The "Hora" of Romania ~ Folk Dance

The Hora is a social dance found in many cultures. The Romanian Hora has a special place in its culture as a symbol of unity--unity of a village and unity of the country. The way dancers join arms to dance together represents this, as does the fact that anyone can join the hora: It is simple, and does not require partners or an even number of dancers.

Style:
The hora does not have a particular style in the sense that it represents a particular mood or tone. It is performed at all types of ceremonies, from weddings to funerals to religious occasions, but it is also danced at other, less formal social gatherings, such as parties or festivals. The dance is circular--all dancers form a circle and either join hands or place their hands around one another's shoulders or waists. This is called a closed circle dance. In some parts of regions of Romania, the dance is done as an open circle. This means the dancers are in formation, but their arms are not joined, and a leader may move the circle around or turn it into a spiral.

 At its most basic, the Romanian hora involves just moving your feet in time to the music and knowing which way the circle is moving. In addition to going around in a circle, dancers sometimes move in toward the middle, contracting the circle, or move outward and expand the circle. The direction of the dance may change once or several times. When traveling around the circle, the traditional step is a grapevine step, in which the left foot crosses in front of the right, the right steps out, the left crosses behind the right, and the right steps out again.

Many variations exist on this basic cross-step, some that are choreographed into the dances, and some that are simply invented spontaneously as the dance is going on. In addition to changing directions, steps can be added or altered to add variation to the dance. As well as changing the form of the dance by making it an open circle dance or a spiral, dancers may choose to form two circles, one inside the other. The inner circle can follow the direction of the outer, or it can turn in the opposite direction.

The grapevine movement around the circle can be varied with a skipping motion, and a common addition is one or two hops in place at the end of the musical phrase (usually two or four bars ). Another variation is to add a kick at the end of a step, making the movement left-right-left-kick (with the right foot) or right-left-right-kick (with the left). Kicks can also be done as "scissor" kicks, in which the dancer kicks both feet in an alternating pattern, kicking in the right foot while hopping on the left, and then kicking the right while hopping on the left.

Sara Baras will take a temporary break from the stage with "Esencia" ~

Sara Baras has announced that from May she will take a hiatus from dancing "because I want to be a mother, and, apparently my dancing isn’t compatible with pregnancy". Even so, she hopes that the pause will be brief and that she will return with renewed strength. But before she goes on hiatus she takes a look back over her career with "Esencia".

"Esencia" opened in December 2009 at the theatre of the Champs Elyssees of Paris and is a tribute to the career of Sara Baras. The performer from Cadiz has selected some of the most representative and unforgettable moments of the 9 shows that she has staged in the 11 years of her time in the Dance Company . She has given them a new reading, re-working the choreographies and giving it a new stage design, wardrobe and lighting, with a running theme: the essence of flamenco itself.
Among the numbers recovered by Sara Baras is "Martinete y Rondeña" from "Baras Carreras", "Bulería" from "Mariana
Pineda", the unforgettable "Farruca" from "Sensaciones", her "Alegrías" from "Cai-la isla" and the essence of "Soleá" from "Juana La Loca", along with the beauty of "Tangos" by Paco de Lucía in "Carmen", where she dances as a duet with José Serrano, guest star also present in "Alegrías" from "Sabores".
Coming dates for "Esencia"
16 and 17 March – Granada. Palacio de Congresos
23 March to 11 April – Madrid. Teatro Häagen- Dazs
Calderón.
17 and 18 April – Palma de Mallorca.
Auditorium
21 to 25 April – Cadiz. Gran Teatro Falla

Our Magnificence – Our Right

In this age we are always mindful of the political correctness of our style, our language, and our innuendo whether intentional or not. We have become a people of super sensitivity to race, gender, disability, age, religion, the rich, and the poor, educated, non educated and sexual preference. It seems we have become a species that may not be allowed to have a preference about anything. After all if we express our opinions or preferences than there will always someone somewhere who might be offended by it. I wonder if we will stifle generations of free thinkers by society dictating how we may express ourselves. Where will be our next Leonardo di Vinci or Michael Angelo? Will we recognize the great thinkers of our time or will these men and women be so weighted by the appearance of impropriety that they will not reveal themselves to us; at least not in a way they we can appreciate them. It appears that we are to be so homogenized that individualization is unacceptable. I ask to what benefit is all of this machination. It seems not to have benefited blacks, whites, people with disabilities, or races or nationalities and religions. There is still on the streets and the news the same rhetoric about the oppression of the black community; are they happier? it appears not to be so. Every category of people continues to experience the same dissatisfaction with their life that makes me wonder about what is existing internally rather than externally.


I now understand more the humor of George Carlin when he shouted from the stage every unacceptable word that he could think of. I used to feel offended that he would do this and was a little miffed that he got away with it. I now would like to do the same. To break the bonds of this oppressive, nonsensical , supra sensitivity of 2010.


It is my hope that we all, irrespective of our corner of the world, do not bow to the pettiness that has been forced upon us and is currently indoctrinating our children; That we always will embrace the magnificence of creativity and the freedom of thought in our journey of life. We may be rewarded or punished for our opinions and expressions but let this not be for the mere exercise of individuality.

cbruce