Music – Serbia

Vranje embraces a wide variety of music genres. Folk dances are an integral part of this musical and cultural heritage.

But do you know which Serbian folk dance is inscribed on UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (2017)?

‘’Kolo, traditional folk dance’’, is a traditional and collective folk dance performed by dancers who are interlinked to form a chain, usually moving in a circular line holding hands with their arms down.

It is performed to the accompaniment of music at private and public gatherings and involves all members of the local community. Cultural-artistic societies and folk dance troupes are also important bearers and practitioners of the element. Kolo has an important integrative social function, fostering collective identities at different levels in the communities.

Local communities ensure the visibility of kolo by organizing local, regional and national fairs, festivals and competitions, and the sustainability of the practice is also ensured by relevant activities of cultural and artistic societies.

Learning through direct participation is the most common way of transmitting the skills and, for this reason, skilled dancers motivate other players, awakening in them a desire to learn and improve their own performance. Knowledge is also acquired through the regular education system, as well as in ballet and music schools.

Learn more about this popular traditional folk dance via this video.

Sources & photographs taken from: https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/kolo-traditional-folk-dance-01270

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