Croatian dances
Encyclopedia
Croatian dance traditionally refers to a series of folk-dances, the most common being the Kolo
. Croatian dance varies by region, and can be found throughout the various regions of Croatia
, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Serbia
, Hungary
, and Romania
. The traditional kolo is a circle dance, where dancers follow each other around the circle, is relatively simple in form and widespread throughout other Slavic countries
. Due to immigration, Croatian folk dance groups are prevalent throughout the diaspora
, most notably the United States
, Canada
, Australia
, and Germany
.
Music is a very important part of Croatian folk dance, with of the most common instruments used are the tamburica, lijerica
, jedinka
, šargija
, gusle
, bagpipe
, and accordion
. Today, kolo is danced at weddings, baptisms, holidays such as Easter
, and ethnic festivals.
The circle dance (kolo) is one of the basic forms of Croatian folk dance. The circle dance is regarded as the oldest form of dance, and can be seen as an expression of community, especially in village life. Throughout a large part of Croatia right up until World War II, the kolo had been the centre of village social life. The kolo as a dance became a tool for social gathering, and was often the main place at which young women and men could get to know each other. With many dances, the singing of jocular verses during the performance served as a way to express feelings or tell a story. By singing, movement, and gestures one could express what was proscribed in ordinary speech. Many young men and women used this as an excuse for courting and teasing one another. Occasions where people may have performed a kolo outdoors on special occasions include harvests, weddings, and religious celebrations to honor a special saint. More recently, the dances are performed at weddings, concerts, festivals or ethnic celebrations.
European dances became popular in certain parts of the country such as the polka
in the north and the furlana
in Istria
, due to German/Austrian and Italian influences respectively.
is composed of difficult steps and lively music.
kolo is lively with plenty of singing. The Drmeš dance is one of the most popular types of kolo in Croatia, and can be seen throughout the regions.
are close to the Slavonian dances in style, which is lively with plenty of singing, which is typical for north Croatian folk dances.
, or Croatian hinterland, is the north-central part of the country, which the capital Zagreb
is a part of. Dances are lively and merry.
A variation of the traditional polka
:
have strong influence from Venetian
culture.
can have music and instruments, or it can be silent with no instrumental accompaniment or even singing. With the silent dances, the only sounds being made are when the feet make contact with the floor and the rhythmic clinking sound of the women's coin necklaces, and sometimes, the dancers' voices as they sing. Though not often danced these days, these silent dances are well remembered by the older Ličani and are perpetuated by folk dance performing groups.
, one of the most popular dance is the Linđo, from Dubrovnik
and southern Dalmatia.
are often a cross between Dalmatian Zagora traditions, and Ottoman
influences, though much less than Bosnia proper.
are most similar to the Slavonian dances in their liveliness and activity. The Bunjevci
Croats from the Bačka
region are renowned for their beautifully embroidered female dresses, made from real silk
from France
, and the rattling sound made by the dancers' boots as they dance. In the Banat
region, the men have their own competitive dance.
is mainly concentrated in the southern region near Baranja
, while in Romania, it is in the Banat
region. Due to Hungarian influence, the Csárdás
remains one of the most popular dances among all ethnic groups.
in the Adriatic
, the popular sword dance
, the Moreška
is still prevalent and performed at festivals and special events.
In the nineteenth century, a new form of ballroom dancing emerged in Croatia. Elements of European ballroom spread throughout the region, and dances such as the polka
soon became widspread all throughout the Croatian regions. Croatian ballroom dancing, or salonsko kolo, emerged in the nineteenth century as a result of the above influences. Due to the Croatian national revival and re-awakening of Croatian culture and national identity, an effort was made to incorporate traditional music and dances into the urban dance revival. Thus, the intellectual idealists saw kolo as a quintessential Slavic dance, and chose to adopt it for the urban context it It was at this time that the hrvatsko kolo emerged as a choreographed dance.
Due to the strong Venetian
/Italian influence in Istria and parts of Dalmatia, the furlana
has become a part of the culture of the people, most especially in Vodnjan
. A specific strain on the furlana song is called the "Polesana", and is thought to originate from Istria; either from either the Italian word for 'a woman from Pola' (Pula
), or from the Croatian word "polesa", meaning "rural".
Since the Burgenland Croats
from Austria have been under the influence of German/Austrian and Hungarian cultures, they formed their own dance traditions, influenced by the liveliness of the polka and the csárdás. An example is the 'Filež dance' from Nikitsch
, which is light-hearted and cheerful, with dancers often bringing in props to the dance, like a broom or a bottle.
