Gaidas made by Risto Todoroski sirulsko@gmail.com or send a youtube msg.

Rare to find Kucano oro played on gaida. Risto recalled this melody.

If you have a Kucano/Berance gaida recording, please share it to make it known to other gaida players! I will play it for Risto.

This dance is popular in many regions of Macedonia and is common to all communities of the region, including Albanians - hence the names Kucano, Pushteno, Poustseno, Lytos, Levendikos, Beranče, Bajrače, Beratche, Beratse.

Usually played by clarinet, accordion, and brass bands.

Rhythm ranges from 12/8 (32232) to 16/8 (43243) and has 5 dancer's beats - SLOW quick quick SLOW quick).

THE DANCE
Native to Lerin/Florina, Kostur/Kastoria, and also the Tosk regions of Southern & Western Albania.

A mixed dance that can end fast (pushteno); or a women's dance like the Zhensko Beranče/Bajrace of Kostur where the two lead dancers dance as a pair; or a slow/heavy dance lead by the elder generation - teshko/starsko/gerondikos - that can speed up into a pushteno; Masko Beranče za ramo is a version done by 2 men, holding both hands and lifting each other over the shoulder.

MEANING OF THE NAMES
Kucano means limping, as when stooping forward to pick a flower.

Pusteno conveys the idea of free movement.

Beranče is named for the Albanian town of Berat. (f. Greek peratia = beyond, on the far side - same as Slavic zagora).

In the Florina/Lerin region the Pushteno/Levendikos/Lytos are the same dance. Beranche/Beratche/Bairatche/Beratis is also danced to the same steps, but can refer to a specific melody or style of the dance, often slower or heavier, so it can also be called Teshko or even Starsko. This last name, meaning old, is often employed as a term of respect for the older generation who would more often lead the dance.

In the village of Alona/ Armensko it can refer to a seperate melody (called Gherondikos in Greek), which starts quite slow and evolves into a Puscheno.

Among the Albanians of the Florina region (as in the village Flambouro/Negovani) the Beratche, etc. is danced differently - here with a two measure phrase. The usual three measure phrase Puscheno which is also danced by them, is considered a Macedonian dance while their two measure Beratche they consider their own.

The Albanians of the Florina region are Othodox Christian Albanians who have been living in the region for generations as opposed to the recent migrants from post 1990 Albania or returning Greek political refugees.

Kucano Pusteno Pushteno Pušteno Pousteno Poustseno Lytos Leventikos Levendikos Berance Beranče Beratche
Куцано оро Пуштено Женско Беранче Πουστσένο Πουστένο Πουσένο Λυτός Λεβέντικος

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