Geampara dance form

Geampara 7/16 dance

The Geampara has three beats, short-short-long, written as 7/16. The name comes from the Turkish word for a type of percussion instrument, probably similar to castanets. The dance is found mostly in Dobrogea, formally a Turkish ruled region, and across the Danubian plain of south east Romania.

This dance has developed into various formations; circle, couple, and modern couple variants. Most common is the couple dance consists of the man and woman dancing facing each other with or without contact and using improvised step combinations.

Geampara has much in common with the Bulgarian Râčenica found in north Bulgaria and Thrace, although the music is played with a different accent. There are also some other Dobrogean dances in 7/8 are Pandelașul, Drăgăicuța, Săltata.

Note that in Romania the 7/8 rhythm is used for other dances associated with rituals and customs such as Capra, as well as for a social couple dance with called figures known by various names such as Spic de Grâu, hop și alta or Kecsketánc (Csango minority) which should be considered separately Geampara.

Geampara dance types

Geampara dances include;

• Geamparalele from Dobrogea can be in an open circle, couples in a circle, separate couples, or modern 3 step turning.
• Vlășcencuța from the Vlașca zone and Zlata from Slobozia are local variants of Geampara danced in a circle.
• Leliță Ioană from Argeș and Ploiești is adapted into 3/8.

Choreographic form, motifs, music