• Dancing-lessons. (and short singing-lessons) assisted by dancers of the ensemble Rapsozii Gorjului
• Excursion to the village of Băleşti**:- Visit to the village church and traditional houses
  • Meeting with ensemble Jiuleţul: three generations of dancers and musicians, party together
  • Performance by interpreters of old songs Lica Militaru and Emilia Dragotoiu

Monday 2 May - Easter Monday

• Dancing-lessons.
• Visit to the monastery of Polovraci (1643) and to the workshop of costume maker Mioara Dinoiu. Visit to the Toţi Sfinţii (All Saints')-church (1748)
• Visit to the Peşera Muierii-cave (women's cave) and the Galbenului-gorge. Visit to the wood-carver's workshop with domestic objects in Baia de Fier
• Meeting with ensemble Nedeia from Novaci. Performance and party together

Tuesday 3 May

• Dancing-lessons
• Visit to the places of interest in Targu Jiu, a.o. the sculptural complex of the world-famous sculptor Constantin Brancuşi, including the famous sculptures The Table of Silence, The Chairs' Alley, The Gate of Kiss and The Endless Column. The church of the Holy Apostles Petru and Pavel (1777, new- Byzantine style), and the memorial house of Iosif Keber (library of art and picture-collection)
• Memorial house of Constantin Brancuşi in Hobita and the monastery of Tismana (14th century)
• Meeting with a folklore group with winter customs and with singer Carmen Sarcina in the village of Cloşani-Padeş. Performance, dancing together and party

Wednesday 4 May

• Dancing-lessons. Visit to the ethnographical museum in Targu Jiu, to the workshop of potter Nicolae Retezeanu, and to the workshop of Pompiliu Giolacu (wood-carving, paintings on glass)
  Visit to the wine-cellars in Scoarta, wine-tasting. Visit to the monastery of Cămărăşeasca (1780)
• Visit to the memorial house (200+ years old) of Tudor Vladimirescu, leader of the revolution in 1821
• In the village of Targu Carbunşti meeting with folklore group Gilortul: dance and singing group and interpreters of old songs the Piţigoi-family. Performance, dancing together, singing and party

Thursday 5 May

• Dancing-lessons. In Lelesti visit to the memorial house of Ion Grigoroiu
• Visit to the Roman settlement. Visit to the open-air museum of the Gorj district in Curtişoara, and to the fortified boyar's mansion of the Comoiu-family from the 18th century
• Meeting in Targu Jiu with ensemble Rapsozii Gorjului of the School for Folk Art. Rehearsal/performance by the professional ensemble Doina Gorjului. Dancing together

Friday 6 May

• Dancing-lessons and special opportunity for dance notation and video-recording
• Visit to the artificial glass-factory in Targu Jiu and to the instruments maker and inventor Ştefan Popescu
• Farewell party together with the ensemble Rapsozii Gorjului from Tirgu Jiu

Saturday 7 May

• Transfer by touring-car to Bucharest. On the way visit to the cities of Craiova and Alexandria.
  Flight from Otopeni, Bucharest

During the spring-tour the dancing-lessons will be given by Julian Malea with dances from Oltenia, and by Nicolae Iancu with Vlach dances.

** In general the dancing-groups perform, followed by a shared party with music and dance.

EXTRA: singing-lessons, live music, surprises SUBJECT TO MODIFICATIONS

PROGRAMME OF THE TOUR TO POIANA STAMPEI 30 July - 10 August '05

Saturday 30 July

• Flight to Otopeni, Bucharest
• Bus tour along the places of interest in Bucharest (the old city centre and palace of Ceauşescu)
• Transfer by night-train to Vatra Domei in sleeping compartments, departure 21.50 h

Sunday 31 July

• Arrival in Vatra Domei (07.30 h). Transfer by touring-car to Poiana Stampei (1/2 hour)
• Dancing-lessons.
• Visit to the houses of villagers (a.o. traditional house of ca. 90 years old)

Monday 1 August

• Dancing-lessons
• In Vatra Moldovitei: visit to Drajmici Filotea (egg-painter) and the mini-open-air museum
• Visit to the world-famous painted monasteries Moldovita and Sucevita (16th century)

Tuesday 2 August

• Excursion to Maramureş through the Prislop-pass (1416 m)
• On the way (still in Bucovina) visit to the villages of Ciocaneşti and Cârlibaba, famous for their characteristic old architecture and traditional wall-decoration
• Visit to the roots art museum in the village ofVulcăneşti and to the Tartar mausoleum
• In Bogdan Vodă visit to the famous high wooden churches and the wood-carved gates
• In Dragomireşti**: meeting with the women's folklore group (dance, music, old customs)
• In the village of Botiza: - Visit to the workshop and special carpet collection of the Berbecaru family - Visit to the old wooden church and the new painted church

Wednesday 3 August

• Dancing-lessons
• Visit to the workshops of hand workers in Teşna: tunner, weaver, egg-painter
• Excursion by coaches to the plateau of Tataru: view of the Carpathians
• Visit to the local shop and to a traditional house

Thursday 4 August

• Excursion to Transylvania over the Bargau-mountains
• Visit to the Dracula-castle and the wooden monastery in the village of Piatra Fântănele (1201 m)
• Trip to costume maker Bacea Nicolae in the village of Tureac
• Visit to the workshop of potter Nenea Ganau in the village of Mijlocenii Bârgăului
• In Prundu Bârgăului performance by youth ensemble Mioriţa

Friday 5 August

• Dancing-lessons
• Excursion to Vatra Domei: - White church, spa park, historical centre, market place
• Meeting with the dancers and musicians from Clubul Copiilor (youth club): performance

Saturday 6 August

• Dancing-lessons. Excursion to the village of Cozăneşti: - Performance by ensemble Arcanul
• Visit to the workshop of wood -carver Mihai Vleju

Sunday 7 August

• In Vatra Domei: Visit to the museum for ethnography and folklore, meeting with Ion Cruceanu - mythologist, performance by ensemble Dorul Dornei. Dancing-party together

Monday 8 August

• Dancing-lessons and special opportunity for dance notation and video-recording
• Performance by the folklore ensemble from Poiana Stampei. Dancing-lessons and farewell party together

Tuesday 9 August

• Visit to the old traditional painted village church
• Free time in Poiana Stampei
• Transfer by night-train to Bucharest in sleeping compartments, departure 22.00 h

Wednesday 10 August

• Arrival in Bucharest 07.30 h. Visit to the open-air museum. Flight from Otopeni, Bucharest

During the summer-tour the dancing-lessons will be given by Gheorge Constantinescu and Silviu Ciuciumi~ with dances from Bueovina and other folklore zones. The lessons include dances from the villages we visit.
 
 

** In general the dancing-groups perform, followed by a shared party with music and dance.

EXTRA: singing-lessons, live music, surprises SUBJECT TO MODIFICATIONS