Folk dance ensemble "Talija" has been established in 1998 in Belgrade. First members were exceptionally good dancers who had a great experience in performance all over the world. Soon, the ensemble pulled toward a lot of youngsters and the children ensemble was also found, as well as musical orchestra. The excellent selection of program and great quality of performance opened the door of the world’s stages for this ensemble, and a lot of tours and concerts on three continents followed.

Folk dance ensemble "Talija" has about two hundred members today, divided into:

- senior ensemble
- senior children ensemble
- junior children ensemble
- beginners’ ensemble
- senior musical orchestra
- children musical orchestra

A strong competition and a great deal of tours, which attract new members and make existing members on a hard work, are the main reason of constant quality growth in dancers’ performance.

The authentic national clothing, which this ensemble owns was partly acquired from the people from different parts of our country and partly made by the originals. A diligent mothers and grandmothers of our members as well as professional tailors preserve and fill in this reach treasury of the national clothing.

It should be mentioned that Folk dance ensemble "Talija" had over 120 concerts in 2004.

The ensemble also owns and can provide good quality music equipment, which can be very valuably if the organizers of some events do not have one.
Also a very valuable characteristic of our ensemble is that the number of the dancers and the concept of our program could be adapted to the needs of organizers in the way that the quality of the performance does not suffer but is on the highest level.

This is the main reason way Folk dance ensemble "Talija" perform all the concerts on the cruising ships passing through our country.

National Program:

Dances From The West And Central Serbia
Shumadia represent the heart of Serbia, where you can find the most beautiful and the most interesting original Serbian folk dances. The tiny and delicate steps of these dances areconnected in filigreed dance which has ethnographic and historical significance interwoven with customs. Costumes for this dance represent special visual experience, and each part of the costume is the work of art.

Shepherd Dances From East Serbia
These are the dances from east Serbia where Vlasi and Serbs live together. Like everything else in Yugoslavia, customs and dances of these two nations are mixed. Vlasi used to believe that tripping could drive out the spirits of the earth, so these quick steps represent the most interesting part of this dance. Costumes for this dance are typical shepherds clothes (sheep’s wool vests and capes, walking sticks…), which they wore while guarding the sheep.

Serbian dances from Gnjilane
Serbian dances from Gnjilane are the dances from the cradle of Serbian spiritual culture and tradition. They have been made according to the notes of sisters Jankovic and represent stylized dances with the original elements of the Serbian dances from Kosovo. The national costumes are highly estimated by the jury at various contests. This dance also won the 1st place at the contest “Amateurs to their own city” in 2002.

Shopsko Dances
Represent dynamic dances from southeasternerbia in which the habits of Bulgarian and Serbian population are interlaced. In this dance you can see the elements of Bulgarian folklore in all its dynamics and the fast changing of choreographical motives and shapes.

Vranje Suit
This dance from the south Serbia represents the mixture of noble and oriental dancing style. It begins with inviting girl’s dance followed by the noblemen dance and it ends in wild and high-spirited "cocek " dance performed by the gypsies. The fact that this region was five hundred years under Turkish rule is best seen in costumes.

Dances From The Nisava Valley
In the central part of south Serbia, in the valley of the river Nisava in the hillside of the Old Mountain, originated dances of Serbian population that are pervaded by influence of Bulgarian folklore. National costumes represent characteristic expression of the district from which these dances originate.

Dances From Macedonia
Macedonia is a former republic of Yugoslavia whose dances are well known of the strong fillings that they express. Virtuous dancing elements are connected in interesting chorography, and Macedonian folk music with its specific rhythms represents great challenge for every artist. Costumes are rich with ornaments and motives.

Soldiers And Sailors Funny Dance
Soldiers and sailors were spending rare free moments fighting for the girls and the bigest problems, as always, were their oficiers...

Silent Glamotch Dances
These, probably oldest Serbian dances originate from the territory of the former Yugoslavia named west Herzegovina. They are performed without music because in the period when they become all cultural activities have been maintaining in secret because of the hateful invaders. The dance starts with slow tripping on the rocky ground, which made interesting sound that simply invites you to proceed with dancing. At the same time this dancing was a test of strength and endurance on which bases future marriages will be arranged. Costumes are very simple, but both boys and girls are wearing golden coins on their chests, which are making unique sound that adds some special charm to this dance.

