The Romanian Brâul family of men's dances, now has mixed and women's versions. The word
Brâul comes from the Dacio-Illyrian language meaning "belt". Formations
where the dancers hold their neighbour's belts are common throughout Bulgaria
(known as na pojas) and east Serbia. Belt hold causes the dancers to be
connected more rigidly than hand holds, thus the dance formations are restricted
to short lines and semicircles. The belt hold no longer exists in Romania except
in the name of the dance and has been replaced by front or back cross-hand hold,
shoulder hold, or simple low hand hold. There are three basic regional types of
the Brâul.
The Danubian Brâul is danced to fast 2/4 music and mostly moves, forward and back, and left and right, so the dancers usually return to the same place. It has two main families, the first is Brâuleţ from Oltenia which has several other names, Galaonul, Poloxia, and Trei păzeşte. The second family is Alunelul, found across the whole of southern Romania, which is danced mostly in front or back basket hold. There are also versions in low hand hold which can be danced in a circle. There are a few alternative names for Alunelul, with Ca la baltă possibly the best known.
The majority of the Brâuleţ dances are from the villages of southern Oltenia. This region comprises the flat lands along the river Danube with many compact villages unlike the linear villages of the sub-Carpathians. Many dances taught come from Goicea and Bârca, which are so close to each other that the edge of one is at the start of the next village! Bistreţ is a little to the SW near the Danube. A few are also found in the Râmnicu Vâlcea area, I don't know if there is a historical link from south Oltenia to north east Oltenia.
| Title | Village, Region | Choreographic level | Dance notes* | Source** | |||
| *click here for notes | |||||||
| Type 1 | |||||||
| Brâuleţul | 1 |
 |
Sever Tita | ||||
| Polocsia de la Bârca | Bârca, Dolj | 1 |
|
Mihai David | |||
| Brâuleţ Vâlcean | Râmnicu Vâlcea | 1 |
|
Silviu Ciuciumiş | |||
| Brâuleţul de la Bârca I | Bârca, Dolj | 2 | Silviu Ciuciumiş | ||||
| Brâuleţul de la Bârca II | Bârca, Dolj | 2 |
|
Silviu Ciuciumiş | |||
| Poloxia de la Goicea | Goicea, Dolj | 3 |
|
Silviu Ciuciumiş | |||
| Type 2 | |||||||
| Trei păzeşte bătrânesc | Goicea Mare, Dolj | 2 |
|
Silviu Ciuciumiş | |||
| Trei păzeşte de la Bistret | Bistreţ, Dolj | 3 | Mihai David | ||||
| Şchioapa | 3 |
|
Mihai David | ||||
* Some dance notes in Romanotation are available, click the
. Please note these are not detailed notes and
should only be used as a reminder after the workshops.
** Our "source" is only indicative of the route to us or the UK and may not be the original source
| Dance characteristics | |
| Music |
Fast 2/4 played on fluier, caval or violin |
| Formation |
Lines in back basket hold or shoulder hold, although for recreational dancing this is usually changed to V hold or front basket hold |
| Choreography |
Bidirectional, forward+backward Type 1: introduction with a number of forward and back steps and step kicks in place, followed by a figure using a combination of characteristic steps. Type 2: a number of figures using combinations of characteristic steps |
| Characteristic steps |
"bicycling" kicks; combinations of hops with free foot across, to side & across using toe or heel; crossing steps in 3's and 7's; travelling to side with leading heel; close with heel click. |
| Etymology | |
| Brâuleţul | the little brâul (belt) |
| Polocsia / Poloxia | unknown |
| Trei păzeşte | look out tree times |
| Galaonul | unknown |