Bulgarian folk dance

This distinctive feature of Balkan folk music is the asymmetrical meter, built up around various combinations of 'quick' and 'slow' beats.

Still, others have a basic step which individual dancers may embellish at specific points with variations like stamps and foot slaps.

For example, the well-known tune "Eleno Mome" (Елено Моме) exists written in three forms: (1) 7 = 2+2+1+2, (2) 13 = 4+4+2+3, and (3) 12 = 3+4+2+3 times.

The dancers thus dance to a meter composition 4+3+2+2, which may also be played by the musicians, e.g., in Traichovo horo (Трайчово хоро).

In addition, some tunes may have considerable time bends, such as the Macedonian Žensko Beranče and Bajrače, though viewed as and written in 3+2+2+3+2.

Therefore, in dance instruction, quick and slow beat descriptions, in combination with intuition and careful listening, may be a good approach, though not suitable for performing and notating the music.

Following a Bulgarian sheet music practice, more complex meters generally appear later in the list.

Thus, even though these are well-known rhythmic patterns, one may not arrive at an unambiguous meter interpretation, the way listeners of Western music are used to.

Although there are basic steps that make up the dance, certain people may improvise variations, sometimes forming a competition between the dancers.