Brâul lui Zbârcea

BRÂUL LUI ZBÂRCEA
Romanian

PRONUNCIATION: BREUH-ool loo-ee ZBEUHR-chya
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 Zbârcea

SOURCE: Larisa Lucaci introduced this dance in the United States about 1954 and intended to teach it at the 1966 Santa Barbara Folk Dance Conference in California.

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.

MUSIC: Folk Dancer (45rpm) MH-1123-B

FORMATION: Open cir of M and W facing to the R with hands joined and held down in "V" pos.

METER/RHYTHM: 2/4

STEPS/STYLE: RUNNING TWO-STEP: Step fwd R (ct 1); step fwd L (ct &); step fwd R (ct 2); pause (ct &). The repeat is done with opp ftwk. While this step resembles three simple running steps, the second step is actually shortened to give it the character, if not the precision, of a legitimate two-step.
HANDS: Hands swing fwd on ct 1 and bwd on ct 2.

MEAS MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION

INTRODUCTION

1-8 No action.

I. FIGURE ONE

1 Facing diag R and moving in LOD, dance a Running Two-Step to R starting R (cts 1&2);

2 Dance a Running Two-Step to R starting L (cts 1&2);

3 Turning to face ctr with body slightly bent fwd at hips and extendling L bwd, leap R, swinging hands farther fwd than before (ct 1); straightening up, leap onto L across in back of R, swinging hands farther bwd than before (ct 2);

4 Turning to face diag R, step R, swinging hands fwd (ct 1); step L, swinging hands bwd (ct 2).

5-16 Repeat action of Fig I three more times, ending facing ctr.

II. FIGURE TWO

1 Facing ctr, hop L (ct 1); step R in place (ct &); pause (ct 2); stamp L next to R without wt (ct &);

2 Stamp L without wt (ct 1); pause (ct &); stomp L taking wt (ct 2); pause (ct &).

3-16 Repeat action of Fig II seven more times, ending facing diag R.

Repeat entire dance from beg.

Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes

BRÂUL LUI ZBÂRCEA Romanian

PRONUNCIATION:	BREUH-ool loo-ee ZBEUHR-chya 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 Zbârcea

SOURCE:	Larisa Lucaci introduced this dance in the United States about 1954 and intended to teach it at the 1966 Santa Barbara Folk Dance Conference in California.

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.

MUSIC:	Folk Dancer (45rpm) MH-1123-B

FORMATION:	Open cir of M and W facing to the R with hands joined and held down in "V" pos.

METER/RHYTHM:	2/4

STEPS/STYLE:	RUNNING TWO-STEP: Step fwd R (ct 1); step fwd L (ct &); step fwd R (ct 2); pause (ct &). The repeat is done with opp ftwk. While this step resembles three simple running steps, the second step is actually shortened to give it the character, if not the precision, of a legitimate two-step. HANDS: Hands swing fwd on ct 1 and bwd on ct 2.


MEAS	MOVEMENT DESCRIPTION


	INTRODUCTION

1-8	No action.

I.	FIGURE ONE

1	Facing diag R and moving in LOD, dance a Running Two-Step to R starting R (cts 1&2);
2	Dance a Running Two-Step to R starting L (cts 1&2);
3	Turning to face ctr with body slightly bent fwd at hips and extendling L bwd, leap R, swinging hands farther fwd than before (ct 1); straightening up, leap onto L across in back of R, swinging hands farther bwd than before (ct 2);
4	Turning to face diag R, step R, swinging hands fwd (ct 1); step L, swinging hands bwd (ct 2).
5-16	Repeat action of Fig I three more times, ending facing ctr.

II.	FIGURE TWO

1	Facing ctr, hop L (ct 1); step R in place (ct &); pause (ct 2); stamp L next to R without wt (ct &);
2	Stamp L without wt (ct 1); pause (ct &); stomp L taking wt (ct 2); pause (ct &).
3-16	Repeat action of Fig II seven more times, ending facing diag R.

	Repeat entire dance from beg.
Copyright © 2012 by Dick Oakes