MACEDONIAN FOLCLORE

Folk dances (ora)

Macedonian folclore bursts with rhytms, fast dancing steps, colourful costumes, vigorousness, and beautiful songs, and is always quite striking. Macedonians danced and created folk dances (ora) both in sorrow and in joy, in suffering and in pleasure. So, now we have their magnificent folk dances (ora) as our heritage. These, adapted to present conditions and grouped into series, are danced and presented throughout the country and the world. Numerous dance ensembles study the Macedonian folclore thorughout the country and the world (in the Diaspora) and promote their motherland.

Here is one selection of the best Macedonian folk dances' (ora) bouquets that today are performed at least on stage, if not elsevere:

- The Hard One (Teskoto) is considered to be one of the most beautiful and most difficult Macedonian folk dances. A lot has been written and said about it.. Site

- The Rebel's dance (Komitsko oro) is actually a series of dances that depict the destinies of the Macedonian fighters for freedom during the five centuries of the Turkish rule, and also in the successive period, of the Macedonian rebels.. Site

- The Bride's dance (Nevestinsko), as well as the costume for it, originate from Galicnik.. Site

- The rest of the dances (ora) in selection:Site

Macedonian folk costumes

"Tear two threads from the heart, dear,
 One black, the other red,
 One spurring terrible sorrow,
 The other, desire, brightness and lust."

These brilliant verses of the poet Blaze Koneski describe in the finest way the colourful Macedonian folk costumes.

With their vivid patterns, their red and black colour prevailing over the rich colouring consisting of other motley threads, perfectly embroidered on white cloth, the Macedonian costumes always generate a strong impression. Macedonian housewives were always able to find some spare time to raise their embroidery to the level of art, both on their festive or wedding and evereyday clothes - costumes.

Selection of Macedonian costumes: Review

Macedonian folklore today

Although it has been suffering strong impediments imposed by the newly created low quality folk music, the genuine Macedonian folklore has successfully resisted to its becoming trashy. Even today there are, and I hope that in the future will be people like Vaska Ilieva, Nikola Badev , Aleksandar Sarievski, Dobri Stavreski, the "Biljana" ensemble, Simeon Gugulovski, and numerous other legends of the genuine Macedonian folk music. With their magnificent voices, these people have managed to continue the life of the Macedonian folklore to several succeeding generations that, in turn, will convey it to their successors.

Also the numerous folk ensembles throughout the country contribute greatly to the preservation of the Macedonian folklore. These ensembles, from generation to generation, convey the Macedonian dances and songs. Such ensembles, like "Tanec" (also professional), "Mirce Acev", "Orce Nikolov", "Gerdan", "Biseri", "Oteks", and many others, even those from the smallest Macedonian towns, promote the folklore throughout the world as our ambassadors of peace and beautiful songs.

The genuine folklore is also strongly supported by numerous annual song and dance festivals held in many Macedonian cities. Also the international folklore festivals, such as the "Balkan Festival" in Ohrid, and the "International Students' Festival" in Skopje, enable us to promote our nation and our state and to present our cultural folklore heritage to the general public.