Serbia-Vranja), Devojce, Devojce (Macedonia) Sto Me Je Milo (Serbia), Katuse Mome, Katuse (Macedonia)
9/16	QQQS	12-12-12-123	Dajcovo Horo , Lilka (Bulgaria), Lile, Lile (Serbia)
	QSQQ	12-123-12-12	Grancarsko Horo (Bulgaria)
11/16	QQSQQ	12-12-123-12-12	Kopanica , Gankino Horo (Bulgaria), Osagovka (Macedonia), Ovcepolsko Oro (Macedonia), Stankino (Agean Maedonia) Marina (Agean Maedonia)
	SQQQQ	123-12-12-12-12	Patrunino (Agean Macedonia), Acano Mlada Nevesto (Maedonia)
	QQQQS	12-12-12-12-123	Neda Voda Nalivala (Bulgaria)
12/16	SQQSQ	123-12-12-123-12	Berance, Bajrace, Pusceno, Pusteno, Kucano (Macedonia), Leventikos, Pouscheno, Beratiko, Litos (Greece), Neso, Berace (Kosovo, Albania)
	QQSQS	12-12-123-12-123	Dolgoto (Macedonia), Gajda Preshevare (Kosovo)
	QQQSS	12-12-12-123-123	Topansko (Macedonia)
13/16	QQQQQS	12-12-12-12-12-123	Petrunino (Bulgaria)
	SQQQQQ	123-12-12-12-12-12	Elenino Horo (Bulgaria)
	QQQSQQ	12-12-12-123-12-12	Krivo Sadovsko Horo (Bulgaria), Zensko Krsteno (Macedonia)
14/16	QQQSQS	12-12-12-123-12-123	Bicak (Bulgaria)
15/16	QQQQSQQ	12-12-12-12-123-12-12	Bucimis (Bulgaria)

GROUP 3	Special Combos - [Q = 2 beats = 12 / S = 3 beats = 123] / (Q=Quick, S=Slow)
Meter	Counting Method 1	Counting Method 2	Examples
1 "Cetvorno" + 1 "Gankino" 7/16 + 11/16	SQQ-QQSQQ	123-12-12 + 12-12-123-12-12	Jove Male Mome (Bulgaria), Janino Oro (Macedonia)
2 "Cetvornos" + 1 "Gankino" 7/16 + 7/16 + 11/16	SQQ-SQQ-QQSQQ	123-12-12 + 123-12-12 + 12-12-123-12-12	Sedi Donka (East Serbia, Bulgaria, style #1), Sedi Donka (East Serbia, Bulgaria, style #2)
2 "Dajcovos" + 2 quicks or 1 "Dajcovo" + 1 "Krivo" 9/16 + 13/16	QQQS + QQQS + QQ or QQQS + QQQSQQ	12-12-12-123 + 12-12-12-123 + 12-12 or 12-12-12-123 + 12-12-12-123-12-12	Sandansko Horo (Pirin, Bulgaria)