Rustemul

RUSTEMUL
Romanian

PRONUNCIATION: roo-STEH-mool
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 Rustemu = "Russian," Rustemul = "the Russian."

TRANSLATION: First or last name; Rus refers to Russian

SOURCE: Dick Oakes learned this dance from Mihai David who learned it while with his brother, Alexandru, in the Romanian State Folk Dance Ensemble during the years 1963 to 1965. Mihai taught it at the 1974 San Diego State University Folk Dance Conference.

BACKGROUND: This dance is from the southern Romanian ethnographic region of Muntenia. Muntenia is also known in English as Greater Wallachia, and is a historical province of Romania, usually considered Wallachia-proper (Muntenia, Ţara Românească, and the seldom used Valahia are synonyms in Romanian). It is situated between the Danube (south and east), the Carpathian Mountains (the Transylvanian Alps branch) and Moldavia (both north), and the Olt River to the west. The Olt is the border between Muntenia and Oltenia (or Lesser Wallachia). Part of the traditional border between Wallachia / Muntenia and Moldavia was formed by the rivers Milcov and Siret.

MUSIC: NAMA (LP) NAMA 1
Gypsy Camp Vol. I (LP) GC 5201-I
The Lark (10" EP) FLDR.

FORMATION: Lines of mixed M and W with hands joined and held down in "V" pos.

METER/RHYTHM: 4/4

STEPS/STYLE: Hops are low, with the heel raising while the toe remains in contact with the floor.
See the dance sequence at the end of the description.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION

1-2 No action.

I. IN PLACE

Hop L, raising bent R in front (ct & of prev meas);

1 step R, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 2); hop R, raising bent L in front (ct &); step L, swinging hands bwd (ct 3); step R in front of L (ct &); step L in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 4);

Hop L, raising bent R knee in front (ct &);

2 step R, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 2); step L diag fwd taking momentary wt (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands bwd (ct 3); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place swinging hands fwd (ct 4).

3-4 Repeat action of meas 1-2 with opp ftwk.

II. DIAGONALS

Hop L, raising bent R knee in front (ct & of prev meas);

1 step R, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 2); hop R, raising bent L in front (ct &); step L, swinging hands bwd (ct 3); step R in front of L (ct &); step L in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 4);

Leap R swd, raising bent knee in front and bringing hands down to "V" pos at sides (ct &);

2 Facing and moving diag R, step L (ct 1); step R next to L (ct &); step L (ct 2); hop L, turning to face diag L (ct &); facing and moving diag L, step R (ct 3); step L next to R (ct &); step R (ct 4);

Hop R, turning to face R (ct &);

3 stamp L swd twd ctr, taking wt (ct 1); step R swd, moving swd away from ctr (ct 2); step L next to R (ct &); step R swd, moving swd away from ctr (ct 3); step L next to R (ct &); step R swd, moving swd away from ctr (ct 4);

Hop R, raising bent L knee in front and turning to face ctr (ct & of prev meas);

4 step L, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); step R in front of L (ct &); step L in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 2); hop L, raising bent R in front (ct &); step R, swinging hands bwd (ct 3); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 4).

5-8 Repeat action of Fig II, meas 1-4 with opp ftwk.

III. TRAVELING R AND L

Turning to face R, hop L, raising slightly bent knee in front (ct & of prev meas);

1 step R fwd, swinging arms bwd (ct 1); hop R, raising slightly bent knee in front (ct &); step R fwd, swinging arms fwd (ct 3); hop R, raising slightly bent knee in front (ct &); step L fwd, swinging arms bwd (ct 4);

Turning to face ctr, hop L, raising bent R knee in front (ct &);

2 step R, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 2); hop R, raising bent L in front (ct &); step L, swinging hands bwd (ct 3); step R in front of L (ct &); step L in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 4)

Hop L (ct & of prev meas);

3 step R in back of L, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); hop R (ct &); step L in back of R, swing arms fwd (ct 2); hop L, raising bent R knee in front (ct &); step R, swing arms fwd (ct 3); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging arms fwd (ct 4);

Turning to face L, hop R, raising slightly bent L knee in front (ct & of prev meas);

4-6 Repeat action of Fig III, meas 1-3, with opp ftwk.

