The Glamoč Silent Dance

This is one of the oldest Serbian dances, originating in western Herzegovina. the Glamoč silent (or mute) is  performed without any music, as it came about in the period when all the social gatherings and cultural events were a sort of underground activities, hiden from the eyes (and ears) of the oppressors. The dance would start first with slow stomping in a given rhythm on a rocky flooring, giving off a strange sound, resonating all around, giving a new impulse for the gathered to join in. The young men and women wear metal and gold tribal coin necklaces and chest jewellery, their clinking rendering a special atmosphere and tone hue. Such a dance was also a sort of endurance test for the dancers, which was considered on choosing a bride or a groom.