. National costumes, or folk dresses, vary from region to region in style, design, color, material, shape and form. Thus, each region's national dress expresses an identity related to the geographic area it comes from, much like the kolo dance.
Kolo (dance)
Kolo , is a collective folk dance, danced primarily by people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. It is performed amongst groups of people holding each other's having their hands around each other's waists...
. Croatian dance varies by region, and can be found throughout the various regions of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. The traditional kolo is a circle dance, where dancers follow each other around the circle, is relatively simple in form and widespread throughout other Slavic countries
Slavic Europe
Slavic Europe is a region of Europe where Slavic languages are spoken. This area is situated in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans, and includes the nations of Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Russia,...
. Due to immigration, Croatian folk dance groups are prevalent throughout the diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
, most notably the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Music is a very important part of Croatian folk dance, with of the most common instruments used are the tamburica, lijerica
Lijerica
The lijerica is a musical instrument from Hercegovina and the Croatian region of Dalmatia. It is a pear-shaped, three-stringed instrument which is played with a bow. It is played to accompany the traditional linđo dance from the region...
, jedinka
Jedinka
The jedinka is a small Croatian whistle flute, usually highly carved and decorated. Often carved from maple or chestnut wood, the jedinka is a single tube with a whistle-like mouthpiece and six equally spaced finger holes...
, šargija
Šargija
The šargija is a plucked, fretted long necked chordophone used in the folk music of various Balkan countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Albania and Serbia....
, gusle
Gusle
The Gusle is a single-stringed musical instrument traditionally used in the Dinarides region of the Balkans ....
, bagpipe
Croatian bagpipes
There are several types of Croatian bagpipes, they are:*Slavonske Gajde - a bagpipe with double chanter and a single drone*Duda - a bagpipe with triple/quadrple chanter and a single drone...
, and accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
. Today, kolo is danced at weddings, baptisms, holidays such as Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
, and ethnic festivals.
History
European dances became popular in certain parts of the country such as the polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
in the north and the furlana
Furlana
The furlana is an Italian folk dance from the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. In Friulian, furlane means Friulian, in this case Friulian Dance...
in Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
, due to German/Austrian and Italian influences respectively.
Slavonia and Baranja
Often considered to be the richest and liveliest of all Croatian dancing, the dancing from SlavoniaSlavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
is composed of difficult steps and lively music.
- Šokačko kolo
- Izvir voda izvirala
- Igra kolo u dvadeset i dva
- Povraćanac
- Dorata
- Logovac
- ŽitaZitaSaint Zita was an Italian saint, the patron saint of maids and domestic servants. She is also appealed to in order to help find lost keys.-Life:...
- Srce moje
- Todore
- Mista
- Kabanica
- Jabučice
- Ranče
- Sitne bole
Posavina
Like most northern Croatian dances, PosavinaPosavina
Posavina is a Slavic name for the region of the Sava river basin in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia that is adjacent or near the Sava river itself.-History:...
kolo is lively with plenty of singing. The Drmeš dance is one of the most popular types of kolo in Croatia, and can be seen throughout the regions.
- Drmeš
- Staro sito
- Ženina Volja - A woman's will
- Repa
- Dučec
- Oj Savice, tija vodo ladna -
Podravina
Dances from PodravinaPodravina
Podravina or Podravje are Slavic names for the Drava river basin in Croatia and Slovenia.-History:...
are close to the Slavonian dances in style, which is lively with plenty of singing, which is typical for north Croatian folk dances.
- Drmeš
- Grizlica
- Ples z ropčecom
- Moldovan - literally MoldovanMoldovansMoldovans or Moldavians are the largest population group of Moldova...
, believed to originate from local gypsies - Jelica kolce vodila
- Lepa Anka kolo vodi
- Rendajte se milo lane
- Tronjaka
- Sejale smo bažulka
- Na kraj sela kolo igra
- Postajale cure oko kola
- Gusta magla ti ne padaj na me
- Žena ide na gosti
- Katarena kolo vodi
Hrvatsko Zagorje
Hrvatsko ZagorjeHrvatsko Zagorje
Hrvatsko Zagorje is a region north of Zagreb, Croatia. It comprises the whole area north of Medvednica mountain up to Slovenia in the north and west, and up to the regions of Međimurje and Podravina in the north and east...
, or Croatian hinterland, is the north-central part of the country, which the capital Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
is a part of. Dances are lively and merry.
