From 7/8 rhythms to giant dance circles, Sloboda is passing Macedonian language, stories and traditions to a new generation – and sharing them at SA’s Multicultural Festival.
“I would hope that they would come away feeling that Macedonian culture is vibrant, beautiful and very much alive in Adelaide.”
That’s what Jasmina Georgievski wants audiences to take away from the Adelaide Macedonian Folkloric Ensemble Sloboda’s performance when it takes the main stage at the Multicultural Festival in Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga on Sunday 1 November.
The free, family-friendly Multicultural Festival runs from noon to 6pm, with more than 90 experiences from 70 multicultural organisations representing more than 60 cultures – including live performances, food, workshops and other chances to get involved.
Jasmina’s journey
Jasmina was born in Kratovo, a small town in present-day North Macedonia, and was aged only “two and a bit” when her family moved to Australia in the 80s. Macedonia is a historic region of the Balkans that today stretches across North Macedonia and parts of northern Greece, Bulgaria and Albania, and has distinct local traditions across the region.
Macedonian was her first language, and she’s still fluent. She says Macedonian culture has “always been a big part of my life and my identity”.
As a child, she danced with Sloboda for about ten years, before other commitments took over.
About nine years ago she came back “just because I love the dancing and I missed it”, and within a year she was choreographing the juniors.
She took over as head choreographer earlier this year, fitting it in around her day job as a medical scientist with SA Pathology and her commitments as a mum.
Sloboda is the dance ensemble of the Macedonian Community of Adelaide and South Australia (MCASA), which Jasmina says the group proudly represents whenever it performs.
Dances that tell stories
Macedonian dancing has a long, rich history, and grew out of village celebrations. Jasmina says people would gather to eat, drink, sing and dance, and the songs and steps were handed down from grandparents to grandchildren.
“Many of the dances are telling a story”, she says. “Like how a boy and a girl met and then courted each other through dance.”
“The words of the song can literally start with something along the lines of, ‘I saw a girl at the spring filling the water jug’.”
Jasmina says the songs are often hundreds of years old, but they sometimes name the real person or the village that inspired them.
Even the dancers’ costumes act as storybooks stitched by hand.
“I would say that they are akin to something like our language. With a glance, you can tell which region of Macedonia a costume is from, because it’s so distinct.”
Harder than it looks
“Macedonian dancing looks deceivingly easy, but once you join in, you realise that you are at the mercy of the music,” Jasmina says.
Traditional Macedonian music often uses unusual time signatures. One of the most characteristic is 7/8, with seven eighth-note beats per bar, compared with the more familiar 4/4 rhythm commonly heard in pop music.
Jasmina says that means the steps are full of little pauses and hitches, with dancers constantly shifting their weight in time with the rhythm.
The trick is not to let it show: “You have to have your knees bent a little bit so your steps look bouncy and light – and that’s all because of the music.”
There’s also a social version, the kind traditionally danced at Macedonian celebrations, that’s much easier to learn.
At WOMADelaide in 2023, hundreds of festival-goers joined a giant circle dance – or ’oro’ – hosted by musical trio Gosti and led by folk choreographer Yorgo Kaporis alongside members of Sloboda.
“Even someone who’s never danced Macedonian dancing before can join in. It’s typically done in a circle holding hands and quite simple steps back and forth.”
Keeping culture alive in SA
Jasmina says that the ensemble’s name fits the place where it performs: Sloboda means “freedom” in Macedonian.
“At the heart of what we are doing is preservation of our culture,” Jasmina says. “I just feel so grateful to be living in a country where we have the freedom to do that safely.”
Wherever Macedonian people live, she says, the culture travels with them.
“It’s those songs, dances, the language, the stories, the music. That’s what they carry with them, and being able to express that is what gives it the continuity.”
For Jasmina, that now means teaching the things she learnt as a child to younger dancers.
Sloboda’s juniors learn Macedonian words – and the Cyrillic alphabet – alongside their dance lessons, with Iva Durovska leading the art and language teaching. At a performance in August, the children sang one of the songs before they danced.
The next generation includes Jasmina’s own children: her son Joakim is Sloboda’s only male senior dancer, while her daughter Ilina dances with the juniors.
“I think there’s something special about passing it to the next generations.
“I wholeheartedly believe that multiculturalism makes South Australia better and stronger.”
For her, that comes from people learning about each other’s songs, dances and stories – not just watching from a distance.
“At the end of the day, everyone has a story, and they just want their story to be heard.”
What to expect at the festival
The free Multicultural Festival is the state government’s major celebration of South Australia’s cultural diversity.
A packed line-up of live music and dance will run on the main stage throughout the festival, including Sloboda at 2.25pm. As well as dance, this year’s performance includes a live vocal element, with Joakim Georgievski singing the traditional Macedonian song “Tvojte Oči, Leno Mori”.
Beyond the stage, there are plenty of chances to have a go yourself – from Irish dancing, belly dancing and capoeira to henna art, Indonesian batik, Russian doll-making and even creating your own piñata.
“It’s just a great, free family day out … there’s so much happening,” says Jasmina.
“The food is a huge plus as well – getting to experience all the different food from different cultures and being spoiled for choice,” Jasmina says.
“MCASA will also be hosting a stall at this year’s festival. Visitors can look forward to traditional Macedonian food and a little taste of our culture.
“Personally, I’m most looking forward to the tulumbi (sweet, deep-fried pastry fingers soaked in a rich sugar syrup)!”
What is most important to her, though, is seeing how Sloboda impacts its audience.
“Some people interact as well; they’ll be clapping along, they’ll be dancing along to the beat.
“It’s really uplifting when the crowd is engaged like that.”
From the stage, she can see that reaction across the crowd. And once Sloboda finishes performing, the interest often turns into questions.
“They ask to take photos with us. They ask us where we’re from – we’re able to really share our culture.”
The 2026 Multicultural Festival is on Sunday 1 November, 12pm-6pm, in Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga.
