la Yougoslavie (Serbie)

RAŠKA   Raška

The Cultural artistic society “Raška”- Raška was founded on May 5th 1998. It is one of the youngest ensembles in the country. Since then many young people have taken to all the beauty of dancing, singing and friendship. The society includes a lot of members that are gathered in lots of clubs.

The ensemble cherishes, mainly, the tradition of its region, the dances, songs and custom of the whole country as well. The variety of dances, rhythms, forms and styles, are the characteristics of the repertoire of this ensemble.

Numerous performances in the country, as well as abroad, have always been followed by enthusiasm of audience, brilliant critiques and invitations for repeated tours.

The repertoire of the ensemble with folk songs and dances includes the following choreography:

City dances

Dances of Mačva region (songs and dances from the neighbouring
               region of Šabac)

The Wedding’s Next Day at Golija (songs and dances from the vicinity of
Raška – Brvenica and Gradac)

I’m planting a rose in the mountains (songs and dances from Leskovac Morava)

Wedding at Grdelica

            Suite of Varnje

There are 40 members in the performing ensemble, while there are, at the moment, 170 members in active membership of the society. The artistic director of the ensemble, Rodoljub Aksentijević, is in charge of the work within the ensemble.

A great deal of attention is paid to the cooperation with eminent experts from the folklore field (Mirko Mutapčić, at the ensemble “Kolo” Belgrade , and Zvedan Durić, at the ensemble “Abrašević, Kraljevo).

Such a relation has resulted in an increase of success of the ensemble during the year of 2000. The band, which in its repertoire, except musical arrangements for dances and songs, cherishes traditional folk songs and melodies.