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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
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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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