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:	Mihai David learned this dance while with the Romanian State Folk Dance Ensemble during the years 1963 to 1965 and subsequently taught it to folk dancers in the United States.
BACKGROUND:	This dance is from the southern Romanian ethnographic region of Muntenia.
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 © 2004 by Dick Oakes