The Auditive Dimensions of Albanian Ethnochoreology: The Interweaving of Movement, Music, and Ritual

By Elona NALLBANI

Abstract
Purpose: This paper analyzes the inseparable relationship between choreographic movement and music in Albanian folk tradition, focusing on the aksak metrorhythmic system and its structural role in dance.
Design/methodology/approach: The research employs qualitative analysis of primary and secondary sources, including ancient Greek-Latin treatises on rhythm (Aristoxenus, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Bacchius), ethnomusicological studies (Bartók, Brailoiu), Albanian scholarly works (Sokoli, Kongo, Tole, Koço), archival materials from the Central State Archive and the Institute of Popular Culture, and contemporary press (Zëri i Popullit, Drita, 1976–1980).
Findings: Asymmetric rhythms (5/8, 7/8, 9/8, 11/8, 12/8) suggest possible continuity with the alogoi (irrational) rhythms of antiquity, though definitive proof remains unavailable due to fragmentary sources. The Albanian agogic characteristic—slow metronomic movement based on eighths (5/8, 7/8) rather than sixteenths (5/16, 7/16)—distinguishes Albanian tradition from Serbian and Bulgarian traditions, emphasizing the plastic over the purely rhythmic aspect of dance. The «Silent Dances» of northern Albania represent a well documented phenomenon demonstrating internalization of rhythm and social cohesion; comparative evidence from Montenegro suggests regional parallels rather than global uniqueness.
Originality/value: This paper provides a comprehensive synthetic analysis of the auditory dimensions of Albanian ethnochoreology, demonstrating that sound is not merely an aesthetic background for movement but an active, creative partner. It contributes to the under-researched field of Albanian dance music studies and engages critically with debates on the origins of Balkan asymmetric rhythms.

Keywords: Ethnochoreology, polyphony, silent dances, Gjirokastra Festival, rhythmic continuity, aksak