# Musically how would you describe/categorize kolo dance music? Do you like it?



## ZJovicic (Feb 26, 2017)

Kolo dances are incredibly popular in Serbia, Bosnia and whole Balkans. They are usually danced in the circle, hence the name ("kolo" has a meaning close to that of circle).

As a kid I didn't like it... I thought it was too rural and for peasants, primitive, stuff like that.

But now I LOVE kolo dance music. As a genre it definitely belongs to the category of folk/traditional music, but it's very distinct from other types of folk music, even from other types of Balkan folk music.

Usually the only instrument used is the accordion, sometimes there's some percussion accompainment. The music is purely instrumental and it's very lively, rhythmical, and can sometimes even be pretty complex.

I would like to see your opinions as how you would describe this music in purely musical terms, and also how much you like or don't like it. What it reminds you of, what would you compare it to?

Here are some examples:

1. Užičko kolo (the most popular one):





2. Moravac





3. Čačak





4. Milijino kolo





5. Meljačko kolo


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

Circle dances? I feel dizzy already.

The music strikes me as similar to that of polka bands I heard as a youngster. A lot of the bands featured an accordion player.

I once performed for a short while with just such a band. A guitar player, I recall auditioning for an older fellow who had come back from the service and wanted to get a band going. He asked me if I could play polkas. I said yes. I had never played one before. So he named a few and started playing the accordian. I jumped in with harmonic accompaniment, and he said "Good, good" with each song. "So, you do know how to play polkas." Of course.

In reality, I was simply playing essentially the same three chords over and over. It was not very exciting. I didn't last long on that circuit.

But I do appreciate great polka or kolo players, and they're out there for sure.


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## Arent (Mar 27, 2017)

I never understood what the left hand is doing with that multitude of buttons on the accordion. Tapping at random? :lol:
The music seems pretty simple ABACA with a foursquare polka rhythm. Must be fun to dance to after a few palinkas.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Not sure there's a great mystery here. Kolo sounds like folk or ethnic music of great joy, exuberance, and dance. It's music that makes one want to get up and move. It lifts one's spirit. No wonder it's popular. The first example immediately reminded me of music to physically move to. Fun!


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I like it! Yes, its folk music. Lovely.


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## BabyGiraffe (Feb 24, 2017)

Circle dances with similar musical motives and melodies are found all over Balkans, but also in Eastern Europe (Russia) and North Africa and Middle East. Also, in a variety of meters (including unusual numerators, not really found in mainstream Western music like 5,7,11,13,14,15,16,17 etc); it doesn't have to use simple polka pulse (2/4). And "kolo" is not some kind of "universal" name for them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_dance


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