Varna dance
Dobrudja Folklore Region
The Varna dance is a Bulgarian dance from the Dobrudja folklore region of Bulgaria and has a time signature of 9/8. The Dobrudja folklore region borders the black sea to the East, the Danube river to the North, and takes in the large Bulgarian cities of Dobrich, Varna and Silistra. Traditionally, and even today, Dobrudja is closely associated with agriculture and farming and this is reflected in the typical Dobrudjan folklore dances which often demonstrate activities related to working on the land. Many of the dances start slowly and gradually and steadily build up. The movements are slow, steady, calm and confident, often directed towards the ground and the stance is as if the dancer is slightly seated bringing the dance and the dancer closer to the earth and soil upon which so much livelihood is made in the region. Hand movements are free flowing and the shoulders regularly feature. The female dancers tend to wear red dresses and yellow cloth scarves on their heads whereas the males wear black trousers, white shirts, black hats and thick socks that are wrapped round the lower leg. The most typical time signature is 2/4 but 5/8, 9/8, 7/16 and 9/16 can also be heard with the wide range of musical instruments used such as the flute, accordion, bagpipe and even hand harmonica.