DANCE SEQUENCE (Figures)

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

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

RUSTEMUL Romanian

PRONUNCIATION:	roo-STEH-mool 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 Rustemu = "Russian," Rustemul = "the Russian."
TRANSLATION:	First or last name; Rus refers to Russian

SOURCE:	Dick Oakes learned this dance from Mihai David who learned it while with his brother, Alexandru, in the Romanian State Folk Dance Ensemble during the years 1963 to 1965. Mihai taught it at the 1974 San Diego State University Folk Dance Conference.

BACKGROUND:	This dance is from the southern Romanian ethnographic region of Muntenia. Muntenia is also known in English as Greater Wallachia, and is a historical province of Romania, usually considered Wallachia-proper (Muntenia, Ţara Românească, and the seldom used Valahia are synonyms in Romanian). It is situated between the Danube (south and east), the Carpathian Mountains (the Transylvanian Alps branch) and Moldavia (both north), and the Olt River to the west. The Olt is the border between Muntenia and Oltenia (or Lesser Wallachia). Part of the traditional border between Wallachia / Muntenia and Moldavia was formed by the rivers Milcov and Siret.

MUSIC:	NAMA (LP) NAMA 1 Gypsy Camp Vol. I (LP) GC 5201-I The Lark (10" EP) FLDR.

FORMATION:	Lines of mixed M and W with hands joined and held down in "V" pos.

METER/RHYTHM:	4/4

STEPS/STYLE:	Hops are low, with the heel raising while the toe remains in contact with the floor. See the dance sequence at the end of the description.

MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION

1-2	No action.

I.	IN PLACE

	Hop L, raising bent R in front (ct & of prev meas);
1	step R, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 2); hop R, raising bent L in front (ct &); step L, swinging hands bwd (ct 3); step R in front of L (ct &); step L in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 4);

	Hop L, raising bent R knee in front (ct &);
2	step R, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 2); step L diag fwd taking momentary wt (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands bwd (ct 3); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place swinging hands fwd (ct 4).

3-4	Repeat action of meas 1-2 with opp ftwk.

II.	DIAGONALS

	Hop L, raising bent R knee in front (ct & of prev meas);
1	step R, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 2); hop R, raising bent L in front (ct &); step L, swinging hands bwd (ct 3); step R in front of L (ct &); step L in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 4);

	Leap R swd, raising bent knee in front and bringing hands down to "V" pos at sides (ct &);
2	Facing and moving diag R, step L (ct 1); step R next to L (ct &); step L (ct 2); hop L, turning to face diag L (ct &); facing and moving diag L, step R (ct 3); step L next to R (ct &); step R (ct 4);

	Hop R, turning to face R (ct &);
3	stamp L swd twd ctr, taking wt (ct 1); step R swd, moving swd away from ctr (ct 2); step L next to R (ct &); step R swd, moving swd away from ctr (ct 3); step L next to R (ct &); step R swd, moving swd away from ctr (ct 4);

	Hop R, raising bent L knee in front and turning to face ctr (ct & of prev meas);
4	step L, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); step R in front of L (ct &); step L in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 2); hop L, raising bent R in front (ct &); step R, swinging hands bwd (ct 3); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 4).

5-8	Repeat action of Fig II, meas 1-4 with opp ftwk.

III.	TRAVELING R AND L
	Turning to face R, hop L, raising slightly bent knee in front (ct & of prev meas);
1	step R fwd, swinging arms bwd (ct 1); hop R, raising slightly bent knee in front (ct &); step R fwd, swinging arms fwd (ct 3); hop R, raising slightly bent knee in front (ct &); step L fwd, swinging arms bwd (ct 4);

	Turning to face ctr, hop L, raising bent R knee in front (ct &);
2	step R, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 2); hop R, raising bent L in front (ct &); step L, swinging hands bwd (ct 3); step R in front of L (ct &); step L in place, swinging hands fwd (ct 4)

	Hop L (ct & of prev meas);
3	step R in back of L, swinging hands bwd (ct 1); hop R (ct &); step L in back of R, swing arms fwd (ct 2); hop L, raising bent R knee in front (ct &); step R, swing arms fwd (ct 3); step L in front of R (ct &); step R in place, swinging arms fwd (ct 4);

	Turning to face L, hop R, raising slightly bent L knee in front (ct & of prev meas);
4-6	Repeat action of Fig III, meas 1-3, with opp ftwk.



	DANCE SEQUENCE (Figures)
	I, II, III; I, II; I, III.
Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes