Romania

Romanian dance types

Any "dance" is a combination of elements: formation, regional style; motifs, musical rhythm, choreography and the social occasion. A change in one or more of these elements can give another dance, sometimes too subtle for a visitor to understand. As newer dance formations become fashionable these combine with elements of the existing music and dance repertoire to give new local variants. New melodies may be used for old dances and new dances danced to old melodies.

Formation and historic context

Romanian dances are classified at the top level by their formation.

Chain

dances

Ceată

men's group

Couple

dances

Functional and structural classification of dances

The dance section of this website is organised according to the "classic" Romanian ethnologist classification scheme. This uses various formation, musical, choreographic motif, and function features to produce a classification tree.

It should be noted that the dance "types" are generally termed in Romanian by names which are also particular dance names, and dances with these names may also appear within other categories.

Within these categories there are selections of various dances which fulfil the classification, but may be actually linked by choreological development with other dances placed in the other types.

In parallel with the "classic" classification, grouping by musical, choreographic form, motifs, and function is provided to lead to a deeper understanding of the development.

Choreographic form, motifs, & music

The selection of dances performed in each village is often done in a fixed order, the slowest dances first, then sometimes men's showing off dances, ending with the fastest dances. These are known as dance cycles and exist in all regions to some extent, but are possibly most developed in Transylvania.

Many Romanian dances are accompanied by loud shouts and calls known as Strigături which are called rhythmically, but often across the musical melody and rhythm. Such calls seem to be specific to Romania, and are only otherwise found in the Hungarian minorities of Transylvania.

Individuality and improvisation is found both in couple and line dances with men demonstrating their agility and dance ability.

References

Traditional Folk

The Music and Dances

structure of Romanian traditional clothing has remained unchanged throughout history

Basic clothing for both men and women is a shirt made from hemp, linen or woolen fabric.

Tied around the waist using a fabric belt, narrow for women and wider for men.

Local differences are indicated by shirt length, type of embroidery, trouser cut, hat shape, or waistcoat decoration.

The main differences being in cut and decoration

The first item to disappear in many areas were leather peasant sandals

Earliest music was played on various pipes

Dacians played guitars and priests perform songs with and guitars.

Since its introduction the violin has influenced the music in all regions by becoming the principal melody instrument.

http://eucultra.gimn-popovo.com/traditions/clothes/ro_clothes/ro_clothes.htm

http://www.eliznik.org.uk/RomaniaMusic/index.htm

Brasov City Centre

Brașov is located in the central part of the country, about 166 kilometres (103 miles) north of Bucharest and 380 km (236 mi) from the Black Sea.

Due to its geographical position and the good connections to Moldavia and Walachia, Brasov will grow economically fast, becoming one of the most important areas of Transylvania.

In 2011, there were 253,200 people living within the city of Brașov, making it the 7th most popular city in Romania

IAR Brasov

After Communism was imposed, the plant was converted to manufacture agricultural equipment,

Industrial base has been in decline in recent years, but Brașov is still a site for manufacturing agricultural tractors and machinery, hydraulic transmissions, auto parts, ball-bearings, helicopters, building materials, tools, furniture, textiles, shoes and cosmetics.

http://misl.org/aviation/index.php/component/content/article/67

Who he was and his impact

Dracula (meaning “son of Dracul”)

Born in 1431 in Sighisoara Transylanvania.

Moved to Tîrgoviste, Walachia, in 1436

In 1442 he was sent to the court of Ottoman Sultan Murad II with his younger brother

Ran multiple campaigns to regain his father’s seat.

His opponent was his younger brother

https://anticafrontierabb.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/581-anni-fa-il-2-novembre-1431-nasce-a-sighisoara-in-transilvania-romania-vlad-iii-principe-di-valacchia-noto-come-tepes-impalatore/

After becoming prince he committed the violent acts for which he is most famous for.

He left a field filled with thousands of impaled victims.

Vlad regained his seat in 1476 but was killed in battle that same year in present day Bucharest.

He remains a hero for people in the region

http://www.carddit.com/view/tPsTF9yrt/bran-castle-draculas-castle

Vlad

The People During Communist Romania

Climate

Brasov has relatively cold and wet weather in the mountains

-Propaganda spoke only about the great results of the Romanian economy

-People were faced with a shortage of many products. In order to buy some milk,you had to wait at the grocery for 1-2 hours early in the morning.