Serbian dances from Guca Gora and Sarajevsko polje
Serbian dances from Guca Gora and Sarajevsko polje are the dances of Serbian people from two close regions in Bosnia and Hercegovina. These interesting dances have the extraordinary dancing elements followed by the specific singing of the whole ensemble on the scene. The national costumes are really similar to original ones. This choreography won the 1st prize at the contest “ Amateurs to their own city” in 2002.

Cikoši dances from Backa
Cikoši dances from Backa are extremely interesting Hungarian dances of horse breeders from Backa. They represent their competing for the prettiest girls. The national costumes are colourful and very attractive.

Biljana platno beleše
The stylized dance “Biljana platno beleše” is a poetic stylization of a Macedonian national song “Biljana platno beleše”. It is performed by beautiful women’s ensemble with long bands in colourful national costumes. The dance represents the mixture of the beauty and grace of the young girls whitening the cloth on the riverside.

Download polyphonic ring tone of "Biljana platno beleše" on your mobile phone. All polyphonic ringtones.

Lumbermen
These are the witty dances of the cheerful lumbermen during the brakes of the hard and dangerous work.

Dances From Montenegro
Monte Negro is a mountain region on the southwest of Yugoslavia. These dances are streaked with highlanders’ jumps and youths flattering in specific way. That courting during the dance becomes competition between boy and girl supported by the others who are gradually joining them. Each costume has its own story and represents a secret for itself.

Dances From Vojvodina
Vojvodina is a very fertile region in the north part of Serbia settled with lots of different ethnic groups. Customs of Serbs, Rosins, Ukrainians, Slovakians, Romanians and other nations are integrated and connected in choreography filled with attractive elements. Audience often stays breathless while watching dancers performing their acrobatics.

International Program:

Gypsies Reunion
Long time ago gypsy tribes have set off from their homeland Egypt in search for better life. Wandering around the world they accepted dances and customs of the people they met but they kept their free spirit and gave their unique seal to them. After long roaming tribes were gathering on Gypsies Reunions where they presented folklore of the people with whom they lived, trough songs and dances.

Gypsies Love Dance
The way of life made gypsy woman very brave and aggressive, so if she was in love with someone there was nothing that could stop her to seduce the man she loved. On the other hand, harsh and proud gypsy couldn’t always withstand to her charms.

Hungarian Dances
Dances from this region faithfully describe passionate character of its habitants. Girls impress you with their appearance and boys with their skillful dancing, which are accompanied with the best-known Hungarian melodies.

Russian Dances
Wandering trough steppes gypsies accepted romantic melodies and attractive dances from Russian people interpreting them in their own way.

Dances From Near East
In this separate world, the most beautiful girls spent their lives in harems entertaining their masters with belly dancing and other seductive dances. Men have spent most of their time warring, and between wars they were enjoying in their harems.

Spanish Dances
Temperament Spanish girls takes you in the past in the time of Corida with their intriguing dance, original costumes and with the sound of castanets.

Dances With Whips
Hasty, rude but very passionate gypsies often solved rivalry about girl by fighting with horsewhips, in which they were very skilled because of their nomadic way of life.

Romanian Dances
Gentle dancing of the girls is interrupted with fast and interesting men dance that contains very complicated quick steps in incredibly fast rhythm, which characterize this region.

Zorba’s Dance
One of the most famous Greek melodies completed with interesting choreography, which contains all elements of Greek folklore: sadness, beauty, vitality, tragedy and happiness.

Gypsies Encampment
Although they have accepted foreign customs during the centuries of wandering, gypsies retained a lot of their ancient rituals like foretelling the future from the palm. Also, one of the customs was the way of choosing a new tribes king, namely king has always been chosen in fight with knives between the two strongest rivals. The winner gets the title of the king and all privileges that goes with it, like taking the most beautiful girl from the tribe for a wife. The great fiesta followed the act of enthroning the king where the most attractive dances were performed.

The choreographer’s assistants are:

- Adamovic Nebojsa, (senior ensemble)
- Jovancevic Branislava, (senior children ensemble)
- Ilic Lidija, (junior children ensemble)
- Gnjatovic Dragan, (children musical orchestra)
- Dervisevic Bojan, (senior musical orchestra)

- Pantelic Dragan, art director and choreographer of Folk dance ensemble "Talija"

Contact Information:

Managing and art director
Pantelic Dragan
Gandijeva 198 / 36
11070 Novi Beograd
phone: +381 63 7702 458
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
web site: www.talija.co.yu


Manager for Greece
Causevic Zoran
mobil phone: +30 69 37 18 28 27
phone./fax.: + 30 21 09 6115 88