Şchioapa dance form
This category includes all dances with a musical rhythm of "short-short-short-long". This includes both 9/16 (2+2+2+3) and 5/8 (2+2+2+4).
Musically the 9/16 (2+2+2+3) in similar to the Bulgarian Dajčovo, although in the Bulgarian one tends to play the rhythm as 2+2+2+(2+1) and in the Romanian 2+2+2+(1+1+1).
Şchioapa chain dance types
In terms of dance choreography, there are two dance types placed under this musical rhythm category;
- Şchioapa (meaning the lame one) (2+2+2+4) also Hodoroaga (meaning the rickety one) (Transylvania), Sokcili (Vlach-Serbia) generally consists of first figure moving sideways to the right and left (or forward and back) and a second figure moving sideways with a grapevine step. This dance Hodoroaga is danced by the shepherds in south Transylvania around Sibiu to Braşov. It is thought that the shepherds brought this dance from the Bărăgan plains and Dobrogea which have long been used by shepherds from a wide area of Romania for winter pasturing.
- Cadâneasca (from Turkish for harem girl) from Dobrogea is closer to the Bulgarian Dajčovo with a basic step of hop-step-step-step. Note that Cadâneasca in some villages may be in other rhythms.
Choreographic form, motifs, music
| type | names | form | structure | motifs | music |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Şchioapa | Şchioapa, Hodoroaga | circle, hand hold, men shoulder hold |
bi-directional Hora
|
grapevine | 5/8 |
| Cadâneasca | Cadâneasca | circle, hand hold | bi-directional Hora | hop-step-step-step | 9/16 |
References
BUCSAN, A. (1971) Specificul Dansului Popular Românesc, Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste România.
GIURCHESCU, A. & BLOLAND, S. (1995) Romanian Traditional Dance, "Mill Valley, California", Wild Flower Press.
POPESCU-JUDET, G. (1967?) Jocuri Populare Din Dobrogea, Casa Regionala.
© Eliznik2005, Last updated Apr-08