By Paula Erbay, reprinted with permission from SerbWorld USA, the July/August 2009 issue. Contact SerbWorldUSA.com to subsrcibe or order a single issue. (This issue also contains a wonderful tribute to actor Karl Malden, aka Mladen Sekulovich.)
Bora Gajicki 1985 by Eliot Khuner
Some might say it started in Dubrovnik, which is where Bora Gajicki met the young American girl who changed his life.
However, I think of Bora’s entire life as an intricate kolo whose tempo changed that night in Dubrovnik, one change among many. But that change in tempo, had it been a kolo, would have caused many dancers to drop out, unable to keep up with the complicated steps.
In memory of this outstanding folk dance instructor, the mentor of so many, here is the story of Bora Gajicki’s life told in a dance syllabus form. It is set to a Serbian kolo in 2/4 time, such as U Şest or the Gocino Kolo and Divçibarsko Bora introduced to America.
Introduction (no action)
The music starts slowly
In 1937, Borivoj “Bora” Gajicki is born in the Serbian village of Gospodjinci, Yugoslavia. His father, Živko, was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1912. Although the family moved back to their village in Serbia’s Vojvodina when Živko was a baby, Bora no doubt heard stories from his grandparents about their American adventure. So it came as no surprise that, as a young man, Bora-as his grandparents had before him-would leave his beloved village to seek opportunity.
Open line, arms loosely linked
The dance begins
Bora moves to Belgrade to attend a school of bookbinding, his chosen profession. While in Belgrade, he spends his free time kolo dancing and becomes a member of an amateur folk dance group, performing strictly for fun-or so he thinks.
One night someone from the internationally acclaimed folkdance troupe, Ansambl Kolo, sees Bora dancing. He is immediately asked to join the company, but Bora cannot because he has yet to fulfill his required military service. He spends the next two years with the Yugoslavian Navy.
While his military service may have peaked his interest in Serbian and WorId War II history, it is his love of dance that sets the course of his adult life.
Solo: The leader breaks away from the line
The line continues (Slow, Quick, Quick)
The tempo increases
Upon his return to Belgrade, he is again contacted by Ansambl Kolo. Without missing a beat, Bora becomes a member. He spends the next seven years traveling throughout Yugoslavia and Europe as a solo dancer for the troupe. The company performs dances from all the regions of Yugoslavia.
The leader rejoins the line
(Hop, Step, Step)
The tempo increases yet again
The year is 1967. The town is Dubrovnik. It is a beautiful summer night, the kind of fateful night when “boy meets girl.”
Many members of Ansambl Kolo are at a restaurant following their concert. And, just as Bora had been noticed by Kolo seven years earlier, he now spots a young, vibrant woman.
The women start their own line,
Jump onto both feet with plie
Who is this woman who would change the tempo of Bora’s life? Margarita “Marge” Tapia from Long Beach, California, is an avid international folk dancer. While at EI Camino College in Torrance, California, she had discovered folk dancing through a physical education class, a requirement at the time. Her favorite music and dances are from the Balkans. Due to her interest in these folk dances, she is on her third trip to Yugoslavia.
This summer of 1967, she is traveling with two of her girlfriends she met through folk dancing. They plan to be there for 21/2 months.
On her first trip, Marge, with no Yugoslavian heritage, was armed with a few words and phrases of Serbo-Croatian. By this third trip, she is able to speak in first person, present tense. She has been taking classes at San Pedro Night School and is proud to report that she was Mrs. Mikulicich’s star pupil.
While in Belgrade and through a prior contact of one of this lovely trio of folk dancers, the young women meet several members of Ansambl Kolo. ”But not Bora,” says Marge. “That was to come later.”
Through the dancers and musicians of Ansambl Kolo, they learn about the troupe’s upcoming tour schedule, including Zagreb and places along the Dalmatian Coast. As a result, the girls plan their own travels to include many of Kolo’s concerts. They hope to reconnect with their new friends at the end of Kolo’s tour in Dubrovnik.
