Pirin Dances

Pirin is one  of our beautiful mountains. Its nature makes a person feel welcome and encourages him to create things of beauty and art such as the ones that surround him. In this region men and women usually dance separately and if they take part in the same dance the women dance at the rear of the line with a handkerchief held between the last man and the first woman. There are many dances in 7/8 and often the dances begin slowly and increase in speed. The style is either sustained with a catlike feel , weight being taken onto the balls of the feet slightly behind the beat (hesitation), or is characterised by fast  and low movements skimming across the ground. Men's dances include balancing movements with high knee lifts, often in shoulder hold. Women's style is graceful and light, hands are held in low hold or in 'asymmetrical' W- hold in which case the left arm is extended further than the right arm. In certain dances the arms move up and down in time with the music.