- Drmeš
- Nebeska
- Oberštajer
- Šroteš
- Ajnzerica - a lively dance said to have been derived from local gypsys from Marija BistricaMarija BistricaMarija Bistrica is municipality in Krapina-Zagorje County in central Croatia, located on the slopes of the Medvednica mountain in Hrvatsko Zagorje, not far away from Zagreb...
- Repa
- Kriči kriči tiček
- Žena išla u gosti
- Podmostec
- Ženil se sirotek
- Dobar vecer dobri ljudi
A variation of the traditional polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
:
- Puntarska polka
- Judin polka
- Krajc polka
Međimurje
The Međimurje region is the northern-est tip of Croatia, and shares much of the merry and lively dance qualities as other nearby regions.- Čardaš
- Došla sam vam japa dimo - derived from traditional solo songs
- Kalaptanc
- Kuritari
- Regica
- Kaj se z Jelkom pripetilo
- Igrajte nam japa
- Faljila se Jagica
- Lepe naše senokoše
- Zginula je pikuša
- Šoštar polka
- Žena ide na gosti
- Vanjkušec
- Baroš oj Barice
Istria
Dances from IstriaIstria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
have strong influence from Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
culture.
- Balun
- Cotić
- Hrvaski - literally, "Croatian" dance
- Korak
- PolkaPolkaThe polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
- Promena
- Sedam paši
- Štajeriš
Lika
Kolo from LikaLika
Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass...
can have music and instruments, or it can be silent with no instrumental accompaniment or even singing. With the silent dances, the only sounds being made are when the feet make contact with the floor and the rhythmic clinking sound of the women's coin necklaces, and sometimes, the dancers' voices as they sing. Though not often danced these days, these silent dances are well remembered by the older Ličani and are perpetuated by folk dance performing groups.
- Ličko kolo - traditional Lika dance
- Tanac
- Haj na lijevo
- Milica
- Oj Otočcu - from the town of OtočacOtocacOtočac is a town in Lika, Croatia. It lies in the northwestern part of Lika, in the Gacka river valley. The population of the town is 4,354 as of 2001, with a total of 10,411 people within the municipality at large, the majority of whom are Croats ....
- Perjato, Rasperjato
- Okreni se, moje kolo malo
- Joj, moj dragane, ti ne radi toga
Dalmatia and islands
In DalmatiaDalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, one of the most popular dance is the Linđo, from Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
and southern Dalmatia.
- Linđo
- Potkolo - line dance done to tamburica
- Poskacica - a couple dance done to the lijerica
- Nemigusa - a "winking" couple dance
- Seljanica - popular
- Vrličko kolo - from the town of VrlikaVrlikaVrlika is a small town and municipality in inland Dalmatia, Croatia. The closest large towns are Sinj, Knin, and Drniš. The town of Vrlika has a population of 959, while the municipality has a population of 2,705 . There are 2,670 Croatian speakers, 16 Serbian speakers and 19 speakers of other...
- Baška J' Malo Selo - From the village of Baska on KrkKrkKrk is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea, located near Rijeka in the Bay of Kvarner and part of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar county....
island - Lipa li je rumen Rožica - from the island of MurterMurterMurter is name of the island in the Croatian part of the Adriatic sea, located in central Dalmatia at , as well as that of a small village on the north-western part of the island....
- Dubravačko Kolo – Poskočica - merry dance from the Dubrovnik countryside
- Dubravačko Kolenda - A Dubrovnik carol
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dances from HerzegovinaHerzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
are often a cross between Dalmatian Zagora traditions, and Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
influences, though much less than Bosnia proper.
- Sremica
- Vrtikolo
- O javore, javore
- Koja Gora Ivo
- Na Neretvu misecina pala
Serbia (Vojvodina)
Dances from VojvodinaVojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
are most similar to the Slavonian dances in their liveliness and activity. The Bunjevci
Bunjevci
Bunjevci are a South Slavic community and ethnic group living mostly in the Bačka region of Serbia and southern Hungary...
Croats from the Bačka
Backa
Bačka is a geographical area within the Pannonian plain bordered by the river Danube to the west and south, and by the river Tisza to the east of which confluence is located near Titel...
region are renowned for their beautifully embroidered female dresses, made from real silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and the rattling sound made by the dancers' boots as they dance. In the Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
region, the men have their own competitive dance.
