The Csángó people are an ancient, isolated Hungarian-speaking minority in Romania. Since about 1980, Hungarians in Hungary have ‘discovered’ the Csángó and their simple, archaic (for Hungary) music and dances (which they call Moldvai – “Moldavian”). For more about the Csángó people, see https://folkdancefootnotes.org/culture/ethnicity-history-geography/the-csango-of-moldova-transylvania/
Bulgáros, pronounced BOOL GAH roash, means ‘Bulgarian”
Bulgáros, the Music
Lerem, lerem, the Lyrics
Google translation Lérem, lérem* utolérem! I'm catching up,* I'm catching up! Száz kutyával összetépem! I'll tear it apart with a hundred dogs! (*Moldvai népdal) (*Moldavian folk song) Kert tetején lókoponyák Horse skulls on top of garden odvas szemén füst lobog át: smoke flickers through his fierce eyes: pata-zörgős lesz az éjjel it will be hoof-rattling at night csutakos vihart szór széjjel it scatters a storm with its head Mássz pajtásom gerendára! Climb the beam my friend! Felkopott a Holdnak álla: Worn to the moon: bölény bődít, ördög szarva bison intoxicates, devil's horn a felhőkbe fűzve-varrva! sewn into the clouds! Kasza üget, hódol a rét, Mower trots, worships the meadow, fák törzse bevérzett hétrét! the trunks of trees are bloody sevenfold! Köddel leszek összekötve: I will be connected with fog: száraz szalma ézes rögbe dry straw flavored nugget Ordas tépte kérget rágok, I chew the torn bark of Ordas, csonttá fagynak a virágok the flowers freeze to bone zúg a szél! Forró gyehenna the wind is blowing! Hot hell csapásain körmét húzza! he pulls his nails on his blows! Szél sózza, vagy megpörkölje! Salt it or roast it! Róka-szemű éj ne födje! Don't be covered by fox-eyed night! Dördül bé s állkapcsa bömböl He rumbles and his jaw booms tépett hús lóg gerincedből! torn flesh hangs from your spine! (a zúzmarát izzadt holtak (the crush is dead sweaty homlokán az ég kopogtat) the sky is knocking on his forehead) Utána futnék, bár messze I would run after him, even if far jár már gyilkos kaszahegye: there is already a killer scythe tip: Lérem, lérem, utolérem! I'm catching up, catching up, catching up! Száz kutyával összetépem! I'll tear it apart with a hundred dogs! Mért nem szabad utolérnem? Why shouldn't I catch up? Sárkánytövis ég szívében A dragon thorn in the heart of heaven
Bulgáros, the Dance
Bulgáros is a Living dance, accompanied by live music. Musicians adapt to the demands of the dancers. Dancers do not necessarily learn from the same source. Tempos vary. The direction and type of steps in Melody 2 also varies. There are several YouTubes shown, which combined are the basis for this description.
Meter: fast4/4
Formation: Two opposing lines facing each other, mixed gender, back basket hold.
Introduction: Two-measure fade-in. Start when new melody starts.
Melody 1 – Toward, away from other line
Measures 1, 2. Step toward other line, (starting on R foot,) slow, slow quick-quick, slow.
Measures 3, 4. Back away from other line, (starting L foot,) slow, slow quick-quick, slow.
Repeat measures 1-4.
Melody 2 – In place, keeping line straight.
Measure 1. Step on R foot, stamp L twice, pause.
Measure 2. Step on L foot, stamp R twice, pause.
Measure 3. Step on R, stamp L, Step on L, stamp on R,
Measure 4. Step on R foot, stamp L twice, pause.
Measures 5-8. Repeat 1-4, opposite footwork.
Melody 2 – alternate
Measure 1. Stamp R foot 3 times, pause.
Measure 2. Stamp L foot 3 times, pause.
Measures 3 & 4. Repeat 1 & 2.
Measure 5, Stamp R, pause, stamp L , pause
Measure 6, Stamp R foot 3 times, pause,
Measures 7 & 8 Repeat 5 & 6, opposite footwork.
Berka Band has been playing for dance houses every other Friday at the Fonó for 12 years now. Each time the best students and musicians from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music come to help out. Two dance houses happen in two different spaces simultaneously: the Moldavian dance house is held in the large space, while a string band plays dance music of other traditional Hungarian communities in the foyer space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVs0s6PRD0U
COMMENTS:
JOHN UHLEMANN SAID: I am happy to see this dance here. I learned this in Budapest several years ago, in one of the same venues shown in your videos. There are several very good recorded arrangements available for it. A similar dance (going right and left rather than forward and back, and in the hand hold is Nyelu. These really belong in folk dance groups in North America.
Folkdance Footnotes 