Elloo Yar - Էլու Յար (Armenia) ~ Folk Dance Musings

Elloo Yar
Էլու Յար
Armenia

These notes ©2016, Andrew Carnie. Originally taught in the US by Tom Bozigian. He learned it in the Armenian State Song and Dance Ensemble in 1974. Thanks to Martha Awdziewicz for corrections to the notes.

Music: Music for Dances GT2002
Meter: 6/8 but counted as 2 counts: (123)(456)
Formation: Couples, start in a circle facing in, M on the right, hands down in V position
Introduction: 12 bars no action

Part 1 Chorus

Preparatory count (&): Hop on L, swing arms back
Bar 1: Step on R in LOD, arms swing forward (1), Cross L over R, arms start to swing back (2)
Bar 2: Jump onto both feet, Arms are back (1), Jump onto R, and kick L forward L, arms swing forward (2)
Bar 3: repeat bar 2 with opposite footwork, add extra hop on L on final & count as in the preparatory count above
Bars 4-12: repeat bars 1-3, three more times (4 times in total)

Part 2:

Facing LOD, with W on the inside, M on the outside. Don't hold hands. Both have L hand extended to L. M's L is behind W's head. Man has R hand raised above head. W has R hand in front of body with bent R elbow extending to R
Bar 1: Step R(1) L (&) R (2) forward in LOD (Armenian 2 step); Throughout the two step stay up on the balls of your feet.
Bar 2: Step L (1) R (&), L (2) forward in LOD
Bars 3-6: repeat bars 1-2, two more times (three in total or 6 two-steps)
Bar 7: Still facing LOD, Step on R to R (1), close L next to R (&), step on R to R, while kicking L forward Low (2)
Bar 8: repeat bar 7 with opposite footwork and direction
Bar 9: repeat bar 7
Bars 10-12: W repeat bars 8, 7, and then 8 again. Men use 3 Armenian two-steps (LRL, RLR, LRL), to dance in front of partner, under her extended L arm, and around behind her to end back to her R, ready to start the chorus step. The final & count of bar 12 is the preparatory hop for the chorus.

Part 3: Chorus

repeat the chorus described in part 1

Part 4:

Men's Part:
Hands are in the same position as part 2
Bar 1: Dance 1 Armenian two step turning CW away from partner
Bar 2: Step L (1), R (2), completing turn
Bar 3: Jump onto both feet, L in front of R, knee slightly bent. R leg extended straight back, clap both hands (1) pause (2)
Bar 4: Clap hands in front of body (1), pause (2)
Bar 5: repeat bar 4
Bar 6: repeat bar 4
Bars 7-9: do three Armenian Two steps, moving very slightly forward into the center towards partner (RLR, LRL, RLR)
Bar 10: Vot Nazark Step: Hop on R, touching L next to R(1), kick L forward (&), Leap onto L, kicking R forward (2)
Bar 11: repeat bar 10, with opposite footwork
Bar 12: repeat bar 10
Tom Bozigian's notes have Bars 10-12 turning CCW, but says the turn is optional.

Women's Part:
Bars 1-2: use 2 Armenian two steps (RLR, LRL) to make a 1/2 CCW turn. Arms curl in in front of chest and then push out to R on bar 1, and out to L on bar 2
Bar 3: Cross R over L (1), push on R pivoting to face partner (2), arms cross in front of body
Bar 4: Step on L to L, arms cross in front of body (1), step behind on R (&), Step on L in place, arms push up to L high above head, look at hands (2)
Bar 5: repeat bar 4 with opposite footwork
Bar 6: repeat bar 4
Bars 7-9: using three two steps (RLR, LRL, RLR) move forwards towards partner and slightly back into original position, arms slowly lower, palms are facing up.
Bar 10: Hop on R, touching L heel slightly forward (1), Hop on R again, touching L heel again (&), Step on L next to R (2), throughout this bar, twist hands in and down at the wrist.
Bar 11; repeat bar 10, with opposite footwork
Bar 12: repeat bar 10

repeat dance from the beginning

Other Notes on the web

Bill and Karen Faust's Fayetteville Video

Lyrics

Taken From Tom Bozigian's Printed dance notes.

// Kanach artu-hats tara – elloo yar //

// Yarees tesa-het tara – telloo yar //

// Yela saru – sar tesa – elloo yar //

// Seeptak mazov – yar tesa – telloo yar //

// Mera baghu – kunalen – elloo yar //

// Jureroo hed – khaghalen – telloo yar //

// Kanach artu-hats tara – elloo yar //

// Yarees tesa-het tara – telloo yar //

Seeing my sweetheart in a green field, I took

her some bread and brought her back with me.

And having climbed the mountain, I saw my

Sweetheart with white hair.

I love to see the grapevines climbing up

as they play games with the water, my sweetheart.

Also Spelled: Eloo, Elu

Folk Dance Musings

Saturday, 20 August 2016