Ajde Lepa Maro – Serbia/Šumadija [Ricky Holden*]
An oldie without too much controversy (since there’s not much to the dance). Because it’s alphabetically near the top of the dance list—right after Ajde Jano—I decided to check it out. To touch the toe or just to step… To travel LOD or into the center… Karen says “touch” and no center.
“Hands jointed and held forward about shoulder level, arms slightly curved as though holding a barrel.” “A soft up and down motion, no excessive hand motion.”
Rickey Holden and Dennis Boxell notes.
Lyrics
MIT Folk Dance Club Songbook & Zbirka odabranix pecama, Vladimir Đorđević, Jagodina, 1909 (D. Rawson & A. Marković, EEFC)/ Ajde lepa Maro, gospodar te zove! / / Ja ne mogu doći, kolo ostaviti. / / Ajde lepa Maro, gospodar je gladan! / / Leba u ormanu a nož na astalu. / / Ajde lepa Maro, gospodar je žedan! / / Voda u bunaru, čaša na ormanu. / / Ajde lepa Maro, gospodar je bolan! / / Ja ne mogu doći, kolo ostaviti. / / Ajde lepa Maro, gospodar je umro! / / Ja ne mogu doći, kolo ostaviti. / / Ajde lepa Maro, gospodara nose! / / Neka njega nose, mene drugi prose. /Come on pretty Mara, your lord (essentially husband/ man of the house) is calling you! I can’t come, I can’t leave the dance. Come on pretty Mara, your lord is hungry! There’s bread in the cupboard, a knife on the table. Come on pretty Mara, your lord is thirsty! There’s water in the well, a cup in the cupboard. Come on pretty Mara, your lord is sick! I can’t come, I can’t leave the dance. Come on pretty Mara, your lord has died! I can’t come, I can’t leave the dance. Come on pretty Mara, they are carrying (in a funeral procession) your lord! Let them carry him, others are asking for my hand (i.e, in marriage)!