The two lines become one
The music becomes stronger, faster, hands field tight
(Slow, Quick, Quick)
Marge writes to her family to say that she is bringing home a most unusual souvenir- a husband. She is now “Mrs. Bora Gajicki”! They were married in his village of Gospodjinci in August of 1967.
Bora & Marge January 2007
Hop-Step-Step, Kick-Leap-Turn
A couple separates from the line without missing a beat
The tempo is faster still
Perhaps because his father was born in the United States, or perhaps because Marge is so charming, Bora’s decision to move to the U.S. comes easily.
He and Marge settle in San Pedro, California, in November of 1967. Bora enrolls in an English class at San Pedro Night School, the very school where Marge learned Serbo-Croatian.
As folk dancers, Marge and her friends went to dances at the Croatian Hall on Budlong Avenue and at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, both in Los Angeles. Her folk dancing friends include Lani Papadol Rompokos, my first kolo teacher at St. Sava’s, and many others who become well respected teachers, performers, and choreographers in international folk dancing.
Marge introduces Bora to the L. A. area’s various Yugoslavian venues where she has danced before. He fits right in. Bora begins teaching kolo classes at the Yugoslav-American Club in San Pedro, now the Dalmatian-American Club. He soon becomes the director of a performance group.
The couple takes the lead of a new line
Hop-Step-Step Turn-change Line of Direction (LOD)
One night Marge introduces Bora to international folk dancing. Forty years later, their friend, Donna Tripp, retells the story of that first night with the glee of a child watching her first fireworks display:
“Over a hundred friends are there to meet Marge’s husband. They are already dancing-dances from Scandinavia, Greece, Hungary-when Marge and Bora arrive.
“Bora reluctantly joins a kolo line. He is unsure among this American crowd; he is still learning English.
“Then Bora hears a familiar tune, a dance he knows from Yugoslavia. There is an explosion of intricate footwork and perfect rhythm. Bora is dancing. All are hushed in awe.
“The silence then erupts with applause. We flood Bora with requests for him to teach us how to dance like that.”
Bora and Marge, a business major, had already started a bookbinding business, but the number of requests for Bora to teach dance sets them on another course.
Bora becomes a dance instructor and teaches at dance camps, workshops, and Serbian Orthodox churches throughout the United States. He and Marge start importing opanke, the traditional Yugoslav shoes worn by villagers. They offer them for sale at Bora’s teaching venues. Stockton Dance Camp, where Bora often teaches, is a favorite.
Borino 1975
Now he begins teaching himself how to play the accordion in order to have the music he so dearly loves because he feels that recordings of the kolos he dances and teaches are hard to come by.
Bora is soon an accomplished accordionist and forms an orchestra. They record albums under the name Borino Kolo (Bora’s Kolo), the same name as Bora’s dance performance troupe. They perform at weddings, festivals, restaurants, and church events. Bora becomes famous for playing well into the night at many dance camp “after parties” or any venue where friends want to dance and play.
Marge recalls many a time when she needed Bora for something at the business and would follow the sounds of music to find him. Often she herself stayed to enjoy the music and dance.
Father Petar Jovanovich of St. Sava Church in San Gabriel tells me that whenever asked to play for a children’s benefit, Bora would donate the orchestra’s fee. Bora, as a member of St. Sava, ran a weekly radio show for two years.
Turn-Face LOD
Leap-Step-Step
It is 1970. Bora has been in the United States for three years. His bookbinding training provides him the leather skills he needs to teach himself to make opanke. His opanke are beautiful and well crafted. Marge is a gifted seamstress and an expert on traditional folk costumes.
The Gajickis start a new business catering to Serbian and international folk dancers. The Folk Motif, is born. They offer custom-made opanke and other dance shoes, imported costume pieces, books, and related merchandise. Marge becomes involved in commission costuming with orders ranging from a single piece to a whole set. Long Beach’s
The Folk Motif is two doors down from the Gajicki’s new home, and they continue to take their wares to the various dance venues, festivals, and camps-just as they did those first imported opanke from Yugoslavia.
