Bučimiš – Bulgaria [Dick Crum*]
An advanced or fast-intermediate oldie that has several different choregraphies. This version was introduced by Dick Crum and is the most common is recreational folk dancing. 15/16 meter: QQQQSQQ where Q gets 2/16ths and S gets 3/16ths (eighth and dotted-eighth): 2+2+2+2+3+2+2 = 15/16
The dance is straight forward, always leading with a four QQQQ step, step-behind, step, step-behind pattern and reversing the footwork for the second half of the variation…except for part 5: Reels, which is an entirely different animal with chugs and Čukče lifts. One tip for where I usually mess up in the Heels patterns is to remember always to finish each pattern: touch heel diagonal, touch heel forward, step back in place–all with the same foot in a SQQ timing.
Bob Shapiro’s classic site, Folk Dance Notes, has a good notation of the dance in addition to Andrew Carnie’s, but it skips the first pattern we do, which is a simple close with bounce/Čukče. The stamp comes in the next pattern.
Finally, do give Don Buskirk’s site a look for more information and music YouTube links.