Vranjanka (Šano Dušo) – Serbia [Dick Crum*]
There’s not much to this dance. It’s the same dance as done to Opsa, but without the arm swing on the ending QQ with backstep. This dance is more about the song than the dance. Many, many artists have sung this traditional Serbian folk song. There is a good chance you will hear it played by a live band. One of the most famous singers of Šano dušo is the Serbian folk singer Gordana Lazarević. She recorded an album of 32 folk songs that were used in the filmatic version of Bora Stanković’s opus, Koštana. Set in Stanković’s native Vranje, the play features many themes of Serbian folklore and patriarchal customs.
Željko Jergan teaches a version that is more involved, including a seductive scarf.
From Dick Oakes’ notes:
The dance comes from Vranje, a town in southern Serbia. The most popular tune for the dance is Šano dušo, meaning “Shana, dear.” It is also danced to the tunes “Belo lenče” and “Oj ti pile.” The White bridge in Vranje is a symbol of the city and is called “most ljubavi” (lovers bridge) after the tale about the forbidden love between the Muslim girl Ajša and Christian Stojan that resulted in the father killing the couple. After that, he built the bridge where he had killed her and had the story written as an inscription in Ottoman Arabic. Vranje is famous for its popular, old music, lively and melancholic at the same time. The best known music is from Koštana, by Bora Stanković.
/ Šano dušo, Šano mori, otvori mi vrata. / Otvori mi, Šano, vrata, da ti dam dukata. Chorus: Oj le le le le le, izgore za tebe, Izgore mi, Šano, srce za tebe. / Noć li hodi, divna Šano, ja si tuga vijem. / Ubavinja tvoja, Šano, ne da mi da spijem. Chorus / Tvoje lice belo, Šano, sneg je sa planino. / Tvoje čelo gidi, Šano, kako mesešine. Chorus / Ona usta tvoje, Šano, kako rujne zore. / Ono oko, dušo moja, mene me izgore
MIT Folk Dance Club Songbook
Šana, dear Šana, open the door for me. Open for me, Šana and I will give you coins (engagement money). Chorus: Oh, la la la la, burning for you. Burning, Šana, is my heart. When night comes, marvelous Šana, I twist in sadness. Your beauty, Šana, will not let me sleep. Chorus Your fair face, Šana, is snow from the mountains. Your forehead, Šana, is like moonlight. Chorus That mouth of yours, Šana, like a deep red sunset. That eye, my darling makes me burn