-The situation was different for people with connections

-Was easy to obtain things not available for ordinary citizens.

Summer nights are somewhat chilly

Average temperature is 7.6 degrees C

Annual average humidity in air is 75%

Highest temperature in the summer is 35.0 degrees C

-In 1987 in Brasov (a city in Southern Transylvania) the workers protested against their living conditions. The authorities put an end to the protest in one day and the leaders were arrested.

The lowest in the winter is -30 degrees C

http://blogs.ft.com/beyond-brics/2012/04/09/romanias-farms-rising-yields-but-plenty-of-room-to-improve/

http://www.procesulcomunismului.com/marturii/fonduri/mmioc/anticomrev/docs/02.htm

Yearly rainfall is roughly 1300 mm/sq. m in the mountain areas .

The Carpathians serve as a barrier to Atlantic air masses

Summer lasts from May to August.

Typical winds blow West at approximately 1.5- 3.0 m/s

N

Urban Regions

Contemporary age It was in 1918 (December the 1st, more precisely) that Transylvania was united with the previously constituted Principality of Romania. Hence, Bucharest became the capital of the entire country, after a 2-year period when the capital of the Principality was transferred to Iaşi due to the fact Bucharest was under German occupation (1916 to 1918, during World War One). The period between the two world wars was exceptionally favorable to Bucharest. It was precisely then that the city experienced its cultural heydays. Casa Capşa, already acknowledged as a landmark of social, political and cultural meetings and debates, continued to enhance its prestige, both nationally and at international scale. However, subsequently to World War Two, once the Communist regime took over the political scene, much of the historical Bucharest lost its coordinates, at least architecturally speaking. The megalomaniac projects of Nicolae Ceauşescu raised to the ground most of the historical landmarks of the city, not to mention his unfortunate contribution was complemented by the tragic earthquake in 1977, when Bucharest suffered further damage, and not only with respect to the city layout and architectural patrimony, but also to its population. The Parliament Palace (otherwise known as the People’s House, Casa Poporului in Romanian) is the best example which illustrates the artistic vision of the regime. For a deeper insight into the communist heritage, tourists need to look no further than the monotonous apartment buildings built in a dull Communist style which populate most of the city. The last violent historical episodes which have taken over Bucharest refer to the 1989 Revolution and to the subsequent political and social commotions, commonly known under the name of Mineriads (Mineriade in Romanian), which took place in the early 1990s. At present, Bucharest undergoes a constant and deep urban planning renewal, the much awaited facelift focusing, in part, on restoring whatever medieval and modern era heritage survived in time. The bewilderingly miscellaneous picture of Bucharest is, in fact, comprehensive enough to accommodate both spectacular elevated touches and grotesque dull shades, and not only architecturally speaking, but from the point of view of all that is related to the city (culture, people’s customs, infrastructure and so on). - See more at: http://www.tourism-bucharest.com/short-history-of-bucharest.html#sthash.wyc50Ndo.dpuf

Bucharest/Bucuresti

Grape remains one of main symbols of Bucharest.

March 1 signifies the beginning of spring season

The city was first mentioned in 1459, in a document issued by the court of Prince Vlad the Impaler, the prince

Martisor remains the main symbol of the holiday.

In 1881 that it became the capital city of the Principality of Romania.

Much of the medieval architectural heritage was destroyed in a fire in 1847

Often called the city of festivals.

The city was dubbed the Little Paris

September 13 is considered the festival of grape harvesting.

A backpacking couple could get by on $40 or $50 a day, but a couple spending $100 to $200 a day in Romania will really be living large.

Romania’s currency fluctuates quite a bit, sometimes moving from 2.8 to 3.5 (and maybe back again) within a year.

http://www.utilecopii.ro/forum/index.php?showtopic=3109

Ceaucescu

Born Jan. 26, 1918, Scornicești, Romania

In 1939 he married another highly devoted Communist, Elena Petrescu.

Nicolae appointed her to the Nation Council of Scientific Research

She was awarded her Ph.D. in industrial chemistry

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2042990/Queen-Mothers-plot-eclipse-Diana-Robert-Hardman-reveals-fascinating-episode-lives-Royals.htm

When she started to gain power in the government, the country was starting its downfall.