- Šokačko kolo
- Tandračak
- Bunjevačko momačko kolo - literally the Bunjevac men's kolo, where one man dances with two women
- Momacko nadigravanje - the men's competitive dance
- Kolo Igra, Tamburica Svira
- Malo kolo
- Podvikuje Bunjevačka Vila
Hungary and Romania
Croatian kolo from HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
is mainly concentrated in the southern region near Baranja
Baranya (region)
Baranya or Baranja is a geographical region between the Danube and the Drava rivers. Its territory is divided between Hungary and Croatia...
, while in Romania, it is in the Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
region. Due to Hungarian influence, the Csárdás
Csárdás
Csárdás is a traditional Hungarian folk dance, the name derived from csárda . It originated in Hungary and was popularized by Roma music bands in Hungary and neighboring lands of Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Burgenland, Croatia, Ukraine, Transylvania and Moravia, as well as among the Banat...
remains one of the most popular dances among all ethnic groups.
- Tanac
- Šokadija
- Predgovor
- Dunje ranke
- Ranče
- Todore
- Kratka drmavica
- Tandrčak
- Ide snaša
- Maricce kolo
- Na dvi strane kolo
- Jabuke
- Romanska
- Kukunješće
- Rotkve
- Trojanac
- Devojče, Radojče
- Pačići
- Kolo
- Narodne nošnje
Other dance
On the island of KorčulaKorcula
Korčula is an island in the Adriatic Sea, in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. The island has an area of ; long and on average wide — and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 16,182 inhabitants make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk...
in the Adriatic
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
, the popular sword dance
Sword dance
Sword dances are recorded from throughout world history. There are various traditions of solo and mock battle sword dances from Greece, the Middle East, Pakistan, India, China, Korea, England, Scotland and Japan...
, the Moreška
Moreška
Moreška is a traditional sword dance from the town of Korčula, on the Croatian island of the same name in the Adriatic. Dating back hundreds of years, the Moreška is an elaborate production involving two groups of dancers, engaging in a mock battle over the fate of a veiled young woman...
is still prevalent and performed at festivals and special events.
In the nineteenth century, a new form of ballroom dancing emerged in Croatia. Elements of European ballroom spread throughout the region, and dances such as the polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
soon became widspread all throughout the Croatian regions. Croatian ballroom dancing, or salonsko kolo, emerged in the nineteenth century as a result of the above influences. Due to the Croatian national revival and re-awakening of Croatian culture and national identity, an effort was made to incorporate traditional music and dances into the urban dance revival. Thus, the intellectual idealists saw kolo as a quintessential Slavic dance, and chose to adopt it for the urban context it It was at this time that the hrvatsko kolo emerged as a choreographed dance.
Due to the strong Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
/Italian influence in Istria and parts of Dalmatia, the furlana
Furlana
The furlana is an Italian folk dance from the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. In Friulian, furlane means Friulian, in this case Friulian Dance...
has become a part of the culture of the people, most especially in Vodnjan
Vodnjan
-Geography:Vodnjan is situated 10 km north of Pula, on elevation of 135 m. It is located at the intersection of the main road Buje - Pula and the regional road Vodnjan - Fažana, as well as on the railroad Divača - Pula.-Demographics:...
. A specific strain on the furlana song is called the "Polesana", and is thought to originate from Istria; either from either the Italian word for 'a woman from Pola' (Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
), or from the Croatian word "polesa", meaning "rural".
Since the Burgenland Croats
Burgenland Croats
Burgenland Croats are ethnic Croats in the Austrian state of Burgenland. Although an enclave hundreds of kilometres away from their original homeland, they have managed to preserve culture and language for centuries...
from Austria have been under the influence of German/Austrian and Hungarian cultures, they formed their own dance traditions, influenced by the liveliness of the polka and the csárdás. An example is the 'Filež dance' from Nikitsch
Nikitsch
Nikitsch is a town in the district of Oberpullendorf in Burgenland in Austria. 87% of the town's inhabitants are Burgenland Croats, the highest percentage of any town in Burgenland. In 1971, the towns of Kroatisch Geresdorf , Kroatisch Minihof , and Nikitsch were merged to form the present town....
, which is light-hearted and cheerful, with dancers often bringing in props to the dance, like a broom or a bottle.
Costume
Many Croatian dances have the participants wearing a national costumeNational costume
Folk costume expresses an identity through costume which usually to a geographic area or a period of time in history, but can also indicate social, marital and/or religious status...
. National costumes, or folk dresses, vary from region to region in style, design, color, material, shape and form. Thus, each region's national dress expresses an identity related to the geographic area it comes from, much like the kolo dance.