On Saturday, December 7, 2024, the Opančići Serbian Folklore Ensemble performed at the 20,000-seat world-class Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, DC. Their performance presented a truly powerful and vivid story of the richness and diversity of our Serbian folkloric heritage in the heart of the Nation’s Capital.

 

Before a packed arena, during a basketball game halftime between the Washington Wizards and the Denver Nuggets, our performers, under the direction of choreographer, Dr. Danica Marinac-Dabić, proudly brought together dances and traditional costumes from a variety of regions of Serbia.

 

At the beginning of their performance, the dancers presented, in four separate formations, a visual image of the very symbol of our unique heritage, the image of the four letters, "C", back-to-back in likeness of our national slogan, "Only Unity Saves Serbs” - Samo Sloga Srbina Spasava. 

 

As the dance picked up in tempo and exuberance, the lines converge toward a common SERBIAN KOLO - circle. Now united, the dancers form new configurations in harmony, one with each other. The background music was provided with a recording of the National Philharmonic Orchestra of Serbia.