Cshebogar Meaning
- One website says it means “beetle.” (source) The Hungarian word for “June beetle” is “cserebogar.”
- Another website says it is a “grief dance,” where people are told the great man who lives in the castle is dead. People mourn until they find out his riches will be divided among the people. Then there is rejoicing! (source)
Lyrics
(Hungarian folk song)
1. Left slide, left slide, don’t be slow,
Right slide, right slide, back we go.
(repeat)
Slowly, slowly to the center slide,
Outward, outward, like the rising tide.
(repeat)
2. One two three, Hi! Three two one, Ho!
Link right arms now, and swing just so.
(repeat)
In again, in again, even up the score;
Swing again, swing again, ready for some more.
(repeat)
Dance (steps coordinate with lyrics)
A
- 1-4 – 8 slides to the left
- 5-8 – 8 slides to the right
- Repeat of Ms. 1-2 – Take 3 steps forward into the circle, stomp on beat 4.
- Repeat of Ms. 3-4 – Take 3 steps back, stomp on beat 4.
- Repeat of Ms. 5-8 – Partners join right arms with left hands over heads. Take four step-hops while turning in place.
B
Slowly
- 9-12 – Partners face each other and join hands. Take four slow side steps toward the center of the circle: one foot side step, other step follows, 4x. (Optional: move arms up on the first beat and down for the second beat; repeat.)
- 13-16 – Take four side steps away from the center of the circle.
- Repeat of Ms. 9-12 – Partners take only 2 side steps toward the center of the circle, then 2 steps back.
Start to speed up
- Repeat of Ms. 13-16 – Similar to the repeat of Ms. 5-8, partners join right arms with left hands over heads. Take four step-hops while turning in place.
See also
- Country: Hungary
- Activities: dances
- Form: AB
- Harmony: chords I, ii, V
- Melody: tonic triad
- Meter: 2
- Tempo: fast & slow
- Source: Handy Play Party Book, Lynn Rohrbough, Co-operative Recreational Service, 1940
- recording – In this recording, it starts slowly and gets a little faster at the end.
YouTube
or purchase here (printables only)
- PDF of song with chords + Lesson ideas
- MIDI file
- Listen to the song
2 thoughts on “Cshebogar”
Beth, can you clarify how the words of verse 2 fit with the music of the A section? I’ve been trying to figure this out, ha!
Good question!
1st measures: one two three hi
2nd measure: three two one (ho is spoken in the measure)
Does this help? 🙂