In 1982 he ordered most of Romania's products to be exported in order to pay off a ballooned foreign debt

Ceaușescu’s Romania collapsed in Timișoara on Dec. 17, 1989

http://www.inrumor.com/in/people/politicians/hitler-mussolini-mao-ceausescu-and-bokassa-tyrants-tyrannized-by-wives/

He died Dec. 25, 1989, near Bucharest along side his wife.

Living in Urban Romania

Typical costs:

When it comes to nightlife there is something for everyone in this town.

From trendy bars to Irish pubs, lounge clubs and jazz clubs and many more styles.

Incredibly safe city:

Crime Index: 30.98

Safety Index: 69.02

Most common jobs in urban areas of Romania are in the field of IT Techs.

Combo meal in fast food restaurant (Big Mac Meal or similar) C$5.84

12 eggs, large C$3.67

1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes C$1.84

500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese C$4.91

0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket C$0.91

1 bottle of red table wine, good quality C$8

2 liters of Coca-Cola C$1.88

Bread for 2 people for 1 day C$0.70

Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat C$162

1 pair of jeans (Levis 501 or similar) C$96

1 summer dress in a chain store (Zara, H&M, ...) C$43

1 pair of sport shoes (Nike, Adidas, or similar) C$90

Taxi trip on a business day, basic tariff, 8 Km. (5 miles) C$4.21

Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) C$4.80

Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) C$5.27

4 rolls of toilet paper C$1.86

Tube of toothpaste C$2.88

2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) C$37

1 month of gym membership in business district C$87

https://classyromania.wordpress.com/

l

Nowadays

Dacian Times

-ex-Communist, Ion Iliescu served as president from 1990–1995.

-Emil Constantinescu of the Democratic Convention Party was president from 1996–2000.

-Growing dissatisfaction with the government's inefficiencies and economic policies led to a wave of protests by workers, students, and others that peaked in 1997, and again in 1999.

Most of Romania was the Roman province of Dacia from about A.D. 100 to 271.

-Romania joined NATO in 2004, and in 2007 the EU approved Romania's entry.

Bulgarian Empire (8th–10th century) brought Eastern Orthodox Christianity to the Romanians

-Basescu has earned wide international praise for his anti-corruption drive and for paving the way for Romania to join the European Union.

"Romania" became a kingdom in 1881

Nov. 11, 1918, gave Romania vast territories from Russia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, doubling its size but the loss of Moldova and southern parts of Romania later on, resulted in a decrease in size

In 1955 Romania joined the Warsaw Treaty Organization and the United Nations.

http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/romania/images/33500239/title/dacians-ancient-european-people-romanians-photo

https://suite.io/irina-raluca-ivan/2e4b27h

Lifestyle

Meal for 2, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course C$ 25.54

Combo Meal at McDonalds or Similar C$ 5.43

Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) C$ 0.96

Water (0.33 liter bottle) C$ 0.64

Apples (1kg) C$ 0.96

Lettuce (1 head) C$ 0.64

Water (1.5 liter bottle) C$ 0.64

Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) C$ 2.87

Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) C$ 0.80

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) C$ 1.12

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) C$ 0.57

Gasoline (1 liter) C$ 1.79

1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) C$ 31.92

1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) C$ 31.92

1 Pair of Nike Shoes C$ 79.81

Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre C$ 159.62

Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment in City Centre C$ 957.74

Average Monthly Disposable Salary (After Tax) C$ 319.25

http://www.romanianmonasteries.org/romania/black-sea-coast

The Black Sea/Danube River

Romanian Black sea coastline is 245 km (153 miles) in length

Romania's main sea resorts are all located on 45 miles of fine sandy beaches

Water temperatures of 77 - 79˚F in the summertime.

Europe’s second longest river, the Danube, flows through southern Romania forming part of the country’s frontier with Serbia, Bulgaria and Ukraine.

The Danube is an important water route for domestic shipping, as well as international trade and tourist cruises. The main port, both for trade and tourism, is Constanta, linked to the Danube by a canal build in 1984. The nearest Danube river port to Bucharest is Giurgiu.

Lake St. Ana, located in Ciomatu Mare Massif, is the only volcanic lake in Romania, sheltered and surrounded by vast fir-tree forests. The lake is solely fed by rain. Therefore, its waters are nearly as pure as distilled water.

