Among all folkloric areas from Romania (there are 27 of them), in the Transilvanian Plain there are the most complex traditional dances. Here the boys and girls are meeting on Sundays and on the holidays at the crossroads where they are singing and dancing together. The beginning belongs to the boys coming in line; then they are taking the girls' hand and they will dance in front or behind the boys or “pe sub mina” meaning the pirouette with the help of the boys. The most virtuous moments are found in the boys' dances. They are slapping different parts of their legs and their boots in a kind of competition and in the end they everyone will take his girl and will dance “Invartita rara” and “Invartita deasa”. The pirouette of the girls amaze and charm the public.

From Apuseni Mountains over the Romanian border with Hungary, along two rivers - Crisul Alb and Crisul Negru - it spreads a very interesting area from the folkloric point of view. The dance songs from here are called “Ardelene” and they could be found in the binary and also in the syncopated rhythm. During the dances the rhythm is changing and produces a great variety. Beside the rhythm, the melody of these dances is very expressive and that's why they are a pleasure for those who are listening.

A specific instrument for the Romanian folklore is the “taragot”. It was made on a project which combine in a brilliant way the technique of the oboe with that of the clarinet. The timbre of the taragot is like the fagot's. The best taragot players are the romanians. The taragot is played in Banat, Maramures and the Apuseni mountains. Its ample sound can be modeled in piano and also in forte but it requires ability and virtuosity.

In Romania the dances are going on vertically and horizontally. Especially those with a vertical development are based on the syncopated rhythm, the Romanian specific rhythm. Such dances are found in the folkloric areas Oas, Bihor and Codru from the North-West of Romania. In Oas the dances are called “Roata feciorilor” , “Roata fetelor” and “Dant” in Bihor - “Poarga”, “Luncan” and “Pe picior”. The dances from Codru are called “De inceput” and “Fecioreste codreneste”. These areas have similarities especially refering to the costumes with a very colored look.

Laureate at many national and international competitions (The First Prize at Middlesbrough - England), Iustina Dejeu presents songs from Huedin area, at the foot of Vladeasa mountain. Into her songs she tells about love, “dor”, sadness and joy but she is also referring with humor at the boys and girls. She knows very well the rituals of wedding, funeral, going to the army and “sezatoare” from this area. She is presenting all this material in a very authentic way, following the folkloric source where she collected the songs. Her artistic personality is completed by a splendid costume.

The classic violin is used in the Romanian traditional folklore for about 500 years. In fact, most of the musicians play the violin and that's why its repertoire is very vast. A lot of composers created and modeled their songs in the traditional style. “Ceasul” (The clock), “Furtuna” (The storm) and “Ciocarlia” (The lark) are just a few examples. Having a suggestive name, they are played with a lot of skill by the young student at the Music Academy from our town - Doru Z. Dejeu.

“Calusul” - dance

The name of this dance comes from the very old custom with the same name, which was practiced in the South of Romania - Oltenia and Muntenia. This custom implied a ritual of the disease cure in the past. Today it remained a dance of virtuosity. Its complexity comes from the changing of different dances, one following the other, such as “Hora” and “Sarba” - the most popular dances in these regions. The costumes of the dancers have peculiar colors. There are always an odd number of dancers.

“Going in the army” song. “Fecioresc des” from Corusu and Mera. “Hora nevestelor” from Rosia de Secas

Close to our town - Cluj-Napoca - there is an area well known by the boys' dances of virtuosity. It is called “Dealurile Clujului, Gilaului si Dejului”. The elements and the choreograpy figures, which constitute these dances, are complicated but spectacular. Every time the boys are going to the dance place they are singing songs together with the musicians. “Cantece de catanie” (Going in the army song) expresses this. The boys who are singing and dancing very well are more respected in the community. During the dance they are improvising depending on their talent. In the same time they initiate a competition so that it will be soon an artistic euphoria. In those places, where the boys and men were gone to work somewhere else or they are gone in the army, the girls and wives were meeting in the so called “sezatoare” and they were working and dancing together there. This way has been born interesting dances, which have as the basic rhythm, the couple dances rhythm. “Hora nevestelor” (The dance of the wives) is danced in Rosia de Secas village, Alba district. The simple and the complicated steps played in a syncopated rhythm, but following the music in an asymmetric rhythm are shocking many times.

Bugle violin - Dumitru Pasca

A strange and peculiar instrument coming from the beginning of the century is the bugle violin or the violin with the trumpet. This violin was made after the gramophone was invented and it has something from its principle “the trumpet” is the box of resonance. This instrument was settled in the Bihor mountains area, in the North-West of Romania. As a result of the construction technique, the instrumental songs are played most of the time on the “E” and “A” strings. The sound produced by this violin with trumpet is very metallic and ample that makes it heard at the dance even if there are a lot of people there.

Songs and dances from Banat - orchestra

The most beautiful and melodiously music is found in the folkloric Banat area. That's why it is the most listened music on the different party occasions. “Doinele” from Banat produce artistic emotions and when the musicians play the dances, “you feel like dancing”. Their style is unique and so are the instruments they are using. The most popular instrument is “taragotul”.

Dances from Banat

Analyzing the dances from Banat it can be observed a special particularity: the music is played on “timp” and the dance is “contratimp” which means a little delay of the dance.A perfect relation between the musicians and the dancers offers many beautiful moments of shows.

“Invartite” and “Batute” from Castau, Orastie - orchestra

“Invartitele” in the asymmetric rhythm and “Batutele” in the binary rhythm are the most frequent dances from the Center and the South of Transylvania. The musicians know a lot of songs. They are reserved to the best dancers or they are called by their names. “Invartitele” and “batutele” we are playing are from the repertoire of the violinist Relu Silvisan from Castau, Orastie.

Dances from Bunesti - Valea Somesului

In this suite we have chosen the most representative dances from the Somes Valley: “De-nceput”, “Romaneasca-Batraneasca”, “Barbunc Rar” si “Invartite” in the asymmetric and syncopated rhythm. In order to dance such kind of dances you have to be a virtuous, but it implies also talent, a lot of work and a very good temper. In the swril of the dances, the pirouette of the girls are identified with the semicircle form of the peacocks weared with proud by the boys. At one moment, a perfect synchronization beetwen the dancers and the orchesta is realised , thing that enchants the audience. In fact, everything can be reduced to the pleasure of singing and dancing. We hope you to have this feeling too.

Florin Munteanu - acordeon

Becomed in time traditional intrument his repertory is specific of the fiddler. The violin theacher from the Music High School from Cluj-Napoca demonstrate, singing a lot of songs fron his large repertory : “Doina banateana”, “Hora” si “Geampara” from Dobrogea.

Aletea

In this romanian village from Hungary, the most archaic dances were preserved through the times: “Lunga”, “Marunteaua”, “Tiganeasca” and “Dragostea”. These dances, belonging to the Tara Zarandului folkloric area, are going on horizontally and vertically, being impressive by lirysm and virtuosity. You have to be a very good dancer in order to be in competition with the villagers.

Dances from Farau, Alba County

Through the time, the best musicians and dancers have created a peculiar style in their belonging area. In this part of the Transylvanian Plane, the magnificent violin player Alexandru Titrus has always played “in struna” for the dancers. On their turn, the dancers have enchanted by their proud to take part to the most popular and beautiful dances: “Invartita”, “Fecioreasca cu fete”, “Hartagul” and also “Haidaul”. Dansing circular but also free style, a competition raise between the couples of dancers. There was always a grace in the boys figures when they lead their partners.

Dances from Rupea, Brasov County

We are thinking that nowhere, at a comunity level, the choreographical folklore was as well preserved as in Rupea, situated at about 60 km far from the beautiful city - Brasov. On the occasion of Christmas and also on different other holidays (“Balul Portului”), it takes place a more than educative activity. The dance is visible perpetuated from generation to generation and also does the decent and fascinating costume. In the “Jocul Mare” from here you can find “Maruntisurile” : “Musamaua”, “Hoina”, “Sarba Popii”, “Hodoroaga”, but you can also find the impressive by their beauty, the “Purtata feciorilor”, “Batuta”, “Purtata cu fata” and “Invartitele” in an asymetrical rhythm (aksak). The dancers in our group have learned them very rigorously and they dance them with much pleasure.