Breaza dance form

The Breaza family of dances are grouped by their syncopated quick-slow-quick-slow-slow rhythm. This musical syncopation is linked to the local Carpathian Brâul from the same region and the lively steps also suggest that the Breaza is could be derived from the Carpathian shepherds dances, but this rhythm is also the basis of on the dances of the Căluș in Muntenia (Argeș and Olt counties) region.

The formation is varied;

• circle
• couples forming a circle
• scattered couples
• small open circle groups where the dance alternates between travelling around and the leader performing some more complex improvisations in place

Breaza dance types

Breaza dances

These dances are found around the ‘elbow’ of the Carpathians in north Muntenia, south east Transylvania and south west Moldavia. From these regions variants have diffused though the Muntenian plain, western Moldavia and Dobrogea.

• Muntenian variants are mostly known as either Breaza or Ca la Breaza after the town of this name in the Muntenian Carpathians, or Ungurica meaning Hungarian-like (dating from when Transylvania was politically associated to Hungary so a fashion or dance that moved across the Carpathians was often termed ‘Ungareasca’ for example the name of the black and white costume when it arrived in Muntenia from the Sibiu region).
• Southern Transylvanian variants can have various names such as Mocăncuța meaning ‘little shepherds’.
• Moldavian variants in Vrancea and Gyimes are called De doi (for two) in Romanian, or Kettös (two) in Hungarian. Note: this has no dance relation to the Banat dance De doi.