References

Encyclopedia of the Nations. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2014, from

http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/geography/Morocco-to-Slovakia/Romania.html

Facts and stats for Romania. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2014, from

http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/profiles/Romania/People

Geography of Romania. (2014, December 6). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved

October 29, 2014, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geography_of_Romania&oldid=636874810

Geography. (1994-2014). Retrieved October 29, 2014, from

http://romaniatourism.com/geography.html

Geography. (2000-2007). Retrieved October 25, 2014, from

http://www.infoplease.com/country/romania.html

Hitchins, K. (2013, November 13). Romania. Retrieved October 23, 2014, from

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/508461/Romania/276024/Cultural-institutions

Lloyd, K. (Ed.). (2010, February 10). The Demographic Transition Model and its 5 stages.

Retrieved October 24, 2014, from

http://blackpoolsixthasgeography.pbworks.com/w/page/22998871/The Demographic

(2011, January 1). Retrieved from http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?c=ro&v=67

About Romania. (2000-2011). Retrieved November 10, 2014, from

http://www.upb.ro/en/about-romania.html

Black Sea Resorts. (2004). Retrieved October 24, 2014, from

http://www.turism.ro/english/black_sea.php

Ceausescu. (2005, January 1). Retrieved October 23, 2014, from

http://www.ceausescu.org/ceausescu_texts/ceausescu_chronology.htm

Cost of Living in Bucharest, Romania. (2009-2014). Retrieved October 23, 2014, from

http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/city_result.jsp?country=Romania&city=Buchares

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Countries and Their Cultures. (2014). Retrieved November 10, 2014, from

http://www.everyculture.com/No-Sa/Romania.html

Culture of Romania. (2011). Retrieved October 23, 2014, from

http://www.panacomp.net/romania?s=rumunija_kultura

Culture of Romania. (2014, December 2). Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved

October 23, 2014, from

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Culture_of_Romania&oldid=636273699

De Wulf, M. (2012). Romania 2010. Population Pyramid of the World from

1950-2100. Retrieved from http://populationpyramid.net/romania/

Demographics of Romania. (2014). Retrieved October 28, 2014, from

http://mecometer.com/country/romania/demographics

Religion

No state religion

Sixteen different religious groups

86.5% of Romanians are Orthodox

Late 1980s, the Romanian Orthodox Church,claimed some 16 million members

Language

Official language spoken is Romanian

It is a romance language related to French

Italian

Spanish

Portuguese

http://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Romanian

Is the language for 91% of the population in Romania

Second most common taught languages in Romania are English French and German.

http://www.innovativelanguage.com/learn-romanian

Fact Sheet

CURRENT Stat:

POTENTIAL Stat:

Total Population: 21, 790, 479 (2013)

Birth Rate: 9.4 per 1, 000 (2013)

Death Rate: 11.86 per 1, 000 (2013)

Fertility Rate: 1.5 children per woman

(2012)

Population Density: 91.4 people per sq. km

(2013)

% Urban Population: 52.8% of population

(2011)

Doubling Time: N/A

Stage of Demographic

Transition: 5 (2013)

GNP/GDP: $13, 251, 92 USD (2013)

Infant Mortality: 10.44 per 1, 000 (2013)

Dependency Load: 43.3 % (2013)

Literacy Rate: 97.7% (2011)

Life Expectancy: 74.45 years (2013)

Type of Population

Pyramid: "Light Bulb Shape" (2010)

21, 729, 871 (2014)

9.27 per 1, 000 (2014)

11.88 per 1, 000 (2014)

1.32 children per woman (2014)

91.2 (2014)

59.3% (2015)

N/A

5 (2014)

$13, 809. 46 USD (2014)

10.16 per 1, 000 (2014)

43.6% (2014)

N/A

74. 69 years (2014)

"Light Bulb Shape" (2014)

Population Pyramids

2010

2020

http://populationpyramid.net/romania/2010/

http://populationpyramid.net/romania/2020/

Brief Timeline Since in Power

http://blog.webphoto.ro/tag/nicolae-ceausescu/

1981

1989, December 25

1966, October

1969, August 1-2

1965, March 22

1989, December 21

1984, Spring

Series of laws passed making abortions illegal, divorce difficult to obtain, contraceptive use prohibited and increased the taxes on childless couples.

U.S. President Richard M. Nixon visits Romania and Ceausescu in first foray abroad of his presidency.

Ceausescu elected First Secretary of Romanian Communist Party, succeeding Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, three days after his death.

Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu executed by firing squad. Their corpses are removed to initially unmarked burial sites in Ghencea Cemetery, southwest Bucharest.

