HORO

communal dance of Bulgaria. Performed for enjoyment at festive gatherings, it has many varieties, the moods of which range from solemn to exuberant. Horos are danced in linked circles, in serpentine chains, and in straight lines. Women's steps are often simple and subdued, men's steps complicated. Frequently, the music, especially for women's dances, is sung. Musical metres such as 7/16 and 11/16 are common. The horo, like the related Yugoslav kolo and Romanian hora, is one of a complex of European chain dances performed since ancient times. See also carole.