The couple breaks away from the line
The music slows; the bass plays like a strong heartbeat
(Slow, Quick, Quick)
They now dance as a Troika
Keeping an eye on Anna ~ 1974
It is the fall of 1971. Bora and Marge become the proud parents of a baby girl, Anna Tinka Gajicki. Anna grows up in the family business and on the dance floor. Her first steps are certainly to music – and on beat. She is often dressed in full Serbian folk costume, and as a child, she looked just like the dolls that Marge makes today.
Bora & Anna play at Just Accordions 2007
While Bora is happy that Anna is able to perform all of his dances, he is prouder still that she chooses to play the button accordion.
The Troika rejoins the line, hands held low or loosely linked
Dance etiquette states dancers should join at the end of the line:
Friends, however, join next to friends
The dance becomes one long line, filling the entire floor
The tempo is at a moderate “conversational” pace, continue in LOD
The Folk Motif is well established. Bora travels to Yugoslavia every year to see family and friends, research dances and music, and buy merchandise for the business. Marge and Anna accompany him as often as possible.
Bora’s opanke are prized among folk dancers, and some might say they have even gone into outer space: he fills an order for the series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Marge has made costumes for many stages, including New York’s Broadway. Her customers are Greek, Croatian, Serbian, and international dance groups in California, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and even Japan, the latter, her best customer. They include: The International Folk Dance Ensemble at Brigham Young University in Utah; Duquesne University’s Tamburitzans in Pennsylvania; Ethnic Dance Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Koraci Croatian Folk Ensemble in San Jose, California; and St. Steven’s Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Los Angeles for whom she recently (May 2009) completed a set of Montenegrin costumes for their annual kolo celebration called Kolobration.
In addition to The Folk Motif, the Gajickis operate an international dance studio, Veselo Selo, in Anaheim, California, for about five years. It is indeed a “happy village.” Bora’s orchestra often plays there. Some nights he teaches; every night feels like a festival.
To me, The Folk Motif is much more than a shop for folk dancing supplies. Much like the traveling salesmen of a bygone era-or a gypsy caravan- Marge, Bora, and Anna keep all the folk dancing “villages” connected. As they travel from one venue to the next, they share news and information. And, if you’ve ever been to a folk dance festival, you know that their presence makes the event a little bit brighter.
A festival is always a welcoming place to ask about this person or that, someone you once met at this camp or that festival, for we all stay connected through the Gajickis and The Folk Motif.
Marge once wondered aloud, “Why does everyone break in (to the dance) next to me?”
“Because we all think of you as our friend, and friends join next to friends,” was my response.
The music stops.
The dance ends abruptly
Bora passes away in August of 2008.
The online guest book at Risher Mortuary (type in Gajicki) includes entries from across the United States and from Serbia, including both the Serbian and international dance communities. The funeral is held at the original St. Sava Church in Los Angeles. Family, friends, dancers, and musicians overflow in the small church. They unite to say farewell to Bora and to embrace Marge and Anna. Three priests serve at the funeral: Father Petar Jovanovich officiates, with fathers Velimir Petakovic and Ilija Dajkovich assisting, a sign of their respect to this “ambassador of Serbian folk culture.”
Lisa Milena Simikic and Gabriel Vamvulescu, standing in the front and on the left, sing the responses. They also sing The Lord is My Shepherd and Lisa’s original composition, Svjati Bože (click for a favorite video of Lisa’s as sung at Ground Zero, New York City ~ the piece was written during the bombing of Serbia and dedicated to the victims there).
Bora would be proud of Lisa: he accompanied her when she was just a young girl and first sang as a soloist at Serbian celebrations.
The old St. Sava church underwent renovations in 1997, but other than the removal of the pews, it is exactly as I remember as a child: the candles and incense, the beautiful icons, and the painted ceiling.
The traditions of our church, coupled with the rich voices of Lisa and Gabriel joined with the priests’, transport us all to another time or place.
The service looks and sounds as one might imagine a funeral in a Serbian village. For some, it is their first time at a Serbian Orthodox church, and they seem unsure. Yet, they fall into place, as if in a dance, following Bora’s lead one last time. Some by themselves, others with arms linked-friends join next to friends -we all follow in silent step. Our procession ends across the street where Bora is laid to rest.
