Rastko Folklore Group
Serbian folk dancing is an old tradition and a strong element in the Serbian culture. Kolo is the traditional collective folk dance, where a group of people (usually several dozen, at the very least three) holding each other by the hands or around the waist, dance, ideally in a circle, hence the name. Each region has least one or more unique kolo. The dance is accompanied by instrumental two-beat music with the same name, made most often with an accordion, but also with other instruments: frula (traditional type of flute), tamburica, sargija, zurla, gajde, tapan, or harmonica. Folk dancing in Serbia is very popular. There are hundreds of folk ensembles in the whole country just as almost every church has one or more folklore groups.
St. Basil of Ostrog offers lessons and participation in the Rastko Folklore Groups according to age levels. Lessons and practices take place on Friday evenings.
Dancers learn and perform dances from various regions of Serbia. Rastko Folklore Group provides the necessary costumes.
Rastko folk dancers perform at St. Basil of Ostrog Church, area church dances, and had traveled to perform at the St. Louis Holy Trinity Serbian Festival.
Currently the folklore coordinators are Daniela Gavric and Natasha Peric. Slobodanka Vranjes makes and manages the costumes for the folklore dancers. Slobodanka is assisted by her daughter, Danijela.
Registration consists of completing the form and paying a fee that pays for the instructors and costumes. There are reductions in fees based on the number of children from a single family.
High School – Young Adult Rastko Dance Group
Meets Sunday afternoons which includes any adults interested in learning Serbian dances.
The high school dancers also have the option to perform at various dances and festivals.
St. Basil Children's Program Registration 2024/2025
Sunday school is every Sunday beginning on September 15, 2024. Friday, September 20, 2024 children will have their cultural program classes including folklore practices.
The following link will take you to a Google form for St. Basil Children’s Program Registration: