I*EARN

Balkan Voices

 

The Romanian "Calus"

For two days "The Calus", an ancient Romanian dance, the
expression of the Romanian people's artistic genius, of their energy, liveliness and spiritual nobility, the purified image of the millenary existance of the inhabitants on this territory appears in all its splendour at Slatina under aspects of an astonishing variety displayed with unparalleled art by the dancers from Osica, Valcele, Balanesti, Colonesti, Priseaca, icoana, Brancoveni, Izbiceni, Scomicesti from places in Teleorman, Valcea, Arges, Dolj, Gorj, Hunedoara. the folklore pageant
which every year opens this real mini Olympic competition of "calusari" is in fact a charming review of the costumes of the "calusari" and of the distinct style of each separate team of dancers.
Then come thrilling competitions of virtuosity, interrupted now
and again by solo dancers, some of whom are very old men, and even children who have inheried their parent's talent.
Every edition also occasions interesting exhibitions of folk art
objects and a symposeum attended by researchers who study this old and always young folk dance.

Andrei Ardelean
"Alexandru Papiu Ilarian" Highschool Dej, Romania
Coordinator teacher: Cornelia Platon

BV:Folk dances

Men's dance in Transylvania

The "caluser" a Transylvanian variant of the renowned Romanian folk dance calusul (Romanian folk dance, dating from the pre-Christian period as ritualdance. The "caluseri" in groups of 7-11 men often accompanied by a masked personage (the mute) carry clubs and dance of great virtuosity danced for milleniums is apt to arrest the attention everybody keen on the cultural and artistic gems of the counties in this part of the country, at the annual festival. Preparations for this enthusiastic artistic get-togheter begins months in advance, when the "caluseri" teams in Hunedoara county contend with one anoter in direct zonal competitions, for the right to take part in the folklore festival at Deva, where they are joined by similar leading ensembles from the neighbouring counties.
The "caluseri" ensembles including groups of children, lads,
grown-ups and elderly people too, headed by their "vatafs" (leaders) - easy to recognize as they wear two tricoulored ribbons over their national costumes - first walk through the streets of the town in a charming parade,
after which they display on the stage of the local theatre all the virtues of an extremely beautiful dance. The "caluseri" of Geoagiu, Sarmizegetusa, Romos, and Boiu and many other villages in Hunedoara county, as well as theensembles from Alba, Sibiu, Brasov, Caras-Severin counties delight the spectators with the originality of this ancient dance, in which the movements of virtuosity
and the unexpected developments of the dance are accompanied by "striga- turi" (humorous or satirical verse chanted during the dance) and the tunes sung by the groups of interpreters, bringing on the stage the genuinesess of the horas, the splendour and the permanent youth of the popular soul.

Adina Huza
"Alexandru Papiu Ilarian" Highschool Dej, Romania
Coordinator teacher: Cornelia Platon


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Last update March, 15, 2001 For more information contact Florina Serbu