The women reach out their arms, right over left-
each woman holding strong
They sway to an unheard beat
(Slow, Quick, Quick)
A memorial dance is held to honor Bora. It is hosted by Veselo SeIo, Laguna Folk Dancers, Narodni International Folk Dancers, and the San Pedro Balkan Dancers. Again, friends from far and wide attend.
Musicians and dancers, Serbians, Croatians, Greeks, Armenians, Turks, and Americans remember Bora with words, music, and dance. We dance the kolos Bora introduced to the West: Divçbarsko. Gocino Kolo, Gružanka, Moravac, Raca, Stara Vlainja, and Strumička Petorka among them. Money is raised to fund the scholarship that Marge and Anna establish in Bora’s name for the Stockton Folk Dance Camp.
Marge and Anna Gajicki continue to live in Long Beach and run The Folk Motif. They travel to all the venues together and fill custom orders through prior contacts and word of mouth. Only a few pair of Bora’s prized opanke remain in their inventory; Marge assures us she has found a very good source in Serbia.
Anna made her annual journey to Serbia alone this year, spending six weeks with her family while continuing to learn and play the accordion. She left one of Bora’s accordions in the care of a relative there, so it will be ready for her next trip.
Softly, slowly a musician begins to play to the women‘s rhythm
The women-backs erect, heads held high-start to dance with the music
(Slow, Quick, Quick)…
Go to my other website Recipes by Paula for the Koljivo recipe that accompanies this article
You captured the essence of this wonderful man. Thank you
Although Marge and I were dance friends before she went to Serbia on this “fate” filled journey, I learned many things from your thoughtful and unique tribute. Thank you for sharing these special memories in this special way!
Loved this article. I danced with Bora & Marge in the 70′s and was a member of Borino Kolo. Great times together, fondly remembered.
I felt I knew both Bora and Marge well. So did my wife and daughters, Bernie, Charlotte, and Robin. I go back as far as attending classes with in the back room of their Long Beach shop.
Bora set very high standards for his students. His nimble footwork and timing, the counts held in mid-air, and the athleticism of his leaps were thrilling to watch and near unmatchable.
I also knew members of his band pretty well including Andy who played the base fiddle and Tammy who played the trumpet beautifully but whose young life was so unfortunately ended in a brutal attack. I remember the guitar player (Vlado?) and Nestor, one of our senior dancers, loved by everyone and admired for his priceless grace and leadership. Certain dances requiring pauses, twists and turns by the leader were reserved exclusively for Nestor.
I think the last time I saw Marge and Anna Tinka was either at a folk dance convention in San Diego’s Balboa Park or at a workshop at a hotel near LAX a few years ago. It was at LAX that I caught Dick Crum’s reminiscences of his early life in a Pittsburgh and the early ethnic influences had such a profound impact on his career.
When Marge and Bora opened a folk dance center in Anaheim, Veselo Selo, we were among the regular supporters along with Ed and Mary Kobetich, Lou Perry and Pat Adamek. We participated in folk dancing as a family. There were four of us and that meant we always had enough to start our own line if need be.
But without doubt, Bora came on the Southern California folk dance scene when the vibrancy of the movement was approaching its height. The David’s, Atanas, Tom Bozigian, Dick Crum and local stalwarts such as Dick Oakes, Billy Burke, Barry Glass, Paul Sheldon, Athan Karras, Aman, and the Intersection had a remarkably stimulating impact on the dance movement. (There was also the untimely loss of Ruby Vajeta, Rudy Danish’s partner) But what a concentration of talent! Other local stars such as Donna Tripp, Vicki Maheu, Beverly Barr, performing groups such as Gene Cjecka’s Polski Iskri with Mikki Revenaugh and a Hungarian Group with John Tiffany were among the outstanding performers who carried forward the influence of superstars who graced the scene in the sixties. Most of those mentioned are still actively engaged in the dance.
Thanks, again, Bora for the dancing skill and pleasure you brought to so many. May your influence last for years to come.