Moldvai

A list of many of the Csángó dances from Moldva, along with useful reference videos and notations of dance steps. A variety of wind, stringed, and percussion instruments are used for dancing in Moldva, including the hegedű (fiddle), furulya (short flute), kaval (long flute), tilinkó (overtone flute), koboz (lute), dob (drum), levél síp (leaf whistle), and doromb (mouth harp). (This page is a work in progress.)

Circle and line dances

Botosánka / Munteneászka (Botoșanca / Munteneasca) [Klézse]

Teaching review video (#5 of 9 dances)

Danced in a circle with arms in "W" position, moving in one direction per 8 counts. Steps are described below when going to the right; swap all feet when going left.

BASIC: Travel to side, 3x ti-ti-tas
Facing to R (LOD): Step R [1], step L XIF R [2], ti-ti-ta to R (R-L-R) [3&4], ti-ti-ta to L (L-R-L) [5&6], ti-ti-ta to R (R-L-R) [7&8]

Bulgáros / Bulgárjászka (Bulgăreasca)

Táncház in a park

Táncház at Fonó - 2016 (April)

Children's group in a studio

Dance in two parts: one common pattern is A-A-B1-B2. Position is two facing lines with hands crossed behind backs (back basket hold). Sometimes, as a game, children will run through the center as the opposing lines are coming together, to see if they can race through and avoid being squashed.

PART A: Skips forward and back
Skip R fwd [1], skip L fwd [2], skip R fwd [3], small skip L fwd [&], small skip R fwd [4]; skip L bk [5], skip R bk [6], skip L bk [7], small skip R bk [&], small skip L bk [8]
PART B1: Stamps - triplets
Stamp R 3 times fwd [1&2], step R in place [&], stamp L 3 times fwd [3&4], step L in place [&]; stamp R 3 times fwd [5&6], step R in place [&], stamp L 3 times fwd [7&8], step L in place [&]
PART B2: Stamps - single, single, triplet
Stamp R fwd [1], step R in place [&], stamp L fwd [2], step L in place [&], stamp R 3 times fwd [3&4], step R in place [&]; stamp L fwd [5], step L in place [&], stamp R fwd [6], step R in place [&], stamp L 3 times fwd [7&8], step L in place [&]

Cuka (Țuca) [Klézse]

Teaching review video (#6 of 9 dances)

Táncház video - 2013 (April)

Danced in a circle with arms in "W" position, moving in one direction per 8 counts. Steps are described below when going to the right; swap all feet when going left. The small step basic has a slight in / out motion when moving to each side, while the large step versions cover a lot of ground with big steps and a large inverted V path (in / out).

BASIC: Travel to side - small steps
Start facing to R (LOD) but after count 4, start changing facing to L such that steps are eventually moving backwards to R: Step R [1], small hop / lift on R OR touch L near R [2], step L XIF R [3], small hop / lift on L OR touch R near L [4], R to R [5], L to R (may go slightly behind R) [6], R to R [7], pause OR touch L by R OR touch L fwd [8]
VAR. 1: Travel to side - big steps with ending ti-ti-ta
Same facing changes as BASIC: Big step diagonally R to R [1], big hop / lift on R AND touch L OR small kick with L [2], big step diagonally L XIF R to R [3], small hop / lift on L AND touch R OR small kick with R [4], moving backwards diagonally big step R to R [5], moving backwards diagonally big step L to R [6], moving backwards diagonally ti-ti-ta (R-L-R) [7&8]
VAR. 2: Travel to side - big steps with starting and ending ti-ti-tas
Same facing changes as BASIC: Big ti-ti-ta (R-L-R) diagonally R to R [1&2], big ti-ti-ta (L-R-L) diagonally R to R [3&4], moving backwards diagonally big step R to R [5], moving backwards diagonally big step L to R [6], moving backwards diagonally ti-ti-ta (R-L-R) [7&8]

Erdélyes / Árdeleánka (Ardeleanca)

Félöves (Juma' de brâu)

Táncház video - 2018 (October)

Dance in two alternating parts. Position is a closed circle with hands crossed behind backs (back basket hold).

PART A: Travel in a circle to R & L
Travel to R with L XIF [1], R to R [&], repeat for counts [2-7], L XIF [8], hold [&]; reverse all steps to the L [1-8]
PART B: Step lifts
Step L as lifting R fwd [1], small bounce on L with R fwd [2], repeat for counts [3-8]; repeat with same feet [1-8]

Gergelytánc / "Édes Gergelem"

Adult performance video - 2009

Youth performance video - 2018

Danced in a circle with arms in "W" position, moving in one direction per 8 counts. Steps are described below when going to the right; swap all feet when going left.

BASIC: Stomp, limp step, twisty walks, stamp
Facing to R (LOD): stomp L by R [1], pause [2], small step R fwd (limp) [&], step L fwd [3], step R fwd with small twist [4], step L fwd with small twist [5], step R fwd with small twist [6], stamp L by R [7], step L to L as turn to face L (RLOD) [8]
VAR. 1: Stomp, 2 limp steps, stamp
Facing to R (LOD): stomp L by R [1], pause [2], small step R fwd (limp) [&], step L fwd [3], pause [2], small step R fwd (limp) [&], step L fwd [5], step R fwd with small twist [6], stamp L by R [7], step L to L as turn to face L (RLOD) [8]
VAR. 2: Stomp, 3 limp steps, stamp
Facing to R (LOD): stomp L by R [1], pause [2], small step R fwd (limp) [&], step L fwd [3], small step R fwd (limp) [&], step L fwd [4], small step R fwd (limp) [&], step L fwd [5], step R fwd with small twist [6], stamp L by R [7], step L to L as turn to face L (RLOD) [8]
VAR. 3: Stomp, 3 hop-stomp steps, stamp
Facing to R (LOD): stomp L by R [1], pause [2], small hop on L as stamp R to R [3], small hop on L as stamp R to R [4], small hop on L as stamp R to R [5], step R fwd with small twist [6], stamp L by R [7], step L to L as turn to face L (RLOD) [8]