Bread rationing reintroduced after 27 years. Measures taken to limit the consumption and storage of basic foodstuffs such as edible oil, sugar, flour, rice, coffee, and corn. Drastic energy conservation measures also imposed.

Systemization advanced for rest of country. More than 11,000,000 people throughout country to be resettled from private one- family houses as apartment building tenants. 7,000 of 13,123 villages to disappear in ten years with remaining rural sites replaced by standard 4-5 story apartment buildings.

100,000 people gather outside Central Committee Building. Ceausescu attempts to give speech. Eight minutes into speech, crowd begins chanting "Timisoara!" and "Down with the murderers!"

Agriculture

Coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, uranium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite, borate, celestine (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone, magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable land and hydropower.

Agriculture employs about 29% of the population

It contributes about 8.1% of GDP.

Beef production is located in central Romania, while the production of fruits, vegetables, and wine ranges from central to southern Romania.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Romanian_protests_against_the_Ro%C8%99ia_Montan%C4%83_Project

There has been a large scale decrease in employment in the fishing industry within Romania due to the EU's Common Fisheries Policy.

Agriculture plays a very important role in Romania's economy, however is still underdeveloped.

http://www.wwf.eu/?226851/EU-countries-failing-to-halt-illegal-timber-trade#

Environmental Problems

Current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands

International agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands and more.

http://projects.inweh.unu.edu/inweh/display.php?ID=3079

Governmental Growth

After the global financial crisis in 2008-09, Romania made a quick recovery

Since the international financial support package, the exchange rate has remained broadly stable.

Access to health care in Romania is skewed towards the wealthy. The current health system is heavily biased towards costly inpatient hospital care.

Romania’s poverty rate declined dramatically between 2000-2008, from 36% to 5.7%. In 2009, poverty declined further to 4.4%.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/briandomitrovic/2013/10/01/obamas-economy-is-worse-than-bushs-by-obamas-own-numbers/

http://www.energyworldmag.com/24/09/2014/romania-e-on-asks-the-government-to-postpone-gas-price-liberalization-for-industrial-consumers/

Land

The Southern Carpathians offer the highest peaks at Moldoveanu Peak (2,544 m) and Negoiu (2,535 m) and more than 150 glacial lakes.

The Western Carpathians are the lowest of the three ranges

Enclosed within the great arc of the Carpathians lie the undulating plains and low hills of the Transylvanian Plateau, the center of Romania. This agricultural region also contains large deposits of methane gas and salt.

Romania's lowest land is found on the northern edge of the Dobruja region in the Danube Delta. The delta is a triangular swampy area of marshes, floating reed islands, and sandbanks, where the Danube ends its trek of almost 3,000 kilometers and divides into three frayed branches before emptying into the Black Sea.

The Danube Delta provides a large part of the country's fish production, and its reeds are used to manufacture cellulose.

http://www.yr.no/place/Romania/Other/Carpathian_Mountains/statistics.html

Romania is halfway between the equator and the North Pole and equidistant from the westernmost part of Europe

Romania has 3,195 kilometers of border with the Republic of Moldova, Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary to the west.

Romania's is divided among mountains (31 percent), hills (33 percent), and plains (36 percent).

The arc of the Carpathians extends over 1,000 kilometers through the center of the country, covering an area of 71,000 square kilometers.

Three ranges: the Eastern Carpathians, the Southern Carpathians or Transylvanian Alps, and the Western Carpathians.

The Eastern Carpathians are composed of three parallel ridges that run from northwest to southeast.

The Eastern Carpathians are covered with forests, about 32 percent of the country's woodlands are there.

Contains important ore deposits, including gold and silver, and their mineral water springs

Carpathian Mountains

Facts

60% of European brown bear population lives in the Carpathian Mountains

400 unique species of mammals, including the Carpathian chamois.

With almost 80 lakes, Retezat Mountain Mass holds almost 40% of the glacial lakes that exist in Romania

The Southern Carpathians are also called “the Romanian Alps”, and are known as the most spectacular Carpathian area

Reaching high altitudes in Fagaras Mountains (Moldoveanu Peak-2544 m), offering wonderful views and trips in a landscape of a carved glacier.

The Transfagarasan road, the most spectacular road in Romania, crosses the mountains and binds Transylvania and Muntenia.

http://www.romanianmonasteries.org/romania/carpathian-mountains

Carpathian Mountains cover over a third of Romania

Romania

By: Diana Popovici