Traditional Montenegrin Dance on the Bow of ‘Noah’s Ark’ — an Authentic Promotion of the Tradition and Beauty of Lake Skadar (video)

An attractive video filmed on Lake Skadar, in which members of the Folklore Ensemble “Rumija”, dressed in traditional folk costumes, perform old Montenegrin dances — poskočice — on the wooden boats “Noah’s Ark,” has attracted public attention, delighted viewers with its idea and the performers’ ingenuity, and stirred emotions.

The video creatively promotes the tradition, history, and natural beauty of Montenegro within the national park. Rich in symbolism, it immortalizes the revival of bygone times on Lake Skadar, featuring the traditional wooden boat that once “both fed and defended” the people.

Captured by drone, the footage reveals vivid, paradise-like scenes of the national park, highlighted by the striking color contrasts of one of the most beautiful traditional folk costumes.

Members of the Folklore Ensemble “Rumija” dressed in Montenegrin traditional costumes while cruising across Lake Skadar aboard the ‘Noah’s Ark’ created a unique performance — a voyage that united the past and the present. As the wooden boats cut through the calm waters of Lake Skadar, the beauty of the Montenegrin national costume shone in all its glory under the sun. It was a fusion of Montenegrin history and untouched nature. We enjoyed cruising through fields of water lilies, accompanied by birdsong orchestrated by nature itself, along with a traditional Montenegrin welcome: Crmnica wine, priganice, and cheese,” said Dražen Kaljević, choreographer of the Folklore Ensemble “Rumija,” for Primorski Portal.

Lake Skadar, the largest lake in the Balkans and, according to many tourists, one of the most beautiful in Europe, is inspiring and captivating in the morning, during the day, and in the evening hours alike. Every visit to Lake Skadar is a unique experience and a new adventure.

The video was filmed on the wooden boats “Noah’s Ark,” owned by Ilija Radoman, who organizes cruises on Lake Skadar

Radoman points out that there is symbolism in the very name “Noah’s Ark.” The performance on the “Noah’s Ark” boats was conceived with the intention of “preserving” tradition from being forgotten, while also presenting it to tourists in an authentic way.

“Alongside the beauty gifted to us by nature, tourists also enjoy hearing about the history and learning about the biodiversity of Lake Skadar, which leaves no one indifferent. It fascinates visitors, and there are many different cruise tours available on Lake Skadar. In cooperation with the members of the Folklore Ensemble “Rumija”, I wanted us to recreate our traditional welcome, revive the spirit of old times, and remind people of our cultural and historical heritage. My goal is to promote the Skadar Lake National Park, while preserving and nurturing our heritage. We combined the beauty of untouched nature with tradition and customs,” Ilija Radoman told Primorski Portal.

Kaljević says that performing the traditional poskočice dances on moving boats was extremely demanding, as it required great concentration and exceptional balance skills — but that it was truly worth the effort.

Indeed, the captivating video from the cruise on Lake Skadar, featuring performers dressed in Montenegrin traditional costumes, confirmed one thing — there is no country quite as beautiful as this one.