Transmission and Diffusion: Macedonian Dances 1938-1988

Abstract

As a dance ethnologist tny overall research interest is in continuity and change of and dancing events. Detertnining the geographical diffusion (distribution) of dance repertoire and tracing its transmission temporally is a tnethod toward gaining understanding in the continuities and changes of an aspect of e2mpressive behavior. In Yugoslavia's Republic of Macedonia (Figure 1), the knowledge of dancing is taken for granted by a majority of the population. Dancing our dances generally occurs in two conte2ats: spontaneous (participatory) dancing during weddings or at any other festive occasion when tnusicians play popular melodies, and planned (presentational) perfortnance-dancing for festival and theatrical programs. What is the relationship between the two conte2ats since the dancing that is done in both conte2ats is considered to be Macedonian daneing? A research project conducted in 19881 that tnapped the diffusion and traced the transmission of dances, provides us with sotne insight into this question. Prior to the introduction of audiovisual technology (filtn/video) that fises ephetneral dancing tnovetnent in a slice of titne, only tangential aspects of dancing could be traced for diffusion studies. Furtherinore, the recorder/researcher's interpretations were based principally on infortnants' recollections and detnonstrations of out of social contest. In South Slavic areas dance studies were conducted by: compiling dance naxnes in the late nineteenth century, such as by Milan Milicevic [1876; 1884] and P. B. Nikolic [1898]; tracing the distribution of musical accotnpanitnent for dance (dance tnelodies and/or instrutnentation), by Vasil Hadzitnanov [1968]; identifying similarities in structural characteristics such as dance formations, by Ivan Ivancan [1964