Brâul Oltenesc

BRÂUL OLTENESC
Romanian

PRONUNCIATION: BREWL ohl-tehn-ESK
The -ul ending, pronounced "-oo" (colloquial) or "-ool" (more formal usage) is a form of the Romanian definite article, the equivalent of English "the;" hence brîu = "belt," brîul = "the belt."

TRANSLATION: The belt dance of Oltenia

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Alexandru David who learned it while he was with the Romanian State Ballet.

BACKGROUND: The brâu was originally named for the way the dancers were linked together by holding each other's belts ("brâu," literally "belt" in Romanian). Today, however, dances in this class also are seen with low handholds or shldr holds. They are typically characterized by their powerful dynamism. The ethnographic region of Oltenia is green and mountainous and has some of southeastern Romania's oldest surviving artifacts, edifices, and folklore, with little Turkish, Russian, or Greek influence.

MUSIC: Gypsy Camp (LP) GC 5201-II

FORMATION: Lines of mixed M and W holding neighbors' belts in "X" pos, L arm over R.

METER/RHYTHM: 2/4

STEPS/STYLE: The dance has a stacatto feeling and is danced mostly on the balls of the feet.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION - None.

I. TRAVELLING

1 With body erect and facing diag R, run RLR in LOD (cts 1&2);

2 Run LRL (cts 1&2).

3-4 Turning to face diag L, but continuing bwd in LOD, run bwd seven steps (cts 1&2&, 1&2); hold on final ct (ct &).

5-8 Reverse action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.

9-16 Repeat action of meas 1-8.

II. IN PLACE WITH HEEL-CLOSE

1 Facing ctr, jump to both with R in back of L (ct 1); jump to both with L in back of R (ct 2);

2 Repeat action of meas 1.

NOTE: The action of meas 1 and 2 very closely resemble a "Russian skip-step" but with the "hop" coming simultaneously with the step instead of between.

3 Step R swd (ct 1); touch L heel to L, bending supporting knee (ct 2);

4 Repeat action of meas 3 with opp ftwk.

5-16 Repeat action of meas 1-4 three more times.

III. IN PLACE WITH SLAP-STEP

1 Jump to both with R in back of L (ct 1); jump to both with L in back of R (ct 2);

2 Jump to both with R in back of L (ct 1); turning to face diag L, fall on to L (ct 2); slap ball of R out twd ctr, momentarily taking wt on R (ct &);

3 Fall fwd L (ct 1); slap ball of R out twd ctr, momentarily taking wt (ct &); fall fwd L (ct 2); slap ball of R out twd ctr, momentarily taking wt (ct &);

4 Fall fwd L (ct 1); slap ball of R out twd ctr, momentarily taking wt (ct &); fall fwd L (ct 2); pause (ct &).

5-16 Facing ctr, repeat action of meas 1-4 three more times.

DANCE SEQUENCE

I, II, III, II,
I, II, III, II,
I, II, III, II, III.

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

BRÂUL OLTENESC Romanian

PRONUNCIATION:	BREWL ohl-tehn-ESK The -ul ending, pronounced "-oo" (colloquial) or "-ool" (more formal usage) is a form of the Romanian definite article, the equivalent of English "the;" hence brîu = "belt," brîul = "the belt."
TRANSLATION:	The belt dance of Oltenia

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Alexandru David who learned it while he was with the Romanian State Ballet.

BACKGROUND:	The brâu was originally named for the way the dancers were linked together by holding each other's belts ("brâu," literally "belt" in Romanian). Today, however, dances in this class also are seen with low handholds or shldr holds. They are typically characterized by their powerful dynamism. The ethnographic region of Oltenia is green and mountainous and has some of southeastern Romania's oldest surviving artifacts, edifices, and folklore, with little Turkish, Russian, or Greek influence.

MUSIC:	Gypsy Camp (LP) GC 5201-II

FORMATION:	Lines of mixed M and W holding neighbors' belts in "X" pos, L arm over R.

METER/RHYTHM:	2/4

STEPS/STYLE:	The dance has a stacatto feeling and is danced mostly on the balls of the feet.


MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION - None.

I.	TRAVELLING

1	With body erect and facing diag R, run RLR in LOD (cts 1&2);
2	Run LRL (cts 1&2).
3-4	Turning to face diag L, but continuing bwd in LOD, run bwd seven steps (cts 1&2&, 1&2); hold on final ct (ct &).

5-8	Reverse action of meas 1-4 to L with opp ftwk.

9-16	Repeat action of meas 1-8.

II.	IN PLACE WITH HEEL-CLOSE

1	Facing ctr, jump to both with R in back of L (ct 1); jump to both with L in back of R (ct 2);
2	Repeat action of meas 1.

	NOTE: The action of meas 1 and 2 very closely resemble a "Russian skip-step" but with the "hop" coming simultaneously with the step instead of between.

3	Step R swd (ct 1); touch L heel to L, bending supporting knee (ct 2);
4	Repeat action of meas 3 with opp ftwk.

5-16	Repeat action of meas 1-4 three more times.

III.	IN PLACE WITH SLAP-STEP

1	Jump to both with R in back of L (ct 1); jump to both with L in back of R (ct 2);
2	Jump to both with R in back of L (ct 1); turning to face diag L, fall on to L (ct 2); slap ball of R out twd ctr, momentarily taking wt on R (ct &);
3	Fall fwd L (ct 1); slap ball of R out twd ctr, momentarily taking wt (ct &); fall fwd L (ct 2); slap ball of R out twd ctr, momentarily taking wt (ct &);
4	Fall fwd L (ct 1); slap ball of R out twd ctr, momentarily taking wt (ct &); fall fwd L (ct 2); pause (ct &).

5-16	Facing ctr, repeat action of meas 1-4 three more times.



	DANCE SEQUENCE

	I, II, III, II, I, II, III, II, I, II, III, II, III.
Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes